I don’t think that you can patent game mechanics in the US, have read about that before, but it sounds like this lawsuit is in Japan, and their IP system may not work the same way.

EDIT: Sorry, I’m wrong. It’s that game rules aren’t covered by copyright, that’s what I was remembering.

It’s also creating a patent minefield that stifles any game development by people who can’t afford the lawyers necessary to navigate it.

The more bullshit patents we have the closer we get to patents being abolished I suppose