Ubisoft smacks Bratz for $13 million

  • By Polybren, GameSpot
  • Posted Feb 12, 2008 5:57 pm PT

While fighting over dolls might seem unbecoming for one of the world's largest third-party game publishers, a $13 million payoff can do wonders to stir people to action. Business and entertainment law firm Greenberg Glusker today announced that it has secured a $13.2 million judgment in favor of...

While fighting over dolls might seem unbecoming for one of the world's largest third-party game publishers, a $13 million payoff can do wonders to stir people to action.

Business and entertainment law firm Greenberg Glusker today announced that it has secured a $13.2 million judgment in favor of its client, French publisher Ubisoft, in a licensing dispute with MGA Entertainment, maker of the popular Bratz line of toys.

Ubisoft published Bratz games for the original PlayStation and Game Boy Advance in 2003, but MGA terminated the license that year and moved it to THQ. According to Greenberg Glusker, MGA dropped the Ubisoft deal without good cause in an attempt to renegotiate a more favorable deal. The two companies wound up suing each other, and an arbitrator sided with the game publisher to the tune of $13.2 million.

Legal battles aside, the Bratz license's best days may be behind it. THQ's 2006 effort Bratz: Forever Diamondz and 2005's Bratz: Rock Angelz each sold more than 700,000 copies at US retailers, according to the NPD Group. However, of the 2007 slate of games--Bratz: 4 Real, Bratz: The Movie, and Bratz: Ponyz--none has surpassed the 100,000 mark.

The toy license is having problems in other media as well. After being released in theaters last August, the critically reviled live-action Bratz movie failed to break $10 million at the US box office over the course of its mercifully short run.

73 Comments

  • KMDolli

    Posted Dec 30, 2008 6:54 pm PT

    Ubisoft sued MGA $13 million!
    And anyway, Bratz games are for little girls! Not big boys! No offence, but if it was up to you that forget who the Bratz games are aimed at, 5 year old girls would be running around the street pretending they are characters from GTA games!!!

  • p00phead

    Posted Feb 19, 2008 9:15 pm PT

    ubisoft spent 13 million on bratz what on earth were they thinking now they could have spent that money on their real assets like tom clancy games seriously this is like worst than all those horsez, dogz and catz games now that toy company is gonna make a whole different bratz doll

  • Vampire_Turtle

    Posted Feb 18, 2008 1:00 pm PT

    One Question... Why?

    - Vampire Turtle

  • kono11

    Posted Feb 17, 2008 5:27 pm PT

    C'mon,Ubisoft! Make every games like this, SCs,GRAWs,and others better!

  • Ninjiz

    Posted Feb 15, 2008 9:32 pm PT

    OMFG.. DO YOU PEOPLE EVEN READ ARTICLES BEFORE YOU POST??????

    UBISOFT ISNT SPENDING 13 Million, MGA got SLAPPED with a $13 million PENALTY for breaking the contract in 2003 trying to renegoiate.

    For the last damn time, UBISOFT is GETTING $13 million in DAMAGES paid to them, for MGA breaking the contract. UBISOFt is NOT getting the CONTRACT back. And I doubt they even want it. Ubisoft is NOT focusing effort on a BRATZ game over Assassin creed sequels , they simply WON A LAWSUIT and get $13 million. It has nothing to do with the caring ABOUT Bratz, but about teh CONTRACT they signed. READ BEFORE YOU POST.... jeez

  • Azwhtknight

    Posted Feb 15, 2008 4:51 am PT

    Okay...so I have never played a BRATZ game (God help me if I ever do--shudder--), but a game based on a demoralized trampy Barbie-like doll is just what the female youth of the world needs to help them learn the facts of life and help them establish wholesome morals-----NOT!!!!!

    Please just concentrate on putting out some GOOD games and you will make GOOD money. The Bratz games may have sold in the past, but in they appear to be a failing market right now (thank God). Use the resources on other games or franchises where it will be more appreciated.

  • theKSMM

    Posted Feb 14, 2008 5:52 pm PT

    Somebody had to know that if they kept shoveling this Bratz tripe off on their tween consumers that they would eventually get hip and move on.

    Bratz is yesterdays news. Now its about Hannah Montana or Jamie Lynn Spears or some other little blonde chick. Bratz had a good run, but them days is over.

  • NintendoWarrior

    Posted Feb 14, 2008 4:20 pm PT

    sorry for being part of the problem, I bought Bratz Diamondz for my sister's birthday. If only she had taste T_T

  • zennioparty

    Posted Feb 14, 2008 12:10 pm PT

    If hope yall do not think that the ones dealing with this are the Game Designers, lol. I am pretty sure that the people working on the game are not Lawyers as well, lol.

  • azizrulez

    Posted Feb 14, 2008 1:39 am PT

    yea like i care

  • URError

    Posted Feb 14, 2008 12:35 am PT

    This proves it. Ubisoft is gay

  • matrixman2k

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 8:19 pm PT

    Well "all (good) things must come to an end" Though i don't know about the "good" part - but then again i ain't some brat girl (i mean the annoying ones not the angels more the trouble maker).

  • matrixman2k

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 8:17 pm PT

    Well "all (good) things must come to an end" Though i don't know about the "good" part - but then again i ain't some brat girl (i mean the annoying ones not the angels more the trouble maker).

  • hawaiiinsomniac

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 3:41 pm PT

    **barf**

  • lamprey263

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 3:05 pm PT

    well, $13.2 million, just goes to show you can always make the best of a terrible situation

  • canderson85

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 2:34 pm PT

    Why is everyone acting like this means anything to games. they got a settlement over a contract, nothing more. why is everyone acting like this is a tragedy for hardcore gamers. Its just business, not much more then that.

  • VenomRitual

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 1:03 pm PT

    it's amazing how parents scream over the violence and sexual tone of video games when there are Bratz slutting up our youth.

  • Warchief_Zuljin

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 12:34 pm PT

    I think it's funny how people here think Ubisoft has only 1 team that works on games. News flash, the team that works on Splinter Cell doesn't work on Bratz games.

  • prioritymail

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 11:59 am PT

    Bratz sucks anyway...

  • Bodboy466

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 11:52 am PT

    icarus212001 wrote: number of people who care, please raise your hand?

    **Reluctantly Raises Hand** What? I love continuing the stereotype that a girl has to be supermodel thin and shallow to a fault to get a good man.

    Just kidding.

  • thpghalo3

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 11:50 am PT

    what the ...... ubisoft should keep their focus on splinter cell and assassin's creed series!!

  • nini200

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 11:48 am PT

    Whatever happened to MATTEL?

  • Razgard4612

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 11:00 am PT

    Barbie is where its at. lol j/k

  • meluvulongtime8

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 10:45 am PT

    Did anyone read the article??? They wanted $$$. It's not like they really want to continue making the Bratz games. They want all the money that they supposedly missed out on. Wouldn't you want an easy 13 mil.

  • boobush

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 10:06 am PT

    They've been wise in the past. This could indicate good business, but more likely a bad decision.

  • Xaero019

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 9:55 am PT

    excuse me, does anyone really care, i mean seriously, come on

  • Fr3ak0nat3

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 9:45 am PT

    Slutz

  • hunter8man

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 9:29 am PT

    $13 Million for Slutz er... I mean Bratz? Ubisoft, dear god it's just not worth it. What about a sequel to Beyond Good and Evil already?

  • 02sfraser

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 9:28 am PT

    pfft why bother sueing over this??

  • Elduque21

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 9:18 am PT

    The disappearing of bratz would be a better day for all of us.

  • Vann-Baizel

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 9:03 am PT

    who the hell buys this ****??? god 13 million! Ubisoft needs to focus more on its number 1 titles! not some stupid girly ****!!!

  • o_laggy_o

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 8:27 am PT

    Disgusting.

  • rockstar_88

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 8:24 am PT

    THIS IS GAMESPOT'S BEST TITLE FOR AN ARTICLE IN YEARS!!! THUMBS UP!!! A++++!!!

  • TheWhiteRabbit8

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 7:57 am PT

    None of you even read this article did you? Wow... just wow. You come out running your mouth about... nothing really. 90% of you are crying about an issue you made up by reading the headline and deciding to hit post.

  • Killingspree303

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 7:53 am PT

    Ubistoft... shouldn't do such things

  • vass86

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 7:29 am PT

    ubisoft have been dissapointing lately. naruto rise of a ninja was terrible and assasins creed was poor

  • CasinoOutlaw247

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 7:03 am PT

    Great news for casual/kiddie gamers bad news for harcore/mature gamers.

  • mjc0961

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 7:01 am PT

    At least Ubisoft will have an excuse for any "Bratz" titles to stink (it's a damn doll). What's their excuse for other titles, though? When was the last time they put out a decent Rayman game? And how could they screw up Red Steel so bad? Maybe they can use this money to hire some better developers.

  • bradly_2795

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 5:59 am PT

    Wtf???? 13 Million??? What are dolls going to do with that kinda money lol

  • Ottosmann

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 5:28 am PT

    13 million for this??? -_-

  • DonutTrooper

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 3:04 am PT

    If I were a board member of Ubisoft, I would have tried to convince everyone to just leave it be.

    Honestly, I wouldn't want my company seen fighting...and winning...13 millian dollars for the Bratz franchise...

  • Zanthia561

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 2:47 am PT

    you guys wont be complaining when they put that 13mil to good use on those games will u

  • nappan

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 2:36 am PT

    People seem to be missing the point here... Ubi isn't getting the contract back, they are getting a monetary judgement. Period.

  • E1025gama

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 2:15 am PT

    I'm starting to think this whole "mass market" thing is more of a curse than a blessing.

  • felshs

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 1:33 am PT

    i bet all female gamer will own this one

  • diablobasher

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 1:10 am PT

    This is the cause of teenage pregnancy. Ok, so it's not, but its just another thing wrong with the world that causes children to act more like adults or teenagers, and inherit all the associated problems of not doing that properly.

  • tyg_skye

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 1:03 am PT

    ok, this is stupid...

  • Foleman

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 12:58 am PT

    Uhhh, did any of you read the actual story? They sued because of the termination of the contract, not because they wanted it back. Ubisoft is not making Bratz games now, THQ does.

    So instead say, THQ, stop making Bratz games and get on Red Faction and Saints Row, NOW!

  • landcrow

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 12:50 am PT

    I agree with HaloFreak they should be focusing on their "better" game projects.

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