Devolver Digital has filed a lawsuit against an artist over the rights to Hotline Miami
Indie publisher Devolver Digital has decided to sue Erick Chatel — an artist and the founder of the company ESC-Toy, which produces various merchandise. The company accused him of years of copyright infringement.
Hotline Miami
The portal Aftermath brought attention to the legal proceedings. According to the lawsuit they uncovered, Devolver Digital had long cooperated with Chatel’s company in the past: ESC-Toy created collectible pins, t-shirts, and figures based on the popular action game Hotline Miami. In 2019, this partnership ended. Nevertheless, according to the lawsuit, ESC-Toy continued distributing branded products without the company’s permission.
Furthermore, Devolver Digital claims that over the past seven years, Chatel registered trademarks for a whole range of products based on the indie publisher's IP. At least 15 of these pertained to Hotline Miami.
Another complaint from Devolver Digital concerns Dusted — Chatel’s game, which is marketed as a spin-off of Hotline Miami. The company stated in the lawsuit that it did not approve the use of the brand and believes that Chatel’s actions mislead people and damage its reputation.
Now, Devolver Digital is asking the court to prohibit Chatel and his company from selling the disputed goods and to require them to pay compensation.