In case you weren't aware, Pinkerton Consulting & Investigations is a real life detective agency, founded all the way back in 1850. Then known as Pinkerton National Detective Agency, the company was apparently very active in tracking down real outlaws at the time, and the name has become more or less synonymous with Western media of all kinds. Fast forward to Red Dead Redemption 2, which of course features Pinkerton agents attempting to bring down Dutch and his gang, and the real world agency isn't happy.
According to The Blast, the Pinkertons sent a cease and desist letter to Rockstar Games at the end of last year regarding its inclusion in the smash hit game. The company claims Rockstar used Pinkerton trademarks, including the detective badge, without permission, and that the agents in the game are framed "as villains, hunting the game's protagonists." In its letter, the agency claims Red Dead 2 "is likely to blur the distinctive character and tarnish the reputation of Pinkerton’s famous trademarks."
Pinkerton is willing to negotiate a lump sum settlement, but Rockstar isn't going down without a fight. The publisher itself filed a lawsuit against the agency, asking for an injunction against it and asserting that the First Amendment to the United States Constitution covers its use of the Pinkertons in the game. Rockstar's argument leans on the game's historically accurate nature: "The game’s reference to the historical Pinkerton National Detective Agency and its agents is but one of a myriad of ways that Red Dead 2 accurately portrays the historical Nineteenth Century American landscape."
Rockstar also says that the Pinkertons don't even feature very much over the course of the game's story, appearing in just a handful of the numerous missions. It also cites the many uses of the Pinkerton name in many other Western themed media, such as the film The Long Riders, the TV show Deadwood, and even Elton John's song Ballad of a Well-Known Gun.
We have a feeling this won't be the last we hear of this case, as both sides don't appear to want to budge. Hopefully an amicable solution can be reached between the two companies.
[source theblast.com, via dualshockers.com]
Comments 16
seriously?, the badge
the U.S government might as well sue everything that has the U.S flag in it then
it's plainly obvious they are just trying to get some money from Rockstars success
Another day and another story of a bunch of lazy and greedy people trying to get something for nothing
Seems the norm nowadays for people to.try to sue somethings that's popular to get a quick buck.
Of course they did.
Is Lindsay Lohan still trying to sue for GTA V "likeness"?
It isn't a Rockstar game if we don't hear of any lawsuits post-launch.
If RDR2 has taught me anything it's that the Pinkertons are a bunch of absolute chancers. No way should Rockstar listen to their demands.
Get Sadie on to them. Tell her they're all O'Driscoll boys.
Booker DeWitt was a Pinkerton. I never heard any issue about that bit of backstory. Hell, they showed his Pinkerton badge and his employment papers.
I see there’s still people out there wanting a slice of Rockstar’s pie, first it was Niko Bellic’s voice actor wanting more money when GTA IV made R* an absolute fortune. Then rapper Daz Dillinger (who?) claiming two of his songs was in GTA V without his permission, assuming he was he hoping to sue R* or claim royalties. Lindsey Lohan tried suing them for her “likeness” of the Lacey Jonas character. Now this real life Pinkerton agency, kicking up a fuss because their agents in the game are portrayed in a bad light, I bet some of their agents have the game and thought it was cool that they were in it.
The Pinkertons of that time were world class evil people in the time period of RDR2. A gang of literal murderous goons. Doesn't seem like the wisest of lawsuits but hey people do crazy things for money!
I'm sure Rockstar "has a plan".
So Rockstar was right about the Pinkertons being self serving jerks. The only difference between Arthur Morgan and the pinkertons was Arthur knew he was not the good guy and accepted it in the end. The pinkertons in both rd 1 + 2 were so far up their arse they could not see they were the same breed of men the government just allowed them to legally kill and break promises which Arthur and John would have kept. There were good eggs in the Pinkertons but the fact that they sue shows they want some of the honey from the pot so bravo to Rockstar for historical accuracy and modern day ironic reality.
Pikertons 2019: "WE NEED MONEY!"
Something tells me this wouldn't be happening if RDR2 didn't have any success. But I might be wrong... not.
'tarnish the reputation of Pinkerton’s famous trademarks'
And its not going to look any better for them if they keep playing the 'villains' in real life.
The Pinkertons are acting like Pinkertons.
This makes me laugh. Surely Steven Spielberg or Michael Jackson’s estate could sue Sega for their likeness appearing in Yakuza 0. Probably there are hundreds of other examples in games. But for some reason people only want a piece of that Rockstar pie.
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