More interesting business type news this time for Atari rather than the usual Interplay/Bethesda punch up. Gamasutra reports statements from both sides on this legal debate. Basically Hasbro says:
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While Atari rebuttle:Hasbro, parent of D&D owner Wizards of the Coast, said it is suing Atari for fraud and five different counts of breach of contract of the D&D licensing agreement. Hasbro said that Wizards of the Coast found that Atari "may have entered into an unauthorized sublicensing relationship with Namco Bandai Partners for the Dungeons & Dragons digital game rights."
Hasbro alleged that Namco Bandai is a competitor to Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast, a scenario that is restricted in Atari's deal with Hasbro. Hasbro is seeking to terminate its agreement with Atari, and is also seeking compensatory damages.
Link to Gamasutra's full article on the Atari v Hasbro case.But Atari, also known as Infogrames, said in a statement that Hasbro's allegations are unfounded. "Atari has had a long and rich history with the Dungeons and Dragons franchise, investing millions of dollars into numerous critically acclaimed and commercially successful games that have generated significant revenue for Hasbro," said an Atari statement issued Thursday.
"Hasbro has resorted to these meritless allegations, in an apparent attempt to unfairly take back rights granted to Atari. Atari has sought to resolve the matter without cooperation from Hasbro. We regret that our long-time partner has decided to pursue this action. Atari will respond appropriately through its legal counsel in court."
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