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When Jailed Dictators Sue Video Game Companies

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By Chris Lange Published
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Activision Blizzard Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) is the subject of a lawsuit by Manuel Noriega. For those who might not know, this man was made famous by his role as a dictator in Panama. Despite his imprisonment, he is suing for his likeness being used by this company in its series Call of Duty.

A motion to dismiss this case was filed Monday morning to the Superior Court of the State of California.

The Call of Duty series, as a fictional game, does incorporate some real-life likenesses, which can include anyone in recent memory, such as President John F. Kennedy or Fidel Castro.

Rudy Giuliani said:

What’s astonishing is that Manuel Noriega, a notorious dictator who is in prison for the heinous crimes he committed, is upset about being portrayed as a criminal and enemy of the state in the game Call of Duty. Quite simply, it’s absurd.

Should this lawsuit be pushed through, it would set a precedent that would veto other such appearances in works of art. It would wave goodbye to hallmarks of culture such as Forrest Gump, Saturday Night Live and Boardwalk Empire.

As far as what investors should expect from this news in Activision — likely very little. Trading at $21.75, this stock’s consensus analyst price target is now up above $26.

ALSO READ: Analyst Picks Mobile Gaming Stocks That Could Double

Photo of Chris Lange
About the Author Chris Lange →

Chris Lange is a writer for 24/7 Wall St., based in Houston. He has covered financial markets over the past decade with an emphasis on healthcare, tech, and IPOs. During this time, he has published thousands of articles with insightful analysis across these complex fields. Currently, Lange's focus is on military and geopolitical topics.

Lange's work has been quoted or mentioned in Forbes, The New York Times, Business Insider, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo, The Verge, Vice, The Intelligencer, Quartz, Nasdaq, The Motley Fool, Fox Business, International Business Times, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Barron’s, Benzinga, and many other major publications.

A graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, Lange majored in business with a particular focus on investments. He has previous experience in the banking industry and startups.

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