Rock Band developer's founders suing Viacom

Viacom got 60-70 videos unjustly removed from Youtube from it's take-down notices just before officially suing Youtube for copyright infringement as if Youtube themselves were uploading the clips. Not only has it been proven that Viacom uploaded their own copyrighted material under false user names to pass off as the average Joe(thus making themselves guilty of the practice they're suing over?), Viacom also steals videos from Youtube and other places wholly created by the average Joe and puts them up on Spike.com and other video hosting websites without asking for permission... the very thing they're angry about, only Viacom themselves are doing it while Youtube is just hosting uploads from other people. It's hilarious stuff. Needless to say Viacom should lose every suit every time, even if they sued me for assault after I kicked the CEO square in the balls.

I'm with Haromonix on this one. Viacom selling the business stating "It doesn't make enough money", is very closely related to all the things Harmonix is alleging.

TL: DR I'm not even going to pretend to understand anything I just read, but hey, aslong as they are doing it for the right reasons.

I read the whole article and I'm still having a lot of trouble understanding it, but considering Viacom bullied YouTube into pulling a bunch of videos, I wouldn't be surprised at underhanded deeds by this company.

Wow, everybody is sueing everybody!

Sue the ever-lasting crap out of them. Viacom's greediness stops now.

@PsycoticlySound I was gonna post a comment of my own, but you just perfectly summed up what I was thinking. +1

I wouldn't be surprised if Viacom really did avoid payouts.

In the end I'll leave it to the courts to decide, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if Viacom did indeed tweak agreements just to avoid a payout.

It's really hard to side with either of them when the bonus their fighting for is more money than I'll ever see in my life.

uh oh!

first of all, I don't care at all about the premise. I just hate viacom's guts and hope it dies a horrible death. So.. Yeah Harmonix, even thought I hate their games.

Screw Viacom, I hope Harmonix wins o:

Ordinarily, a developer suing their parent company would be seen as an act of desperation. But there are two things here that I feel justify this move: 1. Viacom demanding a refund of a BONUS they had given Harmonix. If they had the nerve to pull a stunt like this, who's to say they wouldn't do more to sabotage Harmonix for the sake of money. 2. Harmonix has been nothing but good to its fan base. When they promised weekly DLC, they delivered. When they promised to create not just a music game, but a music platform, they delivered. And when they promised to create the most in-depth, refined rhythm game to-date, they even delivered upon that. So all things considered, I can say I fully stand behind Harmonix in this lawsuit. They deserve this win.

I'm honestly surprised that Viacom even allows MTV one of their subsidiaries to release games through EA when Viacom is in with Activision. I don't see the suit going very far because of this.

Viacom is the definition of a greedy, bully corporation. They use thier money and influence to push around and beat up on smaller companies. They probably deal with a dozen Harmonixs a week, and probably lose to very very few. You dont become Viacom by letting pissant companies like ?Harmonix show you up. Go Go Harmonix!

What a bunch of s***. Harmonix needs to grow up and get over it. Viacom made the smart move for dumping them.

i know its the synthesis of me being a gamer and a law student, but i really want to see viacoms SJ Motion in response...then assuming it doesnt settle, which it likely will, id love to see the motions on the briefs.

hope harmonix wins,i hate viacom they totally raped youtube -_-

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Go Harmon... wait... Go Viac..... oh yeah none of us knows what's really going on because this is what Harmonix claims Viacom "allegedly" did... This isn't fact yet. Those of you that say "go Harmonix" just say that because they make a game you like. Gotta love comments here on business news.

GO HARMONIX Sue The pants Off them!

Go Harmonix!!

i think viacom had this coming since they're going out of their way to screw harmonix. first they announce that they're going to drop a company that produces the best rhythm game available and then they say they want a "substantial refund" of the money they paid that company in bonuses (for doing exactly what they were paid to do) BACK? that's just cold

As much as Viacom was just using typical business mentality by getting rid of something that wasnt going to make them much more money, I still have to say good on Harmonix. I just find it wrong that Viacom can so quickly get rid of the developer that produced the most refined rythm game we have yet to see

Goodluck Harmonix!

Activision ruined the genre. That's what happens when you beat it to death with the same crap. You force other people to do the same.

GO GO GO, I'm behind harmonix founders on this one.

Here's what damaged these music games in my opinion. 1.) Having to constantly buy new "hardware" in the form of guitars, drums, pianos, mics. Some of those items would break easily forcing a replacement. (Not cool.) 2.) Guitar Hero flooding the market without really adding anything new except for "buy more kits." The innovation kind of stopped appearing and I wouldn't call that terrible music maker a real innovation. 3.) Limited singleplayer appeal. There's a reason why not everyone is a musician. Only die hard fans of the game try to practice and master all songs, but most people just casually play a few tunes. Well, most people who just casually play will get bored of playing by themselves. 4.) Same thing with singleplayer, unless you have a big family who also game, it's difficult to always get at least 3 other friends (4 with keyboard) to come over and play. Unless you're hosting a party every week most of the time that game will sit in the shelf unused because you can't get your friends to come over. In my situation my friend actually has brothers who love to play the game and would probably buy every rockband release that would come out, but not everyone has a small army living in the same home. These games were a great idea, unfortunately the market was just too niché for it to really be successful.

A bunch of greedy people suing each other for being greedier. Business as usual, nothing to see here people, move along.

@ stalkerx3000 True dat.

Heres a better idea. Why not sue Activision . They have released god knows so many Guitar Heros in a year that move itself caused a significant damage to the music industry.

@stalkerx3000 I really wouldn;t blame the economy on this one so much as i would blame unnecessary greed.

If you feel that someone benefited from or copied off your work without permission or full reimbursement, you absolutely have the right to sue and should. It is theft of work and potential. Last time I checked, theft was bad.

In todays economy, you gotta sue people to stay in business.