A strange situation developed late last year between Sony and the well-known PlayStation “character” Kevin Butler. Butler, played by Jerry Lambert, was spotted in a Bridgestone Tires commercial with a Wii. The ad was eventually pulled and it was later discovered that Sony was suing the tire company as well as Lambert’s own company.
Sony is still in a legal battle with Bridgestone, but has since settled out of court with Lambert.
Lambert will not appear in any video game ad over the next two years. Once the period has passed, he can lend his talent to any commercial he chooses so long as the Kevin Butler character is not portrayed. Sony also gained the right to look over any video game-related ads Lambert partakes in to ensure that its Kevin Butler property is not involved.
Regarding the original Bridgestone commercial, Lambert did acknowledge that the ad may have led to consumer confusion since he was seen with a Wii.
You’ve probably heard of Headstrong Games. The studio has worked on Battalion Wars, The House of the Dead: Overkill, Art Academy, Rabbids Rumble, and plenty of other titles.
Headstrong doesn’t have any confirmed games in the works for Wii U, but it is definitely involved with the console. Associate producer Jo Tunstill lists an unannounced project for the console on her LinkedIn profile.
Will it be a Nintendo-published game? The two companies have shared a fairly close relationship in the past. Or is this a third-party effort?
Some of you may have missed this news among the numerous release date confirmations included in Nintendo’s press release today.
Next month, Nintendo will be releasing its own Wii U accessory set. A Wii U GamePad screen protector and extra-large stylus will be included. The product will be available for $12.99 starting on February 4.
