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back to article Grand Theft Auto maker lobs sueball at BBC over biopic

A spat between the creators of Grand Theft Auto and the BBC has spilled over into a legal feud. Take-Two Interactive, parent company of Rockstar Games, has filed suit against the UK broadcasting company over allegations of trademark infringement for its decision to cast a biopic about the games developer's history. According …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Off topic: Need London again.

    Speaking as an American, I'm tired of these pseudo-American cities this game keeps taking place in. It needs to go back to London (Possibly with a 3/4 perspective option). This last one, 5 (V), was good but it really needs to be shook back up. GTA London, which to me was the last and only real expansion, should be considered as a serious target city for 6 (VI).

    For the story, who gives a shit and what can Take Two really do? The biopic on Mitnick wasn't shut down and neither was that of the Gates/Jobs saga. Both were taken to a serious Hollywood production similar to this, no ShakeCam shit. To me, if the Gates/Jobs saga wasn't halted, what chance does Take Two have regarding some dude (who I've never heard of)? Also, what does he have to hide? Does this mean someone will be digging deeper into this than they previously expected?

    5 1 Reply
    1. Velv
      Reply Icon
      Boffin

      Re: Off topic: Need London again.

      London? Didn't you see the Edinburgh Trams references?

      0 0 Reply
  2. veti Silver badge

    Law fail

    I'm sure Take Two is aware, or at least it can afford to pay lawyers who are aware, that using a trademarked name to refer to the product whose name it is... is not infringing on that trademark, no matter what you go on to say about the product or its makers.

    Any guesses what they're playing at? Have they perhaps mistaken the BBC for some easily-cowed third-world production studio? If so, let's just hope they are mistaken.

    16 0 Reply
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Law fail

      "Any guesses what they're playing at?"

      Publicity. A counter suit would keep GTA in the headlines for a while, and considering GTA 6 (VI) won't be released for a few years, it could pay off. Think of this lawsuit as a reminder from time to time to play GTA V, sadly for me it will have the opposite effect. Still though like you, I wish I knew how they believe they have a chance.

      5 0 Reply
    2. Kane
      Reply Icon
      Childcatcher

      Re: Law fail

      "Any guesses what they're playing at?"

      As MyBackDoor states, Publicity.

      My bet is that some senior peeps on both sides have had a quiet discussion beforehand, and arrived at a mutual arrangement whereby Take-Two Interactive will launch the lawsuit, knowing full well that it won't gain any real traction, and then the BBC will cover that as a story ensuring that it gets picked up by other forms of media coverage (*cough* El Reg *cough*), with the the net result being GTA gets continued coverage, keeping it fresh in the minds of the general populace (and who knows, maybe even increasing the sales by a slight margin...), and the BBC basically gets to advertise it's new documentary without having to actually advertise it.

      This all seems to smack of the "controversy" around the launch and marketing of the original game. Which I have no problem with, personally; I just found it entertaining in and of itself.

      5 0 Reply
      1. Robert Carnegie Silver badge
        Reply Icon

        Re: Law fail

        They appear to claim, perhaps reasonably enough, that they don't want their product logo and other trademarks swiped.

        It is commonly understood that you have to defend trademarks, your product's public identity, proactively and without a sense of humour, or else you lose them and anyone can make, for instance (or not), an office machine whose function is to "xerox".

        And they have not really done much more than send a letter which explains this.

        I'd advise them to take care though; they can prevent their trademarks being appropriated - but not parodied, mocked, insulted. Put me down too for wanting to see the boorish elderly school bully Jeremy Clarkson (for I imagine that many people have never heard of him, and think that a Jeremy must be a bit of a sissy) cast in the role of the company boss or Grand Theft Auton Himself. Or make the in-show computer game about commercially managing a cadre of prostitutes which is called Ride My Pimp.

        2 0 Reply
    3. Jason Bloomberg Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: Law fail

      My feeling is it might have something to do with the Micro Bit tie-in the BBC had already announced for this docudrama as part of their Make It Digital initiative. There may well be a feeling that GTA's reputation is being used to benefit the BBC and partners while Take Two are getting relatively little out of it.

      0 0 Reply
  3. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

    The BBC's response

    Was to change the casting of the CEO to the fine English actor Mr J Clarkson

    And add a nude sauna scene.......

    5 0 Reply
    1. Solmyr ibn Wali Barad
      Reply Icon

      Re: The BBC's response

      And if someone thinks that the hot scene would be only unlockable with a patch, they'd be gravely mistaken. Har har.

      0 0 Reply
  4. adam payne

    This has publicity stunt written all over it.

    2 0 Reply
  5. andy gibson

    Micro Men

    I must give mention to the last re-telling of computing events of Sinclair and Acorn in BBC's Micro Men. Much better than the usual costume and period dramas the BBC churn out.

    3 0 Reply
  6. User McUser
    Joke

    Bill Paxton?!

    That's it, man. Game over, man. Game over! What the fuck are we supposed to now, huh, what are we gonna do?

    3 0 Reply

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