Report: Activision Debates Brutal Legend Rights

Activision may seek some form of compensation for Double Fine's Brutal Legend, says a report from industry weblog The Cut Scene. Although heavy metal roadie fable Brutal Legend was let go in the Activision-Vivendi merger, it's since been salvaged for publishing by Electronic Arts. However, Activision is now reportedly claiming that it still owns the rights. The publisher reportedly wrote a letter to both EA and Double Fine in which it says it believed it was still under negotiations for the game, thereby invalidating EA's deal. Double Fine, on the other hand, says it owns the rights to its work. According to the report, Activision received payment from Atari to release its rights to Ghostbusters and Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena, and may be seeking the same from EA. An unidentified EA rep seems unconcerned, however. "We doubt that Activision would try to sue," the rep commented. "That would be like a husband abandoning his family and then suing after his wife meets a better looking guy."