THQ has filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard for copyright infringement regarding box art. The lawsuit was filed on October 23rd stating that Activision’s SCORE International Baja 1000: The Official Game box art too closely resembles THQ’s earlier released title Baja: Edge of Control. THQ has said that the box art is intended to confuse and deceive customers into thinking the titles are somehow related. THQ also alleges that they have contacted Activision on “several occasions” to change the box art but Activision had refused.
Take a gander at the photos above and decide for yourself if THQ has a valid arguement. If you aren’t convinced by the photos and are extremely bored with life in general, a PDF copy of the complaint can be downloaded here.
[Via Patent Arcade]
The covers look a lot alike. There are some differences, but I would have to side with THQ, they look too much alike to be mere coincidence.
The trucks are the same color and style and in the same places. So is the bike in the back. Hell, the games both use almost the same name. I think someone is gonna add to the revenue this quarter…
I love the side by side of the box art. It’s not obvious at all.
While I agree it is most likely copied, kind of a pathetic lawsuit. Both are big companies. So…What’s to be lost? Sales? Doubtful.
I wouldn’t say pathetic. I mean every company want every idea to themself and if their idea is used they want to be compensated no matter what. That’s business for ya…
It was obvious when I looked at the side by side comparison and even more obvious when I saw that motorcycle in the back too. The right one has more flare imo it has it’s headlights on which make things even better. Everything is better with headlights on.
I meant “..to themselves”*
Wow that team that worked on the cover art should be taken out back and shot, they didnt even try and pretty much just traced the other cover.
Maybe not pathetic but maybe boredom of their attorneys. My point is, would a person really mistake it? Hopefully it just ends up being a small out of court settlement.
I definitely believe someone could mistake it. Imagine a parent or wife going to get the game for someone else not knowing the specific title of the game (seeing as the titles even resemble each other).
This seems to be an intentional replication to deceive consumers. I understand that doing this may not really benefit Activision a ridiculous amount but you have to draw a line somewhere.
I heard that it was not a full lawsuit for compensation but instead an injunction to stop Activision from distributing with similar packaging.
They do look alot alike, and they prolly did copy it. But a lawsuit… i dunno… its box art. It’s not like they actually used the same picture.