When Jailed Dictators Sue Video Game Companies
Activision Blizzard is the subject of a lawsuit by Manuel Noriega over his likeness being used in its video game series Call of Duty.
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Activision Blizzard Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) is the subject of a lawsuit by Manuel Noriega. For those who might not know, this man was made famous by his role as a dictator in Panama. Despite his imprisonment, he is suing for his likeness being used by this company in its series Call of Duty.
A motion to dismiss this case was filed Monday morning to the Superior Court of the State of California.
The Call of Duty series, as a fictional game, does incorporate some real-life likenesses, which can include anyone in recent memory, such as President John F. Kennedy or Fidel Castro.
Rudy Giuliani said:
What’s astonishing is that Manuel Noriega, a notorious dictator who is in prison for the heinous crimes he committed, is upset about being portrayed as a criminal and enemy of the state in the game Call of Duty. Quite simply, it’s absurd.
Should this lawsuit be pushed through, it would set a precedent that would veto other such appearances in works of art. It would wave goodbye to hallmarks of culture such as Forrest Gump, Saturday Night Live and Boardwalk Empire.
As far as what investors should expect from this news in Activision — likely very little. Trading at $21.75, this stock’s consensus analyst price target is now up above $26.
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Chris Lange is a financial and geopolitical writer with more than a decade of experience covering a myriad of topics. He has published thousands of articles for 24/7 Wall St., with past coverage focused heavily on stocks, IPOs, healthcare, defense, global affairs, and technology.
His work has been quoted, or referenced by a number of outlets including Business Insider, USA Today, Yahoo Finance, MSN, The Motley Fool, and many other publications. A graduate of Southwestern University, he studied business with a focus on investments and has previous experience in banking and startups.
When not reading or writing the news, he is following his passion for Lacrosse, playing chess, or building solar projects with his dad.
