Oculus VR denies ZeniMax legal claims

Oculus VR denies ZeniMax legal claims

It remains to be seen how these allegations will affect the sale to Facebook, which, according to Forbes, has not yet been finalized.

Oculus VR today comprehensively denied intellectual property theft claims made by ZeniMax, according to a Forbes report.

The virtual reality headset maker has been in the news a lot recently, beginning in March when Facebook agreed to buy Oculus for $400 million in cash and $1.6 billion in Facebook shares. Last week, however, ZeniMax Media, owners of Oculus CTO John Carmack’s former home id Software, decided to spoil the party by alleging that the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset was built in part using intellectual property Carmack developed while still at id, and is therefore owned by ZeniMax.

“The proprietary technology and know-how Mr. Carmack developed when he was a ZeniMax employee, and used by Oculus, are owned by ZeniMax,” ZeniMax lawyers told Engadget. “Well before the Facebook transaction was announced, Mr. Luckey acknowledged in writing ZeniMax’s legal ownership of this intellectual property.”

In its statement to Forbes, Oculus VR flatly denied the charges.

“We are disappointed but not surprised by ZeniMax’s actions and we will prove that all of its claims are false.”

Oculus claims that although Carmack might have ended his relationship with ZeniMax, by resigning his position at id Software, the relationship was over, and ZeniMax had abandoned it first, by backing away from Virtual Reality generally. The company lists seven “key points” outlining and clarifying this position.

It remains to be seen how these allegations will affect the sale to Facebook, which, according to Forbes, has not yet been finalized. But for the time being at least, Carmack and Oculus VR are sticking to their guns.

“No work I have ever done has been patented. Zenimax owns the code that I wrote, but they don’t own VR,” said Carmack on Twitter.

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