Take-Two and Jack Thompson Reach Settlement, Drop Charges

Following up Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two Interactive's pre-emptive legal action against lawyer Jack Thompson and his resulting countersuit, the two rivals have reached an agreement to drop all charges against one another. According to the terms of the settlement posted by GamePolitics, Thompson will no longer pursue or threaten legal action to restrict sales of Take-Two games. Nor may Thompson accuse Take-Two or any business partners of wrongdoing for distributing said product--in other words, he can not threaten to sue a retailer for carrying Take-Two's games. Any future communication between Thompson and Take-Two will be mediated by either the counsel of record or Take-Two's general counsel. Perhaps most entertaining of all, the settlement also means Thompson won't face jail time. Previously, Take-Two had submitted a petition for Thompson to prove why he should not be held in contempt, with a hearing that was scheduled for April 20. However, Thompson retains the right to publicly criticize the content or distribution of any Take-Two product. He may also participate in any legal action others may bring against the publisher, provided the charges specify individual harm.