[PATENT DATA]US software patents since July 2017
Top Companies in Esports Patent Filings
An in-depth list of the companies filing esports and gaming related software patents in the US, with direct links to every company's assigned patents.
[01]About the data
Who files the most esports patents?
IGT leads the list, followed by Nintendo Co. Ltd. and Bally Gaming Inc.
The list ranks 1,000 companies by the number of US esports related software patent applications filed since July 2017, with the number of those applications granted as patents. Together they filed 41,608 applications and were granted 29,816 patents.
Each company links to a Google Patents search of its assigned patents, so you can read the claims behind the numbers. The table is the firm's published dataset, shown as it was compiled.
How to read the table
- Rank orders companies by patent applications filed in the period.
- Patent applications counts filings, granted or not. Patents granted counts those that issued.
- Assignee is the company that owns the filings, as named in the patent records.
What does this mean for a startup?
Large companies file patents on the features that set their products apart, and they enforce them. A startup that files early on its own key features has something to defend and something to show investors. Start with software patents or SaaS patents, and see what a patentability search finds before you file.
Read more in software patent examples, software patent search and how to enforce software patents.
[02]The list
Top companies in esports patent filings.
Scroll the table for every company. Each company name opens its patents on Google Patents.
Data from the firm's published dataset of US software patent filings by assignee since July 2017. Figures are as compiled and are not updated live.
Which company files the most esports patents?
In this list, IGT, with 3,268 US applications filed since July 2017 and 2,759 granted. Nintendo Co. Ltd. and Bally Gaming Inc follow.
What is the difference between applications filed and patents granted?
An application is a request for a patent. It becomes a granted patent only after the USPTO examines and allows it, which often takes 2 to 3 years, so recent filings may still be pending.
Can a startup patent esports software?
Often, when the software performs a new technical process rather than an abstract idea. A patentability search shows what already exists before you file.
How do I look up a company's patents?
Use the Google Patents link in the table, or search the USPTO's patent database by assignee name. For a full picture of what a competitor owns, a patent attorney can run a professional search.
Protect your own esports features.
Talk through your idea with a registered patent attorney. The call is free, with no obligation.