Humvee maker is suing Activision for using the cars in 'Call of Duty'

The Humvee trademark is not free to use.
 By 
Kellen Beck
 on 
Humvee maker is suing Activision for using the cars in 'Call of Duty'
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Hussein Malla/AP/REX/Shutterstock (7526540d) An Iraqi army humvee passes next of a state-sanctioned Shiite militant, as black smoke cover the sky during their battle against the Islamic State group, in Haj Ali frontline village, southern Mosul, Iraq, . Iraqi forces on Tuesday assaulted villages far south of Mosul in the Nineveh province, attempting to clear rural areas of Islamic State fighters who stayed behind to hinder their advance Mideast Iraq Mosul, Haj Ali, Iraq - 29 Nov 2016 Credit: Hussein Malla/AP/REX/Shutterstock

The manufacturer of the Humvee is not cool with all the references to its vehicles in Call of Duty games, according to a lawsuit it filed against developer Activision.

AM General, the company that makes Humvees, filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard for referencing and replicating its vehicles in the Call of Duty series without permission, Reuters reported Wednesday.

According to Reuters, AM General accused Activision Blizzard taking advantage of the prominent name and status of the brand Humvee, also known as HMMWV, which stands for High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle. Humvees have most commonly been used by the U.S. military since AM General started production on the vehicles in the mid-'80s.

Numerous Call of Duty games have featured or referenced Humvees since Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. The vehicles are key features in some scenes and situations in multiple games, and are seen in Call of Duty-related material outside of the games as well, including guides, promotional material, toys, and books.

According to Reuters, AM General said the series' success over the years came "only at the expense of AM General and consumers who are deceived into believing that AM General licenses the games or is somehow connected with or involved in the creation of the games."

Although the Humvee trademark probably isn't actually the reason for the Call of Duty series' success over the decades, as AM General claims it is, AM General still has the right to protect its trademarks.

AM General is calling for punitive damages, meaning it wants compensation for the use of its trademarks and additional money to punish Activision Blizzard.

Activision did not respond to request for comment, and the company has previously stated that it does not comment on current lawsuits.

Topics Gaming

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Kellen Beck

Kellen is a science reporter at Mashable, covering space, environmentalism, sustainability, and future tech. Previously, Kellen has covered entertainment, gaming, esports, and consumer tech at Mashable. Follow him on Twitter @Kellenbeck

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