Valve and Vivendi Universal Lawsuits

[CSN NewsBot]

A recent article at GameSpot highlights the ongoing legal battle between Valve and Vivendi Universal. The article in question takes a look at the lawsuits filed by Valve in 2002 dealing with copyright infringement by Sierra On-Line.

"Valve sued Vivendi for copyright infringement back in 2002 over their unauthorized distribution of our products to cyber cafes," Lombardi told GameSpot last Friday. "We later had to add breach of contract claims for, among other things, refusing to pay us royalties owed and delaying Condition Zero out of the holiday season."



That lawsuit became more complex when Sierra fought back with a counterclaim. "Almost a year and a half into the lawsuit," Lombardi continued, "Vivendi responded by making a number of claims in an attempt to invalidate our agreement and be awarded the ownership of the Half-Life intellectual property. We expect to prevail in this lawsuit."

The article also questions whether or not the completed Half-Life 2 will be made available on Steam due to these legal issues. While there are complaints being made by VU over the distribution of the game over Steam, Valve has every intention of releasing the game on its content delivery system. You can read the complete article over at GameSpot.

[leepee]

Even if HL2 IS made available on steam, I'm pretty sure many will just buy an actual physical copy of the game.

[Zips]

leepee wrote..

Even if HL2 IS made available on steam, I'm pretty sure many will just buy an actual physical copy of the game.

That's exactly what I plan on doing. Being at a college with a weekly bandwidth cap, having a hardcopy to install from is a welcome thing to me.

[mcmoohee]

Let me guess. "HL2 Delayed".

[Spookie4551]

Edited by [user="214890"] @ [time="1095714218"]

More good news then...



I don't know much about law I'll admit that but I think it's quite obvious to say when the developers and publishers start to argue it isn't good for the game.

[Pharlap]

hope cs2 finally will get released. i dont wanna waste money on CZ :p

[b4xcutt3r]

I think they're still trying to get HL2 out the door as soon as possible. I dont think It will be delayed.

Then again, I didnt understand everything I just read...

[DarkMaster13]

Pharlap wrote..

hope cs2 finally will get released. i dont wanna waste money on CZ :p

Its not CS:2, its CS: Source >.<

[Zips]

Guys, make sure you make a note that this has actually been going on since 2002, and they're still partners. If VU delays HL2, sure they'll be hurting Valve, but they'll be taking a massive financial hit too. Something about the business world tells me that companies don't like to lose money like that. They have to know they have a hit on their hands, and I'm sure they'll be damned if they'll just let it collect dust.

[Pharlap]

DarkMaster13 wrote..

Its not CS:2, its CS: Source >.<

yes, whatever. you know what i meant.



and with the judge's name in this case being so rediculous, that warrants an interest in this lawsuit for that fact alone.

[Gameshot911]

The best part is that VU wants to force Valve to consider working with them. (the HL series, and splits off or code material are AMAZING cash cows..and VU would be an idiot to let go of it willingly)

[Pharlap]

"Counterclaim Defendant Newell also stated that he "could not understand how one can make money online today," plainly with the intention to falsely imply that Valve had no present or future strategy to engage in widespread online distribution of the games. This misleading half-truth was Newell's deliberate concealment of the extent to which Valve intended through the parties' negotiations to appropriate the substantial value of the distribution rights to Valve, rather than to Sierra and VUG."



w00t, go go gabe, u cheeky monkey.

wouldnt it be obvious to valve that circumventing the middle man (vivendi) would cause an uproar. vivendi wants a slice of the HL2/CS2 cash cow.

[ePhemoL]

GG VALVE IS DUM

[:.:.:]

"Sierra/VUG still wants to work with Valve in the future and is asking the court via filings to force Valve to work with it on whatever is next in the development pipeline"



not only do they want a slice, they want whatever's in the fuckin oven too (HL3)

[Dragonjojo]

:.:.: wrote..

not only do they want a slice, they want whatever's in the fuckin oven too (HL3)

i wonder if TFC2 is in that oven...