A closer look
Sega actually held a massive software patent on the concept of a floating navigational arrow in a 3D environment thanks to their classic arcade hit Crazy Taxi, effectively preventing other developers from helping lost players for nearly two decades. The aggressive patent covered the most basic mechanics of driving passengers to a destination while an arrow points the way, forcing competitors to design incredibly convoluted map systems just to avoid being sued into oblivion. It is deeply infuriating that a company legally monopolized the concept of basic directions, forcing gamers in the early two thousands to constantly pause and check a tiny mini-map. The patent finally expired in 2018, liberating the entire industry from the absolute tyranny of a taxi simulator from the Dreamcast era. It perfectly highlights how thoroughly broken the technology patent system is when the simple act of pointing a big green arrow at a virtual building requires a team of highly paid corporate lawyers to defend
