Microsoft sues Motorola, alleges 'excessive' Xbox 360 tech royalty fees

In a lot of ways, Microsoft and Motorola are like the Great Bard's feuding Montagues and Capulets. Things changed early last year, when Motorola sent one of its own to Microsoft in good faith. Microsoft accepted and the future prosperity of both "families" seemed ensured. Things would be good for a time.

But then a little over a year later, there would be tragedy. Microsoft would file not one, but two different lawsuits, the latter being the focal point here: a suit filed in the western district court in Seattle today. It would allege Motorola demanded "royalties that are excessive and discriminatory" regarding its video decoding and wireless LAN tech under the hood of the Xbox 360. That's basically how Romeo & Juliet ends, word for word -- trust us, we just got you an A on that book report.

The story would not continue until Romeo & Juliet 2: QTE Courthouse, where Microsoft and Motorola meet face-to-face to wage battle to the legal death in a quick-time courtroom brawl. Actually, we'll save you the trouble: it's basically a bunch of talking until they ultimately settle their dispute in an ultra-anti-climactic exchange of cash in the back alley.