No Doubt Sues Activision Over Avatars in "Band Hero"

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 5, 2009 - 11:13am.

Los Angeles - The rock band No Doubt has filed a lawsuit against "Band Hero" video game publisher Activision (NASD: ATVI), alleging the company overstepped the permission granted by the band to include their likenesses within the game, Reuters reported. According to the lawsuit, the band did authorize its likenesses to be used to create avatars to perform its own songs within the game, but did not authorize the No Doubt avatars to perform songs by other bands.

The lawsuit gives as an example the fact that players can give No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani a man's voice and control her while performing the Rolling Stones' "Honky Tonk Women," a song about soliciting prostitution.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, as well as an injunction against distribution of the game, and a recall of existing copies.

"Activision believes it is within its legal rights with respect to the use and portrayal of the band members in the game and that this lawsuit is without merit," the company said in a statement.

The No Doubt lawsuit against Activision mirrors one filed by Courtney Love, who objected to similar uses of the avatar of her late husband Kurt Cobain in "Guitar Hero 5."

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/t2wsn (Reuters)

http://www.bandhero.com