Activision Wanted Guitar Hero: Brutal Legend News

The ongoing legal spat between Activision and Double Fine Productions surrounding the fate of Brutal Legend took a further twist, the latter alleging that Activision has tried to kill off the game in an attempt to secure Guitar Hero's future success.

The allegations were made in a countersuit filed by Double Fine Productions following Activision's attempts to stop Electronic Arts from publishing the title through its EA Partners label.

Double Fine's countersuit makes some strong allegations, claiming that Activision's original lawsuit was intended to hurt the developer and the game, and that the publisher has engaged in unlawful business practises.

Activision's "purpose is not only to cancel Brutal Legend, but to kill it completely so that Guitar Hero would not have to face the competition," the lawsuit claims.

A statement from Activision released to the Associated Press suggests that the publishing giant is still keen to publish the title, suggesting that Double Fine's countersuit is "meritless and, in fact, Activision has every intention of exercising its legal right as Brutal Legend's publisher to release the game."

Further still, AP claims that Activision had intended to convert the game into a Guitar Hero sequel.

"Now that we've found a publisher and the game is getting sensational coverage, they want to stop its release," Double Fine's COO Caroline Esmurdoc wrote in a statement.  "Double Fine's countersuit is a demonstration of our intention to fight for this game - Activision will not kill Brutal Legend."

A hearing is scheduled to take place on July 30th.