In a world where this patent didn't exist, an ambitious loading screen mini became a spinoff, made millions and everyone loved it. Then it started a trend for games to try their best to make great loading screen mini games so they too might make their own successful spinoff. Everyone had fun even when they were supposed to wait.

I honestly don't that many developers taking advantage of this situation in the near or far future. Especially when on current hardware loading occurs during cutscenes, when the game is first booted up or sometimes when the player dies.

I fucking thought about this as well while reading the news. If they put a mini-game in a loading screen and people go crazy about it, they could flesh it out into a full game.

We could have had years of possibilities.

Now if some mini-game picks up, chances are it just ends up becoming a mobile game.

*shivers* I fucking though about that as well. What really bugs me is that Namco didn't really utilize the patent.

How was that even a patent....? It shouldn't one to be honest. It's a great idea that everyone should be free to use, rather than someone hog it to themselves. I hope it doesn't get renewed.

Wait, there was a patent on this sort of thing?

lol

Never knew such a patent existed, but it does seem that they already capitalized on it so good for Namco Bandai

Finally we will have mini games in our loading screens, lets hope some dumb twit doesn't try buying it up.

I always wondered why more games didn't have mini games on them like DBZ, I have my answer now though  

Edit: I obviously mean during loading screens in case that wasn't obvious. 

Im sad enjoyed the minigame on tekken 5

How is that a patent? How do you patent something like that?