By: Dale Dietrich
Namco America and Sony BMG Music Entertainment have announced that the companies have settled a complaint filed by Namco alleging that sounds from its video game Pac-Man were used in the song of a Sony BMG artist. Namco’s complaint alleged that the sampled portions were not cleared. The terms of the settlement were not revealed.
Sources: Gamasutra | Gamespot | AllHipHop.com’s Earlier Sept 24, 2004 Report on Lawsuit
Call of Duty: Finest Hour developer, Sparq, files $10 million suit accusing publisher of fraud, breach of contract, and stealing employees and sequel ideas.
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The popular Skype voice and instant-messaging protocol, which allows for free Internet-based telephony, will be made open to developers of other software, the company has announced. Currently requiring the use of Skype’s own client, the company will offer APIs to integrate the service into other software, including potential use in online video games
Source: Gamasutra
In a bid to curb online gaming addiction, Chinese government officials have unveiled new plans to discourage users from playing online games for more than three consecutive hours.
Sources: Gamasutra | Interfax China | GameDaily.biz | GameIndustry.biz | The Console Wars
In this interlocutory appeal, the court determined that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in finding that the plaintiff may be entitled to relief for invasion of privacy by misappropriation, and that the injunction was necessary to prevent irreparable harm. It also ruled that the trial court’s decision to allow the plaintiff to proceed as “Jane Doe” was not appealable, and, in any event, would not prejudice the defendants.
Sources: Media Law Reporter | Davis & Co. LLP
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Dale’s Comment: This is a surprising development given that such console skins are common in the industry (witness the XBox 360 skins to the left)
Sources: ipFrontline.com
A man has been arrested in Japan on suspicion of carrying out a virtual mugging spree by using software “bots” (a form of cheating) to beat up and rob characters in the online computer game Lineage II. The stolen virtual possessions were then exchanged for real cash.
Sources: New Scientist | Gamespot | The Enquirer | BBC | CNet | GamePolitics | Ferrago
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Viliami Fehoko, the man behind the menacing war paint of Vili the Warrior, says that EA never obtained his permission nor paid him compensation for the use of his Vili character as a featured mascot in NCAA Football ’06. According to the article, Fehoko has claimed $75,000 in damages.
Source: GameSpot | Hawaii Channel | Joystiq | Game Politics | Times Online
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This article discusses the value that agents can bring to mid-sized developers when negotiating development deals with publishers.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
The bill gives video game developers who set up shop in Louisiana a 20 percent tax credit provided they remain in operation for the long term and build working relationships with Louisiana universities.
Sources: Gamasutra | Prior June 23, 2005 Gamasutra Story
A number of World of Warcraft players are up in arms over software being used by the game’s publisher to scan users’ computers for hacks prohibited under its terms of service.
Sources: CNet | ZDNet | P2PNet | Blizzard’s Response
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An Alabama jury considering the case of 20 year old Devin Moore for the murder of three police officers has rejected his insanity defense and claims that he was unduly influenced by Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
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The members of the Blu-ray Disc Association, a consortium for development of the upcoming Blu-ray media format, have announced the medium’s planned features for protection of content
Source: Gamasutra
Hong Kong-based online retailer Lik-Sang.com is by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe for selling Japanese PlayStation Portable systems to UK customers ahead of the PSP’s European debut in September.
Sources: IGN | CNet | Gamasutra | GamaeIndustry.biz | Channel Register | PSPWorld | ZDNet | IGN IQ | CD Freaks | Out-Law.com | Softpedia | GamePro.com | Lik-Sang Press Release
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Marc Mayer, of Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP describes how to avoid the pitfalls of using likenesses of individuals in video games.
Source: NextGen.biz
Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto San Andreas has been pulled from shelves in Australia after the increasingly censorious Office of Film and Literature Classification withdrew its rating in the wake of the Hot Coffee scandal.
Source: GameIndustry.biz | Gamasutra
New York Investigation:
LA Civil Suit:
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Stanhouse Class Action Suit:
Cohen Class Action Suit:
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Members of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) union overwhelmingly approved a new contract governing their work in the game sector. Voice-over and other performers will receive a 36% boost in wages, beginning with an immediate 25% hike.
Sources: Gamasutra | Cathy Kirkman Blog | SAG Watchdog | SAG Press Release
Text of Cohen’s Class Action Complaint
In another hot coffee, motivated case, a litigious 81-year-old New York grandmother files suit against the game’s manufacturer for engaging in “false, misleading and deceptive practices”
Sources: The Register | Gamasutra | GameSpot | New York Daily News | GamePolitics.com
New York Investigation:
LA Civil Suit:
FTC Investigation Related Posts:
Stanhouse Class Action Suit:
Cohen Class Action Suit:
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The U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland hands out a four-month jail sentence to an employee of Pandora’s Cube, a major retailer of pirated software and modified consoles in the Washington, DC area.
Sources: Next Generation | ign.com | Gamespot | Team Xbox | Softpedia
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The U.S. House of Representatives has voted 355 to 21 to support a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) inquiry into Take-Two Interactive/Rockstar Games, with the intention of discovering whether the company and its subsidiary attempted to deceive the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) over the sexual content of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas to avoid an ‘Adults Only’ rating.
Sources: Gamasutra | GameIndustry.biz | The Register | 1Up.com | MSNBC | Gamespot | Yahoo! Games
New York Investigation:
LA Civil Suit:
FTC Investigation Related Posts:
Stanhouse Class Action Suit:
Cohen Class Action Suit:
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Illinois Governor Rod. R. Blagojevich has signed into law the Safe Games Illinois Act, which prohibits the sale of violent and sexually explicit games to minors. The act was approved in May by the legislature, and has now been made official.
Sources: Gamasutra | 1Up.com | Gamespot | Illinois Governor’s Press Release | ESA Press Release
GamePolitics Full Coverage of Illinois Game Law
In the wake of the ‘hot coffee’ controversy, the ESRB slaps dreaded rating on controversial best seller. Take-Two lowers guidance; Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and Target pull game from shelves.
Sources: Gamespot | Gamasutra | CNN Money | Gamespot | PC Magazine | Joystiq | IGN.com | Forbes
New York Investigation:
LA Civil Suit:
FTC Investigation Related Posts:
Stanhouse Class Action Suit:
Cohen Class Action Suit:
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Sony Computer Entertainment has won a High Court injunction to prevent online store Nuplayer selling imported Japanese PSP consoles – but the retailer has hit back by taking pre-orders for European PSPs at a reduced price.
Sources: GameIndustry.biz | Channel Register
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The Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association, the Japanese counterpart to the ESRB, has announced a voluntary program to prevent the sale of games rated 18 to minors. The program is seen partially as a preemptive move to cancel possible governmental restrictions in the wake of Kanagawa prefecture’s labeling of Grand Theft Auto III as banned to minors under the legislature.
Sources: Gamasutra | Gamespot | Gamespot (earlier June 27 story)
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