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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Janx" data-source="post: 1681295" data-attributes="member: 8835">Bear in mind, it's not quite that easy to get a patent.  I filed for one back in 2003, and I won't expect it to be approved until 2005 or so.So even though woodelf may have been working on it before WotC released, MTG, it's hard to say when WotC actually filed for theirs.  In the end, it's a matter of timing, and challenging it.To defend WotC;s patent (not a popular task), it's kinda tricky to consider Tarot as prior art.  While woodelf is right that it's definitely a mechanic in reading the cards, it's up to the patent reviewers to make that connection.  Basically, is MTG the first to introduce that concept in a game?It's in WotC's interest to patent it, because they can restrict or slow down the competition from making other CCGs.  To be honest, it's not a factor of the game being a CCG, so much as being a card game.  We could also use beads on the cards (like we do in MageKnight, which I often refer to as "Tapping").Patents usually frustrate those who thought of the same thing, or see it as pretty obvious and now are hindered by virtue of they can't use the same solution in their own project, due to patent infringement.  The problem is, many things seem obvious AFTER they're seen.  But given that there had not been a game with "tapping" before MTG says it wasn't too obvious before then.Janx</blockquote>