The Nintendo Switch might seem like a nifty and unique design to a lot of people, but not one accessory manufacturer. Gamevice believes that Nintendo infringed upon its own design with the Switch and looking at the comparisons between the Switch and its "Wikipad," you can kind of see why it's concerned.
An Android powered tablet with clip-on controllers that feature much of what the Switch's Joy-Cons do, it's understandable why Gamevice might assume that Nintendo borrowed its design ideas to create it. Of course, you have to factor in that the Switch is really just an improved version of the Wii U's gamepad, prototypes for which existed years before Gamevice's Wikipad ever hit the shelves in 2014.
As Eurogamer points out, other differences between the Wikipad and the Switch won't help the lawsuit gain much steam. The different method of attaching controllers is a major point of contention and the single use functionality of the Joy-Cons will also play in Nintendo's favor if this ever reaches a court room.
With Nintendo's hundreds of millions of dollars in cash too, it can afford to dump a lot into some high-powered lawyers. It seems unlikely Gamevice will be able to do the same. While that would normally be cause for concern with a bullying megacorporation taking down a younger upstart, Gamevice doesn't appear to have much of a leg to stand on in this instance.
Image source: Eurogamer.
