Manuel Noriega will need to find a new outlet for his time in prison
Earlier this year, Panama’s former dictator and friend to the CIA Manuel Noriega sued Activision for the use of his likeness in Call of Duty: Black Ops II. Not for defamation of character for portraying him a murderous badman, but for putting him in the game without paying him. Noriega is still in jail, currently back in Panama after a long stay in a French prison.
Los Angeles Superior Court judge William H. Fahey sided with Activision Blizzard and tossed the suit on the grounds that the cameo was protected fictionalization of an historical figure.
Activision hired former New York City mayor Rudy Guiliani to represent the company. In a statement, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick called the decision, “a victory for the 40 million dedicated members of our Call of Duty community and global audiences who enjoy historical fiction across all works of art,” and thanked Guiliani for dedicating “his life to the protection of citizens against terrorists like Manuel Noriega,” hah.
Caso Noriega: la giustizia americana assolve Activision [Eurogamer]
