Love to "sue the s***" out of Activision

By Robert Purchese Published 10 September, 2009

Furious at Cobain's GH5 resurrection.

Kurt Cobain's widow Courtney Love is furious at Activision about her dead husband's appearance in Guitar Hero 5, and is threatening to "sue the s***" out of the publisher.

On her Twitter, watched by Perez Hilton, she wrote: "For the record, this Guitar Hero s*** is breach of contract on a bully's part and there will be a proper addressing of this and retraction."

"We are going to sue the s*** out of Activision. We being the Trust, the Estate, the LLC, the various LLCs Cobain Enterprises."

It allegedly took three years of negotiations to secure Cobain as a playable character in Guitar Hero 5 - a move that Courtney Love approved and even helped integrate into the game.

There has been controversy over his inclusion, however, after it was discovered his Avatar could be used to perform any song - not just Nirvana's - once unlocked.

Guitar Hero 5 is due out here tomorrow on PS3, PS2, Wii and Xbox 360.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (91) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • udat #1 2 years ago

    Storm, meet teacup.

  • wizlon #2 2 years ago

    is she so coked up to the eyeballs all the time that she can't remember signing this action off.. or does she just want the attention THAT badly

  • Trinod #3 2 years ago

    i despise that woman

  • shamblemonkee #4 2 years ago

    mountain, molehill.

  • cyacomini #5 2 years ago

    In the words of Gordon Ramsay - Stupid Bitch, Silly Cow etc

    *pardon my french

  • Charlie789 #6 2 years ago

    Hopefully Ativision won't use this as an excuse to add another fiver to the price of MW2!

  • Moribundman #7 2 years ago

    Silly twat. Let's fire Yoko up and tell her John appears in some tracks that he wasn't in the studio for...

  • Moribundman #8 2 years ago

    Maybe Nancy Spudgun could wring some money out of Activision for NOT including Sid in the rerecorded tracks from GH3...

  • Moribundman #9 2 years ago

    And what's Brian Jones' missus up to these days?

  • kendoji #10 2 years ago

    Settle down, woman.

  • superted1974 #11 2 years ago

    Didn't she have Alan Partridges love child?

    Knowing Me, knowing your estranged English Dad.

    Ah Ha!
    Edited by 1 at 10/09/09 @ 11:56

  • ZuluHero #12 2 years ago

    "Furious at Cobain's GH5 resurrection"

    You make it sound like there is a Zombie Cobain walking around now...

  • kangarootoo #13 2 years ago

    At the moment, this isn't really a story.

    Either Activision did breach contract, which honestly would be surprising. Or they didn't, but Courtney Love is getting a strop on for reasons of her own.


    Until we know which is the correct version of events, who can really say what will happen. I know what I expect to turn out to be the case though...

  • Hobo #14 2 years ago

    It's good that a white trash whore was still able to Twitter and remember to use correct capital letters for Guitar Hero and Activision and everything else that needed it.

    Yes, i am going to use her correct grammar against the dumb bitch.

    PR stunt.
    Edited by 1 at 10/09/09 @ 11:57

  • HolyJebus #15 2 years ago

    As much as I think Love is a tool, I'm pretty sure Cobain wouldn't want to be in this game if he was alive.

  • andywilkie35 #16 2 years ago

    I don't know who's side to be on. Courtney "massive cunt" Love or Acti "Whores of the games industry"vision

    I don't want her to win, but then I'd love to see Activision take a battering of sorts. Wahey!

  • Razorus #17 2 years ago

    Whatever. Cobain was perhaps a great musician but a loser. Courtney Love is a dirty whore.

  • sneetch #18 2 years ago

    I think I want both parties to lose this. Is that possible?

    Can the Judge rule "Sorry, it's my money now"?

  • Skorms-Boss #19 2 years ago

    She'll be suing cause she's already spent the fee they payed her on more botox and coke!

  • altitude2k #20 2 years ago

    @andywilkie35

    I'd love to see Activision take a pounding too...but how will they get their money back? I know, MW2 standard edition now £60rrp.

  • matrim83 #21 2 years ago

    Never thought I would say this but "Go Courtney!"

  • LiamK #22 2 years ago

    @HolyJebus - The Cobain of twenty years ago probably wouldn't have wanted to be in this, but if he hadn't died who knows what he'd have been like now.

    It's also possible that, even twenty years ago, he wouldn't have cared.

  • smernicki #23 2 years ago

    courtney love's a fucking idiot

  • AphoticCosmos #24 2 years ago

    On a scale of 1 to 10 of high-ness, I'd wager that she's about 87.2

    Still, if it means taking some monies away from Acti-"I want to suck your blood and eat your children"-vision, then good.

  • Golgo #25 2 years ago

    Just give the talentless bitch some more money to ride off dead hubby's fame...she'll be OK...

  • Toothball #26 2 years ago

    I like it when people sue Activision, no matter what the reason.

  • GamerG #27 2 years ago

    Courtney Love smells monies..

  • Xerx3s #28 2 years ago

    I NEEDZ MORE MONEYZ!!!!!!

  • YoungPayters #29 2 years ago

    im not on her side or anything but it does look a bitridiculous seeing cobain lip sync to bon jovi. i dont many (dead or alive) would have signed up to lip sync to bon fucking jovi, unless ur courtney love.....

  • MiniAmin #30 2 years ago

    She'll end up as a playable character via DLC.

  • Hobo #31 2 years ago

    Does her going public with this pretty much leave her without a leg to stand on? Talking about it in the public domain, splitting both camps down the middle, meaning Activision could claim an unfair trial...or some shit like that?

    Hell, i can't stand Courtney Love, and i detest music games of this ilk. Could a settlement possibly be reached that wipes the planet of both?

  • paulf #32 2 years ago

    obviously a fake outburst created by activision to get people to go out and buy the game before it's 'taken off the shelves' ;)

  • Spekingur #33 2 years ago

    @Zuluhero: Zombie Cobain? Wute! Undead ftw. Although, I guess his undead singing would not really amount to much other than grunts and gurgles - as is the zombie way.

  • Moribundman #34 2 years ago

    "Harley Quinn to sue over Joker's playable appearance in B:AA PS3..."

  • SL33PY #35 2 years ago

    Somebody please shoot her, the same way she let someone shoot Kurt

    Difference will be that this time, nobody will give a shit!

  • actionfitz #36 2 years ago

    if it was anyone but activision id be thinking - wise up missus!
    but activision are a pack worthless bottom feeding cunts, so fuck em.
    hope they get to feel the wallet-rape for a change.

  • Bazfrag #37 2 years ago

    Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Activision

  • EvilBob_leeds #38 2 years ago

    Did anyone else see the title 'Love to "sue the s***" out of Activision' and think yeah, I'd love to sue the shit out of activision too?

  • electrolite #39 2 years ago

    PR stunt in the face of RB's Beatles onslaught. Nothing to see here.

  • jaxon58 #40 2 years ago

    I find it amazing that someone would have to pay money to put the 3D likeness of someone else into a game. I know it's been going on for years, but it still baffles me.

  • sneetch #41 2 years ago

    @EvilBob_leeds
    Did anyone else see the title 'Love to "sue the s***" out of Activision' and think yeah, I'd love to sue the shit out of activision too?

    I did think there was a missing question mark there, alright.

    I thought it was someone creating a class action suit. :(

  • carlitoswagon #42 2 years ago

    She was propably too busy being boned by Steve Coogan to read the contract small print.

  • makeamazing #43 2 years ago

    I really hate that drugged up loser woman...

    Not only that Kurt Cobain was rubbish anyway... get over it.

  • hardtech #44 2 years ago

    Honestly, I wouldn't care normally if this was any other company. But currently I detest the money whore that is Activistion so in this i'm backing the crack whore instead.

    I feel dirty :-(

  • el_pollo_diablo #45 2 years ago

    sue the s***

    sue the skag?

  • Spekingur #46 2 years ago

    Weeeell, if the s**t was sued OUT OF Activision it might actually get better.. with all the s**t out. Right?

  • Lukus #47 2 years ago

    If they'd put in an un-lockable shotgun I'd understand her rage. As it stands, she should probably shut up.
    Edited by 1 at 10/09/09 @ 13:21

  • penhalion #48 2 years ago

    *sigh* You guys do know that she is sueing over their allowing Cobain to be used for any song. Presumably the contract only allowed his likeness to be used for his songs and said nothing about it's use for any other purpose.

  • markypants #49 2 years ago

    Shut it you demented cow!

  • Liam64 #50 2 years ago

    After the way Activision fucked with Tim Schafer and Brutal Legend, I'm perfectly happy letting this go ahead. I hope the mad bitch wins.

  • kangarootoo #51 2 years ago

    @penhalion

    I suppose it is also possible that the contract said he could be used for any song, and she didn't read it properly.

  • anomagnus #52 2 years ago

    crazy bitch is a crazy bitch

  • sarcasmoidosis #53 2 years ago

    "I suppose it is also possible that the contract said he could be used for any song, and she didn't read it properly. "

    I doubt she actually read the contract. Lawyers do that.

  • superted1974 #54 2 years ago

    Lawyers FTW!!

    I think she could argue that if the contract related to the aquiring of rights to play several Nivarna songs and that Cobains likeness could be used for any song that the correct interpretation of "any song" would be "any Nivarna song" and not "any song in the game".

    CGSE Law FTW!

  • Zebula77 #55 2 years ago

    Teehee, she's such a funny person. Still, Activision do deserve some shit being kicked their way. ;)

  • dr_zoidthrob #56 2 years ago

    I keep seeing the word 'suck' not 'sue'... puts a different spin on the headline

  • spekkeh #57 2 years ago

    Just like my daddy, yeah, gonna strike a deal, make him feel like a Congressman.

  • superted1974 #58 2 years ago

    Wow - you had a school whore!

    We didn't even have a football pitch to play on.

  • Shikasama #59 2 years ago

    They are/were both sad, sad people but one happened to write a couple of half decent songs (and a whole lot more rubbish). Can we get over these romantic notions of Kurt Cobain now?

  • sneetch #60 2 years ago

    @penhalion

    Presumptions are fun! I'd presume that the contract allowed his likeness to be used like any other rock star avatar in the game. Can you normally use... erm... Jon Bon Jovi or for any song?
    Edited by 1 at 10/09/09 @ 14:45

  • JonFE #61 2 years ago

    @penhalion

    I seriously doubt Activision would be silly enough to fall for that; Love on the other hand...

  • youhavenomail #62 2 years ago

    Yeah, this is just a PR stunt to get everyone rushing out to buy the game in the fear of Cobain being removed from later editions. Instead of Love being furious at Activision, I suspect she's incredibly grateful for the bung.

    Also, if she hadn't had her husband murdered, he could have taken control of his own image rights. Allegedly.

  • davisorle #63 2 years ago

    @Charlie789
    Was gonna say it the other way around. I do hope they have to pay since they decided for no apparent reason to screw us up with overprising MW2 which will be the first AAA title that ill dl pirated instead of buy it like i would so i can ALSO be playing online. But since Activision wanna make profits from me, ill stick with minus my money in their pockets. And if its not possible to play MW2 at all then so be it ven if I do consider it amazing as it is I will not be from those to allow Activision and any follower of Activision to be fucking with the prices of each game I pay.

    So yeah, I may not like that chick but sure, sue the shit out of them and make them pay whatever they hoped they would make as a total from the extra income from the extra pricing + the rest of them on top of it. Greed should be paid once in a while :)

  • Redeye #64 2 years ago

    Stick her in a locked room with Kotick, and give the cash to whoever walks out.

    Failing that, just launch them both into the sun.

  • lucky_jim #65 2 years ago

    This isn't the whole story, EG. Love only went nuts on Twitter after Everett True posted a vid of the Cobain avatar singing Bon Jovi songs, and after musing that it must have been signed off by Courtney Love and Dave Grohl, commented "Fucking corporate cock-sucking memory-destroying fret-wanking MTV-supporting fame-chasing money-grabbing grave-turning publicity-loving vacuous spoiled jaded cunting rock whores."

    I liked Nirvana, and still do. Quite a lot. So this saddens me. But there are two possibilities here. Either True's name is brilliantly accurate and Love's signed this off (with Grohl, who seems to be getting off fairly scot-free: one for the feminists to muse over), then she's kicked up a stink once it's dawned on her that she's gonna get a whole world of shit from the fans for this. Or Activision really are the worst of the games industry and should be sentenced to spend eternity licking satan's vindaloo jism from hell's red-hot coals.

    Unfortunately, I find each possibility equally believable.

  • Shadders #66 2 years ago

    As a proud member of the Anti Activision Alliance, I would like to make it known that the AAA welcomes this news and invites Miss Love to sign up for our quarterly newsletter.

  • youhavenomail #67 2 years ago

    Oh well, when you point out that they've got the man singing Bon Jovi songs, then she's got a bloody good point.

  • mcmonkeyplc #68 2 years ago

    I'd love to sue the pants off Activision.

  • guernican #69 2 years ago

    Hey, if I was a talentless whore and my meal ticket was being misappropriated and its integrity threatened, I'd sure as shit buy another 8-ball and whine about it on Twitter.

    Oh yup... and sue.
    Edited by 1 at 10/09/09 @ 16:53

  • sneetch #70 2 years ago

    @youhavenomail
    Oh well, when you point out that they've got the man singing Bon Jovi songs, then she's got a bloody good point.

    They don't have him playing Bon Jovi songs, some random player has him playing Bon Jovi songs; he's a playable character and - unless I miss my mark and I apologise if I do - the player picks his/her "guy" and uses him when they're playing the game regardless of the song being played.

    Edit: oh and I have two Nirvana albums from back in the day. One of them is the MTV Unplugged one where Cobain had no problems playing other peoples songs, this idea that depicting him singing someone else's songs is somehow disrespectful seems strange to me, he did play other peoples songs.
    Edited by 1 at 10/09/09 @ 16:56

  • Rpt81 #71 2 years ago

    Pre-Release Courtney: Wow, let's get Kurt in the game, people will love me for doing this!

    Post-Release Kurt Fans: This is awful, it's so not what Kurt would have wanted.

    Post-Release, Post-Backlash Courtney: This is terrible, I'm going to sue. LOVE ME PEOPLE!

  • Kami #72 2 years ago

    I want Activision to lose a case like this... but I want Courtney Love to lose as well... I want no winner... all lose... win... lose...

    *dooj*

    Error!

    This internet fuckwad has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down.

  • soviet_ #73 2 years ago

    @sneetch, there's a huge difference in him playing songs of the artists/songs who inspired him or he admired ie. Unplugged rather than being comically portrayed in a video game playing music he most probably detested.

    As much as a mess she is, it wouldn't surprise me that Activision stooped so low. Pretty sure they advertised a Guitar Hero at the Isle of Wight festival by plastering stickers or a sign over a statue of Jimmy Hendrix?

  • theindustrialone #74 2 years ago

    @ spekkeh

    "Just like my daddy, yeah, gonna strike a deal, make him feel like a Congressman."

    Nice one

  • smelly #75 2 years ago

    Maybe its just me..

    But after seeing cobain prance about singing bon jovi - i think she might actually have a point...

  • basalarmageddon #76 2 years ago

    I wish she had died insted of cobain, although tbh never realy cared for his music.
    I just happen to hate talentless wastes of matter that dont know when to roll over and die.

    also fuck activision too

  • RobotRocker #77 2 years ago

    Courtney Love Vs Bobby Kottick

    Christ, you cant even pick a side on this one.

  • itsfuzzy #78 2 years ago

    = Love saying WTF! I couldve had even more money from those corporate scumbags for my dead husbands image for my surgery, coke, K, speed and booze.

  • attacanteblue #79 2 years ago

    If you guys knew how jumpy publishers' legal teams are, you'd know that there is absolutely no chance that any contract was breached - or even *came close* to being breached.

    Sorry Acti-haterz.

  • Syrette #80 2 years ago

    Haha, it's usually Love who is seen as the bully.

    Can't stand the woman. All she cares about is the $$$.

  • johnny_death #81 2 years ago

    No wonder Trent Reznor denied ever being with her, geez.

  • Galathorn #82 2 years ago

    Love is a whore.

  • Slipstream #83 2 years ago

    As much as I'd like to see this happen, I'd like to see it done by someone who has more...class.

  • Shikasama #84 2 years ago

    Why do we all hate Activision again?

  • TechnoHippy #85 2 years ago

    Is the song "The drugs don't work" available for Guitar Hero?

  • Shadders #86 2 years ago

    @Shikasama

    Because they are EVIL.

    And Bobby Kotick is actually Satan, let's be clear here, he is not spawn of Satan or some other Satan subsidiary, he is Satan himself.

  • Moribundman #87 2 years ago

    Hahaha. Bon Jovi.

    How about a Chris Morris avatar to sing the jingle for "Panty Smiles"... I'm surprised Love didn't dig that one out of Coogan's DVD collection and sue him!

    What does Johnny Cash's widow make of him being usable for Nevermind?

  • curtlikesmeat #88 2 years ago

    OI. Now I know we're all emotional, but please, lets not say things we'll regret about Bon Jovi. If you don't think that Living On A Prayer is the most fun song to play in any of the guitar hero / RB games then you're a filthy liar!!!!

  • sneetch #89 2 years ago

    @soviet_
    @sneetch, there's a huge difference in him playing songs of the artists/songs who inspired him or he admired ie. Unplugged rather than being comically portrayed in a video game playing music he most probably detested.

    I get your point there, believe me I do, but at the end of the day she was the one who agreed to this and now she's getting all pissy about it and, in fairness, we don't know how he'd have felt if he was still alive: he might have laughed his ass off at the idea and loved it or he might have hated it so much that he'd never have agreed to have anything to do with GH. Assuming that he'd hate it seems a bit presumptuous to me (as does assuming he detests any specific music).

  • RobotRocker #90 2 years ago

    @ lucky_jim

    Dave and Krist dont own the likeness. They only signed off on the two songs. They even released a statement to Kotaku

    This is a statement regarding Nirvana, Guitar Hero and the likeness of the late Kurt Cobain.

    We want people to know that we are dismayed and very disappointed in the way a facsimile of Kurt is used in the Guitar Hero game. The name and likeness of Kurt Cobain are the sole property of his estate - we have no control whatsoever in that area.

    While we were aware of Kurt's image being used with two Nirvana songs, we didn't know players have the ability to unlock the character. This feature allows the character to be used with any kind of song the player wants. We urge Activision to do the right thing in "re-locking" Kurt's character so that this won't continue in the future.

    It's hard to watch an image of Kurt pantomiming other artists' music alongside cartoon characters. Kurt Cobain wrote songs that hold a lot of meaning to people all over the world. We feel he deserves better.

    Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl

    So its not Dave's fault in this. More than likely it may have been a case that Courtney signed off on the likeness after Activison showed her the Hendrix likeness in GH:WT which was actually pretty tasteful and respectful by Activisions standards and assumed this was the same way they were going to treat Kurt. Evidently, she was wrong.

  • lucky_jim #91 2 years ago

    Ah that makes sense. I'm increasingly starting to think that they probably showed Love the Cobain avatar doing the two Nirvana songs in the game, didn't tell her that it could be used for any song, and she didn't know enough to even think of asking. Which makes Activision more of a baddie in this story imo, as if I'm right, they neglected (either deliberately or through incompetence) to make her fully aware of what it actually meant.