Take-Two Interactive, publisher of Red Dead Redemption 2, is locked in a two-way legal battle over using the word ‘Pinkertons’ in the game excessively. The second party in the legal battle is a security company called Pinkerton.
The legal battle is over inclusion of two Pinkerton agents Andrew Milton and Edgar Ross in Red Dead Redemption 2 who were two main antagonists in the game and they have a very important role in the game.
The Verge reported that it was the Pinkerton Consulting & Investigations that first sent a cease-and-desist letter to Take-Two over both the characters. It mentioned Rockstar’s ‘clear affection’ for the word Pinkerton and appreciated it but it stated that Rockstar is clearly trying to prove that both characters are connected to Pinkerton and because of this they want Take-Two to pay them a lump-sum or ongoing royalties.
After receiving the legal notice, Take-Two decided to fight back and stated that Red Dead Redemption 2 is based on historical facts and during the Wild West Era, Pinkerton was a major agency and played a vital role in shaping up the history. Red Dead Redemption 2 is not the only entertainment media where Pinkertons are shown.
The Verge also mentions that there are a lot of different TV shows and movies as well where Pinkertons were represented. Some of the prominent ones include 2000s TV series Deadwood, The Long Riders movie released in 1980 and even Bioshock Infinite which was released back in 2010 where the main character was an ex-Pinkerton agent.
According to Take-Two’s claim, the Pinkerton Consulting & Investigations is simply trying to milk money out of Rockstar Games’ highly successful Red Dead Redemption 2 video game. At this point, no further information is available on the current situation of the case. We will surely keep you posted on developing updates.
Who do you think is right in their claim? Should Take-Two win this legal battle or they should pay royalties to Pinkerton Consulting & Investigations instead. Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
