Ubisoft Sues Black Eyed Peas for $1 Million

Ubisoft has sued The Black Eyed Peas for breach of contract. As reported by Courthouse News, the suit is for $1 million and alleges that Ubisoft created “an iPad and iPhone version of a popular Wii game” -- namely, The Black Eyed Peas Experience -- that the band “refused to accept, reject or pay for.”

The suit is against a group called BEP Music that holds a trademark for 2011’s The Black Eyed Peas Experience, which hit Xbox 360 and Wii. The suit alleges that in June 2011 BEP Music “entered into a license agreement” that “licensed to Ubisoft the exclusive, worldwide right to use, among other things, the names and likenesses of a music group and its members...to develop, produce, and distribute a video game...on all existing and future handheld and home consoles and iOS platforms, including the iPhone and iPad." Ubisoft claims that it submitted the game to BEP Music for approval in March of this year and the group “never responded to Ubisoft's request for approval of the IOS game within the requisite ten business days, or ever. Thereafter, Ubisoft continued to repeatedly request, both orally and in writing” that BEP approve the game.

"Since March 2012, and despite Ubisoft's repeated requests, BEP Music has breached the contract by failing and refusing to either approve or disapprove the IOS game in writing or otherwise,” Ubisoft claims. “Ubisoft has performed all of the obligations required of it under the contract, except as those obligations that have been excused by BEP Music's conduct or by operation of law. At the time of BEP Music's breach of contract, Ubisoft had spent 181,000 Euros (approximately $233,000) in developing the iOS game. As a direct and proximate result of BEP Music's breach of contract, Ubisoft has suffered damages in an amount in excess of $1,000,000, which not only includes Ubisoft's out-of-pocket development costs, but also the profits Ubisoft has lost and will continue to lose as a result of BEP Music's breach of contract."

The Wii and Xbox 360 version of The Black Eyed Peas Experience was released in November 2011 and “is currently still being distributed pursuant to the contract and has thus far been successful for Ubisoft,” according to the suit. We’ve reached out to Ubisoft about the lawsuit and will update with any comment we receive. Until then, you can read our The Black Eyed Peas Experience review.

Source: Courthouse News via The Escapist

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s associate news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following @garfep on Twitter or garfep on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

The Iceman Review

Richard Kuklinski worked as a contract killer for the mob for four decades. He claimed to have murdered at least 100 people and possibly more. He died in 2006 while serving out five consecutive life sentences in prison. He was characterized as brutal and unflinching and an outwardly emotionless man. He had a grisly penchant for chopping up his victims and freezing them before disposal hence the underworld moniker “The Iceman.”

Michael Shannon plays the terrifying title character with amazing control. His performance is an exercise in precision, showing us a coldly exacting killer boiling just under the surface. His tightly-controlled performance works so well because we see the character under incredible stress. Kuklinski may have been a hardened killer, but he was also a family man. He had a wife and children who knew absolutely nothing about his mob work. To them he was a devoted husband and father, perhaps a bit distant at times, but unequivocally a good man. Balancing this double life proves ample fodder for a fascinating film.

The Iceman himself is a truly captivating character, but, unfortunately, as memorable as Shannon’s performance is the same can’t be said about the other actors. It’s definitely an interesting cast, and they all seem to be trying, but no one here is acting on the same level as Shannon. Kuklinski’s wife Deborah is played amiably by Winona Ryder. It’s nice to see her in a substantial role again, but this is not her best performance. When she gets mad and starts yelling at her husband, you’ll totally believe his reaction but her end of the argument just isn’t quite there.

Similarly, the rest of the supporting cast gives passable performances that might work in a different film, but when put up directly against Shannon’s Iceman pale in comparison. Ray Liotta shows up and doesn’t stretch very much to play mob boss Roy DeMeo. Small scenes with James Franco and Stephen Dorff are both overly emotional and end up coming off as artificial. The only actor who really comes close to standing toe to toe with Shannon, surprisingly, is Chris Evans. He plays another contract killer, Robert Pronge, nicknamed “Mr. Softee” after the ice cream truck he drives around town. Since his character is written more as a peer to The Iceman perhaps that gives him an edge on relating to him more believably. Pronge and Kuklinski develop a respect for each other’s work and eventually start taking jobs together.

The kills here are suitably gruesome, but they’re all designed to serve the story. There’s nothing gratuitous here. Kuklinski is cold-blooded, never betraying emotion outwardly, but we can see there’s more going on. It’s the contrast between the public Kuklinski and the inner one that makes this film such a fascinating character study. You keep watching because you want to see how he holds it all together under such enormous pressure, what might break him, and where those boundaries lie.

The Iceman is a good film despite the secondary characters falling flat. The central story is excellent, and Michael Shannon gives a praise-worthy performance. This is the kind of character study that makes you question how some people can be the way they are … or realize that people are definitely not all they seem to be.

Source : ign[dot]com

EA Sports Partners Tottenham Hotspur

EA Sports has announced that it signed a deal to become the official videogame partner of Tottenham Hotspur football club.

The company has signed a 3-year contract with the English Premier League club, making Spurs the 8th club to enter into such an agreement.

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This is an opportunity for us to create a deeper connection with their passionate, global fan base, and use our game as a platform to engage Spurs supporters all season long.

EA Sports senior vice president Matt Bilbey said, "We are extremely excited to join a world class football club like Tottenham Hotspur as an Official Club Partner. This is an opportunity for us to create a deeper connection with their passionate, global fan base, and use our game as a platform to engage Spurs supporters all season long."

As a result of the deal, Spurs players will have 3D head scans performed to ensure accurate models in FIFA 13. A Tottenham Hotspur game packaging sleeve will also be produced for the title and made available as a free download, while EA's mobile game trailer is set to make appearances at White Hart Lane.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said, "Over the course of the past few years we've seen the international profile of the Club rise significantly, especially across key markets in Asia and North America. We are delighted to have the opportunity to partner with EA Sports, one of the world's leading entertainment brands, and provide them with the opportunity to reach our global fan base."

Tottenham Hotspur joins seven other English Premier League teams that have become club partners with EA Sports. The other club partners are Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham, Newcastle, and Manchester City.

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK Editorial Assistant. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on IGN and on Twitter.

Source : ign[dot]com