A "Brutal" lawsuit

[Diatribal Deity]

Wow! I hope this title turns out to be worth it (development and litigation)...

http://www.comcast.net/articles/entertainment/20090604/US.Games.Brutal.Legend.Lawsuit/

[kupomogli]

Why can't Activision just tell the courts the truth. We want money that we don't deserve so let us win.

[JunkTheMagicDragon]

schafer's response (http://kotaku.com/5279255/tim-schafer-responds-to-activisions-brutal-legend-lawsuit)was classic:

"Hey, if Activision liked it, then they should have put a ring on it," Schafer said. "Oh great, now Beyoncé is going to sue me too."

[unwinddesign]

Why the hell did this game cost 22 million dollars? That's ridiculous.

[Rev. Link]

Why the hell did this game cost 22 million dollars? That's ridiculous.

Well, Jack Black probably got paid a good bit. Plus, a lot of licensed music. Add all that into a game being designed to be a AAA title, and you spend a lot of money.

[kaedesdisciple]

Well, Jack Black probably got paid a good bit. Plus, a lot of licensed music. Add all that into a game being designed to be a AAA title, and you spend a lot of money.

Let's not forget all those designers/developers/publishers/testers/managers/staff that had to be paid during that cooking time.

[The 1 2 P]

Why is this lawsuit happening now? Shouldn't Activision have done this as soon as the game was announced to be coming by EA?

[Zing]

I don't get it.

If EA didn't fund/publish/Q&A/advertise the game, then the game wouldn't be released and Activision wouldn't lose anything in the first place.

So it is some sort of bizarre loop where EA publishing the game somehow causes Activision to lose money that Activision wouldn't have even made if EA hadn't published the game.

The judge should ask one question to Activision: "How much money would you have made from this game if no other company had released it?"

The answer appears to be $0. (or negative dollars if you factor in the sunk cost)