Row over Beyoncé video game goes to court
Developer wants $100 million from singer for contract breach.
A legal row between Beyoncé Knowles and a game developer allegedly contracted to make a title bearing her name is heading to court after a judge gave the claim the green light.
As reported back in April 2011, US studio Gate Five claims that Knowles backed out of a $20 million deal at the last minute that would have seen them develop officially-endorsed dance game Starpower: Beyoncé.
A Manhattan judge has now ruled that its claim has substance and can proceed to trial.
"You continue to negotiate right up until the time you pull the plug. That is not going to work with me," Justice Charles Ramos told Beyoncé's lawyers, as reported by New York Post.
Beyoncé's team claims it abandoned the deal because Gate Five didn't have adequate financing lined up.
However, the studio claims it was due to sign a deal with a financier on 6th December 2010. It insists that Knowles was aware of the planned agreement when she backed out on 3rd December.
The collapse of the deal allegedly "destroyed Gate Five's business and drove 70 people into unemployment, the week before Christmas," according to founder Greg Easley.
Gate Five wants $6.7 million in lost investment, as well as up to $100 million in lost profits from the game.