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Clash of Clans developer Supercell has been ordered to pay $92.2 million in damages to Japanese media company Gree, Inc. in a high-profile patent trial.

Chris Kerr, News Editor

May 10, 2021

1 Min Read

Clash of Clans developer Supercell has been ordered to pay $92.2 million in damages to Japanese media company Gree, Inc. in a high-profile patent trial. 

As reported by Bloomberg, Supercell was found to have infringed on six patents relating to features used in online free-to-play games. 

Gree alleged that Supercell titles including Clash of Clans, Clash Royale, and Hay Day infringed on patents it owns for network features like virtual battles, game storage, and item drops. 

Supercell, which is owned by Chinese company Tencent, refuted those allegations and said the patents themselves were invalid. A federal jury in Texas, however, sided with Gree and said Supercell willfully infringed on the Japanese company's patents. 

Following the decision, a Supercell spokesperson said the company "respects the jury system" but intends to appeal the verdict.

About the Author(s)

Chris Kerr

News Editor, GameDeveloper.com

Game Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.

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