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No Doubt sue Activision over Band Hero

Alternative Press - Tim Karan on 11/4/09 @ 3:02 PM - altpress.com

No Doubt have filed a lawsuit against video game maker Activision for using the band's likeness as avatars in Band Hero. Each member of No Doubt is a playable character in the game and can be used to perform songs by other artists. The band say they originally agreed to have their likenesses in the game, but only to perform the No Doubt songs in the game. In an interview, No Doubt's manager Jim Guerinot said that the band were "mortified" when they learned this fact and that No Doubt were turned into a "virtual karaoke circus act."

When the band reached out to Activision to address their concerns, Guerinot says the company replied that changing the game "would be 'too expensive' and would jeopardize their revenue.'"

A statement on behalf of No Doubt reads:
"Musical artists No Doubt announced that they have filed a lawsuit against Activision Publishing today, Wednesday, November 4, 2009 and are seeking an injunction and damages.

No Doubt agreed to place avatars containing their name and likeness performing three No Doubt songs in the upcoming Band Hero game of the Guitar Hero series from Activision.

Without the band's knowledge or approval Activision turned the group into virtual karaoke players by having them perform over 60 additional songs by other musical groups.

Additionally Activision allowed the groups character to be isolated into solo performances of these cover songs and placed randomly in countless variations contrary to the agreement between the parties.

Despite repeated requests by the band that Activision honor its contract Activision has refused claiming the necessary fix would be too expensive."


In September, Courtney Love and the remaining members of Nirvana expressed similar disapproval when they learned that the likeness of Kurt Cobain was a playable character in Activision's Guitar Hero 5.

What are your thoughts on all of this?
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CarmasAbitch Posted 11.04.09 at 03:33PM
Activision should just pull the game off the market at this point. too many artists are suing for the same thing and the company KNOWS that they are at fault.

kapy53 Posted 11.04.09 at 04:12PM
But it'll make trillions of dollars along with COD4 and such so they can eat the cost.

Punklady Posted 11.04.09 at 06:42PM
I think the whole "play as a real life band member" is so corny. Hopefully these legal actions will stop games ending in "hero" from doing it.

horizoncarrie Posted 11.04.09 at 10:35PM
Throw them some moeny(cause thats all artists on major labels really want) and then they will shut the eph up. :)

attackattackisamazing Posted 11.04.09 at 11:16PM
They really need to get the fuck over it, i mean, are they really desperate for money that they will sue a corporation over something that honestly isnt that big of a deal?

AlyssaV Posted 11.04.09 at 11:25PM
This is going to come down to the fine print in the contract that No Doubt signed agreeing to the use of their likenesses in even limited context. I certainly see where they're coming from; I wouldn't want my image available to play just any old song either.