Activision Getting "Little to No Compensation" In Brutal Legend Deal

[John Funk]

Activision Getting "Little to No Compensation" In Brutal Legend Deal

Sources claim that the only reason Activision chose to settle the Brutal Legend debacle out of court was to prevent a public loss of face - because they sure aren't getting anything else out of the deal.

Gamers looking forward to rocking the hell out with Tim Schafer and Jack Black rejoiced yesterday when it was announced that Double Fine and Activision had reached a settlement [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/93694-Activision-and-Double-Fine-Settle-In-Brutal-Legend-Lawsuit] over the whole Brutal Legend debacle.

Many, though, wondered what on earth the terms of the agreement could have possibly been. Had EA paid Activision a nice chunk of change to secure the rights once and for all? Had Activision nefariously wrangled a chunk of the profits? What was the publishing giant getting (from the other publishing giant) in exchange for letting Brutal Legend launch as scheduled?

According to "(a) person familiar with the settlement, who requested not to be identified," says the LA Times [http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2009/08/actvision-double-fine-brutal-legend-settlement.html], not a whole lot:

[blockquote]Though the person declined to disclose any details of the settlement, it appears very likely that Activision received little to no compensation from Double Fine and agreed to a settlement to avoid losing its case in open court.[/blockquote]

The same source says the agreement took place after the presiding judge expressed the sentiment that it would be unlikely for him to side with Activision [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/93544-Judge-Will-Likely-Deny-Activisions-Brutal-Legend-Delay] in the matter, which was probably a huge factor in the settlement. Since Activision seems to be the current "love to hate" target in the gaming community, I expect this news will result in much rejoicing and schadenfreude.

Brutal Legend is on track for its Rocktober release.

(Via Joystiq [http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/07/activision-to-receive-little-to-no-compensation-in-brutal-lege/])

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[not a zaar]

You mean October release.

 

[fix-the-spade]

So Activision basicallysaid 'we'll go away quietly if you promise not to make a scene,'
Bobby gets more and more like a stalker every day.

You mean ROcKtober release.

October? Hang your head in shame!

 

[Sightless Wisdom]

Haha +1 for the Metal. Well Activision certainly had it coming, I mean this was one of the most rediculous things to try and sue over.

 

[walls of cetepedes]

Good. Activision deserve to lose something.

 

[Anarchemitis]

Ha ha. Activision tryed to turn In-Industry cannibalism via lawsuit into the new Halo-esque cash cow.
And they failed.

In case you were going to ask, no that is not me.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

You mean October release.

Did you feel the wind in your hair as that flew over your head?

Good to hear! Nice to see this finally out of one entanglement. Now we just have to hope it doesn't get delayed next month.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

So, Mr. Evil CEO lost some money after saying he'd make us pay some more.

Pass me a hanky, I almost spotted a tear.

 

[Dragoon785]

Interesting, you won't hear me say thanks to EA too often. Part way it looks like they were the middle man at the right place and time. Now we just need to see what happens to the game. Something tells me this isn't over yet until it actually releases...and even then who knows what'll happen.

 

[maxusy3k]

Nice to see my thoughts were on the right track. I couldn't see the settlement being a mutually assured destruction type of deal, but am slightly too cynical to pin all my hopes on the idea Activision realised how ridiculous they were being and opted to walk away.

Hooray for justice!

 

[HardRockSamurai]

I'm no longer pissed at Activision (the rest of the internet can do that for me); I'm just glad this whole debacle is over with. However, I do hope that Double Fine didn't give up a single penny, cause from the very beginning, there was no way Activision deserved anything resembling a monetary compensation in the slightest.

Anyway, I'm just relieved to hear that Brutal Legend is back on schedule!

 

[MrMisfit]

Glad this nonsense is over.Glad the game is back on track.

 

[TheTygerfire]

Oh quit bawwwing and go work on Guitar Hero 5, Band Hero, DJ Hero, and GH Van Halen. Market flooding sons a--

 

[Aac18]

Props to Double Fine for not caving in and anything that makes Activision's CEO from hell look like a bigger idiot is fine by me. Three cheers for Rocktober!

 

[Kollega]

Looks like Activision (hilariously,huge omnivore corporation) bit off more than it could chew. Ha! That'll teach 'em.

 

[The Lost Big Boss]

I don't like how Activision is becoming so out of control. EA wasn't even that bad looking back on it. Now EA is better than ever because they are now trying to make quality games. Activision needs to take a step back and chill the fuck down with all of this power hungry bull shit. Testing how far the "consumers" will go for your product is not a good strategy for making money, neither is saying it out in the open that you want to raise games to over 100$.

 

[Pendragon9]

And now without the Dark Wizards of Activision, we can ROCK OUT! YEAH!

 

[GonzoGamer]

"Public loss of face"?
Too late.
Somehow I have a hard time feeling sorry for them.

 

[messy]

I can only hope brutal legend somehow has a Activision inspired enemy.