Level-5 responds to SEGA's allegations over Inazuma Eleven patent infringement

Level-5 has responded to the lawsuit filed by SEGA over patent infringement claims with Inazuma Eleven on DS.

According to a notice posted on the firm's official site, the Professor Layton developer states the touch controls which SEGA is claiming patent infringement upon, are based on the first Inazuma Eleven game released in 2008 - a year before SEGA received its first patent.

"Inazuma Eleven does not violate Sega's patents," reads the Level-5 statement. "As a result of examining these discrepancies, we've concluded that there is no patent violation."

SEGA received its second patent in 2011, and controls which use a stylus, according to Level-5, have become a "very basic" mechanic with any game using a touch screen.

The firm feels that with SEGA following such litigation proceedings will "limit the range of choice of making games in the future, and thus inhibit the development of the gaming industry."

Level-5 said it intends to fight the claims in court.

Thanks, Kotaku.