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Legal All Articles - Page 1

Tifa and 2B Counterfeit Statues from Final Fantasy VII Remake and NieR: Automata
News

People Behind Counterfeit Final Fantasy and NieR: Automata Figures Criminally Charged in China

Square Enix announced that it has scored a point against the widespread manufacture and distribution of counterfeit figures from its games in China.  According to the announcement made via press…

January 29, 2024 | 10:28 EST

The Rockstar and Remedy logos next to one another
News

Remedy Says Rockstar Logo Dispute Was Resolved "Entirely and Amicably" Last Year

A dispute between Remedy and Rockstar regarding the former's logo was resolved in late 2023 and is no longer ongoing, according to a Remedy representative. Earlier this week, it was reported that…

January 18, 2024 | 10:05 EST

Two characters in the Epic Games Store blockchain game Striker Manager 3
News

Epic Games Store Makes Exceptions for Blockchain Games in New Adults Only Rating Guidelines

Epic has revealed a change to the way Adults Only-rated games are distributed on the Epic Games Store, with particular reference to blockchain games. According to the storefront's new guidelines,…

December 20, 2023 | 08:16 EST

A creature in Ark: Survival Evolved sitting outside a snow-capped house
News

Angela And Snail Games Reach Agreement In Ark: Survival Evolved Legal Dispute

The legal dispute between Snail Games and Myth of Empires developer Angela over supposedly stolen Ark: Survival Evolved source code appears to be at an end. In a press release, Snail Games says it…

October 11, 2023 | 09:24 EDT

Ezio smirking at the camera in Assassin's Creed II, a Ubisoft game
News

Report: Ex-Ubisoft Execs Questioned By Police Over Sexual Harassment Claims

A new report has emerged that suggests several ex-Ubisoft executives have been questioned by police over sexual harassment claims. According to the French union Solidaires Informatique, the…

October 4, 2023 | 06:16 EDT

A shot from the game Detroit: Become Human which features an android in a sea of identical clones, intended (in a roundabout way) to represent SAG-AFTRA's concerns around AI in a potential gaming strike
News

SAG-AFTRA Inches Closer To Gaming Strike After Failing To Reach Deal With Publishers

SAG-AFTRA has announced that it has failed to reach a deal with the gaming companies with which it has been in negotiations, potentially making a gaming strike more likely. In a rather short and to-…

September 29, 2023 | 09:20 EDT

Several Activision Blizzard properties, including Sekiro, Crash Bandicoot, and Overwatch
News

UK CMA Issues Preliminary Approval For Revised Microsoft Deal

The UK CMA has announced its preliminary approval of the Microsoft-Activision Blizzard merger this morning, pointing to "remedies" that allay its residual concerns with the newly-proposed deal.…

September 22, 2023 | 04:41 EDT

Two guards apprehending the player in Dishonored 2, meant to represent the Xbox leak that includes a mid-generation Series X refresh, Dishonored 3, and more
News

Xbox Leak Reveals Mid-Generation Xbox Series X Refresh And Much More

Update: Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer commented casting doubt on the leak, mentioning that the documents are old and much has changed since, also promising to share the real plans in due time.…

September 19, 2023 | 04:12 EDT

A soldier with a sniper rifle kneeling in a field in the Activision Blizzard game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, meant to represent the Microsoft Activision Blizzard merger
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Microsoft Proposes Restructured Activision Merger After CMA Blocks Original Deal

Microsoft has submitted a restructured version of its proposed Activision-Blizzard acquisition after the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) confirmed it blocked the original deal. In a…

August 22, 2023 | 05:42 EDT

Activision Blizzard's raft of characters, including a Call of Duty soldier, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, and more
News

Microsoft And Activision Blizzard Extend Merger Deadline To Fall

Microsoft and Activision Blizzard have announced that their merger deadline has been extended until the fall. Speaking via Twitter, Microsoft vice chair Brad Smith revealed the extension earlier…

July 19, 2023 | 09:19 EDT

Crash and various other characters leap towards a Wumpa fruit in a sort of visual representation of the UK CMA's "battle" with Microsoft over its Activision merger
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UK CMA Extends Microsoft Activision Blizzard Acquisition Investigation By Six Weeks

The UK CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) has granted itself an extra six weeks to consider Microsoft's arguments regarding the proposed Activision-Blizzard merger. In a new notice of extension…

July 14, 2023 | 09:00 EDT

The Xbox Series S and Series X consoles against a backdrop of some of the consoles' most popular games
News

Xbox Updating Parental Controls As Part Of $20 Million FTC Settlement

Xbox has revealed upcoming changes to its parental controls amid a $20 million settlement with the FTC. The settlement comes after charges were leveled against Microsoft for illegally collecting…

June 6, 2023 | 10:16 EDT

A banner image advertising the Microsoft Activision Blizzard merger, with several Activision Blizzard franchises shown
News

UK CMA Blocks Microsoft Activision Blizzard Merger Over Cloud Gaming Concerns

In an unexpected move, the UK CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) has blocked Microsoft's proposed $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The CMA is citing concerns regarding cloud…

April 26, 2023 | 07:52 EDT

Dark and Darker
News

Dark and Darker Developers Respond to DMCA Takedown by Nexon After Removal From Steam

A few days ago, the hardcore fantasy FPS game Dark and Darker by Korean developer Ironmace was removed from Steam with a DMCA takedown from Nexon.  The takedown notice served by Nexon alleges that…

March 26, 2023 | 08:23 EDT

A banner showing Activision Blizzard franchises like Overwatch, Diablo, and Call of Duty, as well as the Xbox and ABK logos
News

UK CMA Changes Its Mind On Microsoft-Activision Merger Based On "New Evidence"

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) appears to have changed its tune towards the proposed Microsoft-Activision Blizzard merger. Though the CMA had previously expressed concerns that the…

March 24, 2023 | 09:42 EDT

Two vehicles on a muddy road in The Day Before
News

The Day Before Delayed To November Over Trademark Dispute

Upcoming survival MMO The Day Before has been delayed to November after the developers apparently discovered a hitherto-unknown trademark dispute. The new release date is November 10th, which…

January 25, 2023 | 09:50 EST

Resident Evil: Code Veronica Fan Remake header used in the cancellation announcement.

Resident Evil: Chapter 1 and Code Veronica Fan Remakes Cancelled

After years of development, fan remakes of Resident Evil: Chapter 1 and Resident Evil: Code Veronica have been canceled. This is due to Capcom pulling a Nintendo and DMCA'ing the fan remakes. Given…

December 27, 2022 | 10:10 EST

Goats perched atop a rock in Goat Simulator 3
News

Goat Simulator 3 Ad Removed For Using GTA 6 Leaked Footage

Coffee Stain's Goat Simulator 3 has landed itself in hot water after tweeting an ad for the game which contained leaked GTA 6 footage. Naturally, the footage was swiftly hit with a DMCA by Grand…

December 21, 2022 | 11:10 EST

Riot Games Logo, Riot FTX Deal

Riot Games Wants To Dump FTX To Get a New Crypto Sponsor

In light of recent events with the crypto company FTX, Riot Games has decided that it is time to cut ties with the company completely. The League of Legends developers have filed a motion to dissolve…

December 19, 2022 | 03:00 EST

A pile of V-Bucks in Fortnite
News

Epic Fined Over $500m As Fortnite Runs Afoul Of FTC

Fortnite creator Epic Games has been ordered by the FTC to pay out an eye-watering $520 million in fines and refunds. Epic's penance appears to be twofold: it's split into fines for violating a major…

December 19, 2022 | 10:29 EST

Shirley saying "What the actual frick...?" in The Outbound Ghost
News

[Updated] The Outbound Ghost Developer and Publisher Feud in Lawsuit

Update: December 12th 12:08 PM Eastern: The Outbound Ghost has returned to Steam, with its page reverting to a form before it was changed to say it was not authorized to be put on sale. This story…

December 12, 2022 | 10:57 EST

Some of the characters in the FPS Hyper Front, which Riot Games is suing NetEase over
News

Riot Games Sues NetEase Over Valorant "Copy" Hyper Front

Riot Games is bringing a lawsuit against Chinese gaming giant NetEase over the mobile FPS Hyper Front. The lawsuit alleges that NetEase's game, which was created in conjunction with developer Battle…

December 9, 2022 | 08:49 EST

FTC vs Microsoft image

FTC Files Lawsuit To Stop Microsoft's Activision Acquisition

The Federal Trade Commission, also known as the FTC, has filed a lawsuit in an attempt to stop Microsoft from acquiring the enormous video game publisher Activision Blizzard. The $69 billion dollar…

December 8, 2022 | 02:31 EST

Link standing in a doorway framed by sunlight in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom
News

(Updated) DMCA'd Zelda Pitch Documentary Restored

Update: DidYouKnowGaming's Zelda documentary has been restored to YouTube. In a tweet posted yesterday, the documentary makers claimed victory with regards to the video, stating "we won" and posting…

December 8, 2022 | 11:04 EST

Banner artwork for Minecraft in which several blocky characters stand against a bucolic backdrop
News

Writer Puts Minecraft End Poem Into Public Domain

If you've reached the end of Minecraft, you're probably familiar with the End Poem, a philosophical screed about your relationship with the game and what it means in the grand scheme of things. Well…

December 8, 2022 | 10:49 EST

Several characters from the ill-fated Final Fantasy VII The First Soldier
News

Yuji Naka Arrested Again For Insider Trading

Yuji Naka, best known for co-creating Sonic the Hedgehog and for the absolute trainwreck that was Balan Wonderworld, has been arrested again for alleged insider trading. This time, the purported…

December 7, 2022 | 11:22 EST

The player fighting in Genshin Impact
News

Discord Ordered To Reveal Genshin Impact Leaker's Identity

A prominent Genshin Impact leaker must have their identity exposed, according to a California court. Ubatcha, who has a large community of people following them and waiting for Genshin Impact leaks…

December 5, 2022 | 11:24 EST

Cooking Mama smiling behind a two-star rating in Cooking Mama: Cookstar
News

Cooking Mama: Cookstar Creators Served With Lawsuit

Cooking Mama: Cookstar appears to be such a rancid recipe that it's been served with a lawsuit by Office Create, the holder of the Cooking Mama IP. Office Create says it rescinded Planet…

November 18, 2022 | 10:09 EST

Dragon Quest screenshot showing a character overcome with crippling embarrassment.

Sonic Co-Creator Yuji Naka Arrested For Insider Trading

Yuji Naka, one of the co-creators of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, has just been arrested by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors' Special Investigation Division. Try and say that three times…

November 18, 2022 | 10:07 EST

The Activision Blizzard logo superimposed over a set of the company's franchises
News

Activision Blizzard Fights To Delay Union Vote Tabulation

Another day, another Activision Blizzard union-busting attempt, it seems. In a nutshell, the company is trying to block the tabulation of a union vote until an appeal on an earlier case can be…

November 2, 2022 | 11:52 EDT

The Nintendo logo against a red background
News

Nintendo Reaches Settlement In Labor Dispute

Nintendo has reached a settlement in a labor complaint brought against it by a QA tester alleging anti-union activity. The settlement necessitates the payment of damages and back pay to tester…

October 13, 2022 | 10:55 EDT

Randy Orton making a V sign for Victory Over Cancer
News

Tattoo Artist Sues 2K Over WWE 2K Tattoo Designs

Tattoo artist Catherine Alexander has won a lawsuit against WWE 2K developer 2K for including her designs in its games without her permission. An Illinois jury ruled that Alexander was entitled to…

October 3, 2022 | 10:54 EDT

Several of the anime-style characters available in the mobile gacha game Uma Musume
News

Korean Uma Musume Players Sue Publisher For Neglect

Korean players of the mobile gacha game Uma Musume are suing its publisher in that country for neglectful treatment. Kakao Corporation has been hit with a lawsuit by indignant players, who claim that…

September 30, 2022 | 09:37 EDT

The GameStop logo over a dimmed image of Ryunosuke Naruhodo from The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, intended to represent a lawsuit
News

GameStop Sued For Allegedly Wiretapping Users' Chats

GameStop is being sued for apparently wiretapping its customers' support chats and then selling the data to a third party for marketing purposes. The lawsuit alleges that GameStop recorded these…

September 8, 2022 | 08:58 EDT

A Fortnite trailer screenshot showcasing a diving character.

Fortnite Dance Lawsuit Dismissed By US Judge

The Fortnite dance lawsuit brought forward by choreographer Kyle Hanagami against Epic Games back in March has been dismissed by a judge. Hanagami alleged that Epic Games "unfairly profited from …

August 29, 2022 | 11:35 EDT

FIFA Ultimate Team, one of the systems supposedly regulated under the Belgium loot box law that apparently isn't being enforced
News

New Report Says Belgium's Loot Box Law Is Not Being Enforced

A new report has claimed that the strict Belgium loot box laws, which effectively prohibit studios from including loot boxes in games, are not being properly enforced. The study goes on to recommend…

August 5, 2022 | 11:04 EDT

Tomb Raider Screenshot, Tomb Raider Script Leaks

Crystal Dynamics Issues DMCA Notices After Tomb Raider Script Leaks Surface

The Podcast Series, Sacred Symbols, has been hit hard by Crystal Dynamics after posting Tomb Raider script leaks onto their Patreon. Crystal Dynamics has not only gone after the podcast with DMCA…

August 3, 2022 | 03:23 EDT

Several League of Legends characters representing Riot Games
News

$100m Riot Games Gender Discrimination Settlement Approved

A judge has approved a $100 million settlement for the plaintiffs of a Riot Games gender discrimination lawsuit that's been ongoing for four years. The settlement means Riot must pay thousands of…

July 26, 2022 | 09:58 EDT

A shot of the games page on W3itch.io, a Web3 platform that stole code from Itch.io
News

Web 3 Grift W3itch.io Steals Games, Itch.io's CSS

A Web3 platform has been found to have stolen assets in both its design and its content. W3itch.io claims it is a "free-as-freedom open marketplace" for games that emphasizes Web3 technology like…

June 30, 2022 | 10:27 EDT

The Activision Blizzard logo over an image of the company's franchises
News

Activision Says "No Evidence" Execs Ignored Harassment

An internal Activision Blizzard investigation has concluded that there is "no evidence" to suggest executives at the company intentionally ignored or downplayed employee harassment. The report, which…

June 16, 2022 | 10:17 EDT

The Apple logo overlaid on games available on cloud gaming service Geforce Now
News

Apple Cloud Gaming Ban Ruled Anticompetitive In UK

The UK's CMA (Competition and Markets Authority), which is the country's premier competition watchdog, has declared that Apple's ban on cloud gaming apps in its iOS App Store is anticompetitive.…

June 10, 2022 | 12:06 EDT

Fortnite Token Token Epic Games Store Tim Sweeney cover
News

Fortnite Token is a 'Scam,' Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney Says

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has called Fortnite Token a "scam," further stating that there isn't any officially-sanctioned Fortnite cryptocurrency available on the market. Fortnite is one of the most…

June 7, 2022 | 02:18 EDT

Activision Blizzard Threatened Staff US Labor Officials Header Image

Activision Blizzard Reportedly Faces Another NLRB Complaint

Activision Blizzard allegedly threatened staff and enforced a social media policy that conflicted with workers' rights according to a new report. Bloomberg reports (via ResetEra) that prosecutors on…

May 23, 2022 | 02:31 EDT

A group of Troubleshooters in Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory
News

Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory Lawsuit Pits Nacon vs Paranoia Creators

French publisher Nacon is embroiled in another legal dispute. This time, the studio is at loggerheads with two of the creators of the Paranoia tabletop IP over the delisted video game Paranoia:…

April 4, 2022 | 10:37 EDT

Activision Blizzard Shareholder Sues Microsoft Acquisition header image

Activision Blizzard Shareholder Sues Over Microsoft Acquisition

An Activision Blizzard shareholder is suing over alleged SEC Violations in documents submitted as part of its future acquisition by Microsoft. Earlier this year, it was announced that Microsoft…

February 24, 2022 | 07:31 EST

Master Chief and Weapon in Halo Infinite
News

Halo Music Lawsuit Seeking To Block Halo TV Show

Original Halo composers Mike Salvatori and Marty O'Donnell are bringing a Halo music lawsuit against Microsoft over unpaid royalties dating back to the original game's release. The two have also…

February 11, 2022 | 09:19 EST

Resident Evil 4 Copyright Lawsuit cover
News

Resident Evil 4 Copyright Lawsuit 'Amicably Resolved'

A Resident Evil 4 copyright lawsuit between Capcom and photographer Judy A. Juracek has been "amicably resolved" after less than a year. The last few months have been pretty great for Resident Evil…

February 8, 2022 | 03:06 EST

A Fortnite player staring at a tornado (representing Epic vs Apple)
News

35 US States Back Epic In Ongoing Epic Vs Apple Antitrust Case

The Epic vs Apple antitrust case is showing no signs of slowing down. After a judge ruled in favor of Apple and claimed its iOS App Store didn't constitute a mobile monopoly, 35 US states have become…

January 28, 2022 | 09:24 EST