Developer of the hugely popular Grand Theft Auto series, Rockstar Games, is reportedly being sued by the Psychic Readers Network (PRN) over the Vice City character Auntie Poulet.
Although the PS2 game is now 15 years old, it seems PRN is upset with Rockstar for allegedly ‘profiting’ since the death of Auntie Poulet voice actor Youree Harris.
Harris previously worked for PRN under the name Miss Cleo, before voicing the character in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, but passed away last year.
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As reported by TMZ, PRN claims it invested over $100 million into the creation and development of the Miss Cleo TV persona, and wants a cut of the profits Rockstar makes any time the Vice City title is still sold.
According to PRN, the developer is still selling the 15-year-old title through bundles and reissues, and the company has now filed suit against Rockstar and others involved in making and distributing the game.
The psychic network claims Rockstar is likely to have made more than $500 million by ‘exploiting’ the Auntie Poulet character’s similarity to Miss Cleo.
A Rockstar spokesman told TMZ: “These claims are entirely meritless and completely ridiculous. We will vigorously defend ourselves with regard to this matter.”
Vice City is the fourth best-selling PS2 game of all time, first debuting on the console back in 2002, before a reissue released for iOS devices 10 years later.
What do you think of PRN’s claims? Tweet us @trustedreviews.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
