Gibson launches Guitar Hero lawsuit
Claims patents have been infringed.
Gibson Guitar has filed a lawsuit against Activision, claiming the Guitar Hero games infringe one of the company's patents.
According to Reuters, Gibson has a 1999 patent for technology used to simulate a musical performance. It sent a letter explaining this to Activision in January.
"Based on our preliminary analysis, the Guitar Hero software (including any expansion packs) and the guitar controller provided by Activision being used as a musical instrument (packaged with the software or sold standalone) are covered by the ... patent," the letter read.
"Gibson requests that Activision obtain a licence under Gibson's... Patent or halt sales of any version of the Guitar Hero game software."
It's all a bit odd as the two companies have previously been big chums; Activision is licensed to model the Guitar Hero controllers on Gibson guitars and their likenesses appear in the games.
"Gibson is a good partner, and we have a great deal of respect for them," said Activision general counsel George Rose.
"We disagree with the applicability of their patent and would like a legal determination on this."
In other words, Activision has gone and filed its own suit - asking the court to declare Gibson's patent invalid, and bar it from seeking damages. Activision claims Gibson granted an "implied licence" by waiting three years to make its claim.
This isn't the only legal tangle the publisher is caught up in; Guitar Hero creator Harmonix is claiming its own royalties for the third instalment in the series.
Still, there's probably enough gold to give everyone a share and still have change for chips. More than 14 million Guitar Hero games have been sold in North America alone, and the game has raked in more than USD 1 billion since its 2005 debut.
You may also like...
-
Why Can't Games Do Sex?
-
Dear Esther Review
-
UFC Undisputed 3 Review
-
Girl Vader stars in Kinect Star Wars trailer
-
Assassin's Creed 3, Splinter Cell: Retribution coming this year?
-
Metal Gear Online to be switched off in June
-
Mojang won't sue FortressCraft dev, "bored" by Minecraft clones
-
Eurogamer.net Podcast #100: Ellie returns! And we filmed it!
-
Remedy discusses Alan Wake 2
-
Will there be a PS3 version of The Witcher 2?
-
Darksiders 2 release date announced
-
If I Were in a Sealed Room With a Girl, I'd Probably XXX trailer
-
Total War: Shogun 2: Fall of the Samurai gameplay
-
Mass Effect 3 teaser trailer invades Earth
-
Motorola Xoom 2 Tablet Reviews
-
App of the Day: Candy Train
-
Only Modern Warfare 3 made more money than Skyrim in 2011
-
PlayStation Vita trailer launches new Sony campaign
-
Happy Action Theater Review
-
Dead Island dev's Haste becomes Mad Riders
-
Why Devs Owe You Nothing
-
Resistance: Burning Skies PS Vita release date
-
Wii RPG Pandora's Tower release date
-
Skullgirls trailer features Nurse Valentine
-
Project Draco's final name is Crimson Dragon









Comments (13) Latest comment 4 years ago
Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!
Comment below viewing threshold Show
Better hope there's time for lubricant. >
Comment below viewing threshold Show
Comment below viewing threshold Show
Comment below viewing threshold Show
"They made HOW MUCH from Guitar Hero!?
Get the lawyers. We can get a slice of this."
Although Harmonix's claim is legit.
Comment below viewing threshold Show
Haw haw :3
Comment below viewing threshold Show
Comment below viewing threshold Show
Comment below viewing threshold Show
if so, wtf?
Comment below viewing threshold Show
Remember, there's ALWAYS time for lubricant.
Comment below viewing threshold Show
What is Harmonix's claim based on? Doesn't that imply that any developer that parts company with its IP is similarly entitled to royalties from subsequent sequels?
Comment below viewing threshold Show
Wow, yeah, that would be great. Noone investing in the development of new technology anymore because they'll never be able to cover the development costs, terrific idea.
Just because the patent system sometimes gets abused (and you have no idea if that's even the case here), and US software patents are crap, doesn't mean they are bad. Patents drive innovation, they don't restrict it,.
Comment below viewing threshold Show
Why can't Gibson just be happy that they're getting a bunch of free advertising every time someone plays the game, that probably thousands of people worldwide have since gone on to think "hey, you know what ? I enjoy playing that game and I always wanted to actually play a real guitar" and then gone and bought a Gibson guitar. And why join the fray when the game (and presumably the original infringement) has been known about for over 2 years ?
Did I hear someone at the back say "greed" ?
Comment below viewing threshold Show
if so, wtf? "
Did you actually read the article before going to the comments?