News
Gibson to sue games retailers
Rob Hughes Apr 1 2008, 11:07am
Comments (3)
Harmonix and EA also hit with lawsuits by guitar manufacturer
Gibson Guitar has filed infringement lawsuits against five large retailers, including US giants Target and Wal-Mart, according to MMR news.
Software developer Harmonix and publisher Electronic Arts are also being sued in a separate lawsuit, with both relating to 'popular guitar simulation games and their alleged infringement of Gibson’s 1999 patent for technology to simulate a musical performance'.
According to MMR, The news follows the guitar manufacturer’s out-of-court attempt to stop Guitar Hero owner, Activision from selling all versions of the game. Activision responded by filing a lawsuit, requesting the US District Court for Central California to declare Gibson's patent invalid and to forbid it from seeking damages.
The 1999 Gibson patent is for a product that allows the user to simulate participation in a concert by playing an instrument and wearing a headset with 3-D display and audio speakers.
Gibson has been a high-profile partner in the Guitar Hero franchise, which has sold more than 14 million units in North America and grossed over a billion dollars since its debut in 2005. Activision has licensed the rights to model its controllers on Gibson guitars and depict them in the game.
Activision has said that by waiting three years to raise its claim, Gibson had granted an implied license for any technology.
Source: Mi-Pro.co.uk
Comments
“huh?”
Posted: Apr 1, 12:21pm
This is wierd
what are gibson playing at ? Activision paid them to use there guitar patents and then they wait 3 years and sue ..
I can only guess that there has been arguments over money for the new GH titles.
“Re: huh?”
Posted by: Pete J - Apr 1, 3:18pm
Gibson doesn't have a legal leg to stand on, a game made years before guitar hero and before Gibson's patent exists. Konami's Guitarfreaks was released before Gibson filed it's patent in 1999. Guitar Hero is just a rip off of Guitarfreaks with better graphics. Aside from the fact that this form of video game existed, Gibson's patent says nothing at all about it being a video game. Gibson's "product" which they never released is a practice simulator where you play a real guitar instrument and wear a 3d monitor on your head (like nintedo's virtual boy). The fact that Gibson is sueing everyone including innocent merchants that are just selling products is absurd. Should every merchant read and memorize the whole patent library before stocking its store with stuff to sell? Absolutley not! This is nothing more than a show of greed. Gibson guitars has gone down hill allot in the last couple decades. If you want a real Gibson collectors and professional players alike know you go for the vintage one's from back when they actually made good guitars. Shame on you Gibson harassing innocent merchants... it is YOU who stole the idea from Konami! Boycott gibson guitars unless you want to fund corprate greed and badly made guitars hanging onto a logo from a company that used to be good. DEAN GUITARS ALL THE WAY!!!!!
“Re: huh?”
Posted by: Hnbeanz - Apr 1, 4:57pm
I wonder if Gibson will sue Fisher Price for those little plastic guitars they used to make years ago?
A pointless issue, not by MCV reporting this but by Gibson wasting time... Three years for crying out. I bet they (Gibson) though this was going to be a flop. Now we know it's not, they want a bigger piece of the cake. Won't this mean 'Guitar Hero: Aerosmith' and 'Guitar hero 4' possibly getting delayed?