Zenimax also sues Samsung for allegedly stolen VR software

After the won lawsuit against Oculus, Zenimax has now also sued Samsung. Zenimax accuses Samsung of using code developed by Zenimax in the development of the Gear VR. According to Zenimax, the code was stolen by John Carmack.

Samsung is being sued for copyright infringement, unfair competition, unjust enrichment and improper acquisition and use of trade secrets. In the subpoena, Zenimax alleges that Samsung knowingly took advantage of Oculus VR technology and continued development of the Gear VR while the lawsuit between Zenimax and Oculus was already pending. Samsung also allegedly did not request permission from Zenimax to use Zenimax’s information and technology. Zenimax wants compensation and part of the profits that Samsung has made with the Gear VR.

Samsung’s Gear VR is based on Oculus technology and, according to Zenimax, that technology was acquired and taken inappropriately by John Carmack, who years ago worked at id Software, which was acquired by Zenimax in 2009. Carmack left and went to work at Oculus. ZeniMax claims that Carmack brought computer code and significant knowledge of technology for developing VR glasses into that transition. Along with other former ZeniMax employees, Oculus was able to build its Rift glasses thanks to ZeniMax’s research and copyrighted code, the claim said.

Zenimax’s new subpoena in the Samsung case alleges that John Carmack and Matt Hooper at id Software created a “plan of attack” for a mobile VR application that eventually led to Samsung’s Gear VR. Carmack allegedly gave the employee Hooper fired by Zenimax access to the office building of id Software, where both had access to the classified information. Carmack and Hooper are said to have secretly worked late into the evening from id Software’s office buildings on a plan to develop VR glasses for Oculus, with Oculus supplying them to Samsung.

In February, the similar case between Facebook-acquired Oculus and Zenimax came to a head. A jury then ruled that Oculus must pay nearly $500 million to Zenimax. Oculus had to pay $200 million in damages for breaking a non-disclosure agreement and $50 million for copyright infringement. Both Oculus and founder Palmer Luckey also had to pay $50 million for trademark abuse and the other founder, Brendan Iribe, had to pay $150 million for this. Converted, the total amount awarded amounted to 463 million euros. However, according to the jury, there was no theft of trade secrets.

During the case, Carmack admitted to bringing e-mails containing code for virtual reality applications to Oculus. The jury ruled that he took property from ZeniMax, but he was not required to pay damages, Bloomberg said. In 2014, Carmack announced that he had left id Software because he was not allowed to work on VR, or too little.

This case between Zenimax and Oculus is not over yet. Oculus has appealed and Zenimax is still trying to prevent the software used by Oculus from being used via a court order.