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Los Angeles - Axl Rose is suing a computer games company for $20m.
The Guns N' Roses singer has launched legal action against Activision Blizzard Inc for including the band's song Welcome to the Jungle in the video game Guitar Hero III, claiming they are in breach of a deal he negotiated not to include any imagery of ex-guitarist Slash in the game.
The complaint - filed by law firm Miller Barondess on behalf of the star - claims Activision had promised there would be no reference to Slash or his subsequent band Velvet Revolver (VR) in the game, but when it was released, a computerised image of the star was on the cover of the box, and he was a very prominent character in the game.
The lawsuit states: "Activision understood the extraordinary value Guns N' Roses and Welcome to the Jungle could add to the Guitar Hero platform and began spinning a web of lies and deception to conceal its true intentions to not only feature Slash and VR prominently in Guitar Hero III, but also promote the game by emphasising and reinforcing an association between Slash and Guns N Roses and the band's song Welcome to the Jungle."
The lawsuit goes on to claim as soon as Axl became aware of the use of Slash's likeness he rescinded his permission to use the track, but Activision lied to him, telling him the inclusion was just for the purposes of a trade show.
It also states it believes the Guitar Hero series has generated well over a $1bn in revenue for Activision. The games company has yet to respond to the allegations.
The Guns N' Roses singer has launched legal action against Activision Blizzard Inc for including the band's song Welcome to the Jungle in the video game Guitar Hero III, claiming they are in breach of a deal he negotiated not to include any imagery of ex-guitarist Slash in the game.
The complaint - filed by law firm Miller Barondess on behalf of the star - claims Activision had promised there would be no reference to Slash or his subsequent band Velvet Revolver (VR) in the game, but when it was released, a computerised image of the star was on the cover of the box, and he was a very prominent character in the game.
The lawsuit states: "Activision understood the extraordinary value Guns N' Roses and Welcome to the Jungle could add to the Guitar Hero platform and began spinning a web of lies and deception to conceal its true intentions to not only feature Slash and VR prominently in Guitar Hero III, but also promote the game by emphasising and reinforcing an association between Slash and Guns N Roses and the band's song Welcome to the Jungle."
The lawsuit goes on to claim as soon as Axl became aware of the use of Slash's likeness he rescinded his permission to use the track, but Activision lied to him, telling him the inclusion was just for the purposes of a trade show.
It also states it believes the Guitar Hero series has generated well over a $1bn in revenue for Activision. The games company has yet to respond to the allegations.
