Take Two File A Law Suit Against The BBC Regarding The GTA Drama

Recently the BBC announced a new drama starring Daniel Radcliffe and Bill Paxton that would be based on the conflict between Rockstar President Sam Houser and Jack Thompson, a lawyer and critic of the Grand Theft Auto series.

However, Take Two Interactive have issued a law suit claiming the BBC are using the brand without their permission.

Take-Two Interactive has filed suit against the BBC for trademark infringement based on their movie currently titled ‘Game Changer’ as it relates to Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto video game series.

While holders of the trademarks referenced in the film title and its promotion, Rockstar Games has had no involvement with this project. Our goal is to ensure that our trademarks are not misused in the BBC’s pursuit of an unofficial depiction of purported events related to Rockstar Games. We have attempted multiple times to resolve this matter with the BBC without any meaningful resolution. It is our obligation to protect our intellectual property and unfortunately in this case litigation was necessary.

The BBC will have to respond to the lawsuit and it may delay, or even stop production of the drama.

Source: IGN

5 Comments

  1. Isn’t it all based on a book that’s already been published anyway?

    • Yeah true, it’s called Jacked: The Outlaw Story of Grabd Theft Auto. I just had a read about the book, it’s unauthorised, so I’m not sure what that means. Maybe if the BBC suffix every mention of GTA with ‘other hilarious violence simulators are available’ and add in the credits that any relation to child wizards are purely coincidental Take Two will be happier bunnies? Sarcasm aside, the BBC need to sort their artistic licensing out, the documentaries they’ve made about where I work might as well have been complete fiction.

  2. just change the names, everybody will still know what it’s about.
    so, look forward to the rickstore games story, the making of and the battle over grind fret audio, the hyper violent guitar sim and the battle by lawyer jock thomas to get it banned.
    with Bill Paxton as Jock and Daniel Radcliffe as studio head Don Hooser.

    i’d watch that. ^_^

    seriously though, i hope this still gets made, it sounds like it could be very interesting, and Paxton and Radcliffe would be a draw for me.

  3. Did no-one at the BBC even consider checking with Rockstar if they wouldn’t mind? They can’t really expect one of the biggest publishers to not notice one of the biggest TV broadcasters in the UK doing a drama based on the IP that made them. It’s understandable why Rockstar filed a lawsuit as BBC could really damage their reputation if they protray them in the wrong light but it seems to me that the BBC are using GTA as the main focus instead of Rockstar’s scottish origins. Yeah, i bet many people forgot that Rockstar are scottish.

    Also, Jack Thompson should not appear if the BBC does not want to get sued by Him for defamation or inciting violence against rabbits or other Jack Thompson BS.

    However, Rockstar could have taken advantage of this and could have worked to help it’s reputation as, well, let’s be honest, Rockstar is the scapegoat for every crime that the media decides Gaming has caused.

  4. The BBC are an utter arse of a corporation with players that can limbo under lizzards. I’ve encountered several BBC production teams on location that just beggar belief with their rowdy partying at the license payers expense. Utter Cocks!

Comments are now closed for this post.