Gibson sues MTV, Harmonix, EA for Guitar Hero rights

IDG News Service — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 14:15:21 -0700

The Tennessee guitar manufacturer says guitar controllers infringe on a 1999 technology patent that protects the right to "simulate a musical performance."

The suit filed on Friday seeks damages from MTV Games, Harmonix, and Electronic Arts for their involvement (whatever that may be) with earlier Guitar Hero games, presumably in addition to Rock Band.

Activision, which now owns both the Guitar Hero brand and Red Octane (which developed the controllers), filed a preemptive lawsuit earlier this month to protect itself against an impending, now current Gibson lawsuit. Incidentally, Activision licensed the rights to model Guitar Hero III controllers on Gibson model guitars.

Combined Guitar Hero sales total more than US$1 billion in receipts since the series debuted on PlayStation 2 in 2005. Defendants were not immediately available for comment when contacted by Reuters.

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