Ubisoft sues Black Eyed Peas for $1 million

Ubisoft has sued BEP Music--the official company name for American hip-hop group The Black Eyed Peas--for $1 million over an alleged breach of contract. The French publisher claims BEP Music failed to approve a version of a "popular Wii game" released in October 2011 for iOS devices, including the iPad and iPhone. This game is not named, but the only Ubisoft game released in October 2011 involving The Black Eyed Peas was Just Dance 3.

According to the suit, obtained by Courthouse News, Ubisoft entered into an agreement with the band in June 2011 that gave the company rights to use the group's names and likeness for console and iOS titles. The terms of the contract stated that BEP Music would notify Ubisoft within 10 business days if it approved a proposed project.

Ubisoft goes on to claim that in March this year it submitted an iOS game to the group for approval, but the band did not respond at all, therefore breaching the contract. Ubisoft claims that at the time of the breach, it had spent about $233,000 developing the iOS game, and said it has suffered damages in excess of $1,000,000 from the combined costs of development and profits lost.