Rockstar games publisher sued for unauthorised use of tone in popular GTA games

NEWS

Rockstar games publisher sued for unauthorised use of tone in popular GTA games

By Vijay Chauhan

American musician Shawn Lee, on 8th April 2021, filed a lawsuit in San Diego federal court against video game company Rockstar Games alleging copyright infringement, intentional misrepresentation, and negligent misrepresentation. Lee has composed the soundtrack for one of Rockstar’s previous games, “Bully”.  In the complaint, he accuses Rockstar of lifting elements from a song it asked him to submit for the game ‘GTA 4’ in 2008 and then eventually using those portions in the game, ‘GTA 4’ and ‘GTA 5’ without his due permission. 

NEWS

The track was initially rejected by Rockstar “for unknown reasons”. Lee later used the track portions on an album titled “Reel to Reel,” released by Ubiquity Records, who is also a plaintiff in the copyright infringement suit. He alleges that portions of his song, “Biker Chick”, are ‘substantially like the “Soviet Connection” theme song used in ‘GTA 4’, as well as another song called “Liberty City Loop” in ‘GTA 5’. Rockstar has not yet responded nor made any statement regarding the suit.

By Vijay Chauhan