No Doubt Settle ‘Band Hero’ Video Game Lawsuit
No Doubt has settled its lawsuit with the video game maker Activision over a feature in Band Hero that allowed players to perform the songs of other artists using avatars of frontwoman Gwen Stefani and her bandmates, the Associated Press reports.
Claiming the feature the turned them into a “virtual karaoke circus act,” the band’s lawsuit accused Activision Publishing Inc. of fraud, violation of publicity rights and breach of contract. They noted that the Guitar Hero spin-off allowed players to have the computerized Stefani sing suggestive lyrics from the Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women,” or have virtual bassist Tony Kanal sing the No Doubt cut “Just a Girl” in Stefani’s voice.
Activision claimed that there was nothing wrong with the feature and argued that the idea of “unlocking” such bonuses in a video game has been around forever in the industry.
The sides reached a settlement Monday – a few weeks before the trial was set to begin – though terms were not disclosed.
No Doubt filed the suit in 2009, shortly after Guitar Hero 5 players discovered they could use the Kurt Cobain avatar to sing any other song in the game, from Bon Jovi to Bush, prompting an outcry from fans, Courtney Love and even Jon Bon Jovi.