Update: Rock Band developer Harmonix has issued a response to the lawsuit, labeling guitar maker Gibson's claims of patent infringement "completely without merit."

"It is unfortunate that Gibson unfairly desires to share in the tremendous success enjoyed by the developers of Rock Band and Guitar Hero," a Harmonix spokesperson told Shacknews. "This lawsuit is completely without merit and we intend to defend it vigorously.

"Gibson's patent, filed nearly 10 years ago, required a 3D display, a real musical instrument and a recording of a concert," Harmonix's statement continued. "Rock Band and Guitar Hero are completely different: among other things they are games, require no headset and use a controller only shaped like a real instrument."

Original Story: Continuing its recent legal activity, guitar manufacturer Gibson has sued Rock Band developer Harmonix, along with owner MTV Networks and publisher Electronic Arts, for infringing on one of its patents.

According to Gibson, Harmonix--which developed the multi-instrument music title Rock Band (PS2, PS3, X360) and created the Guitar Hero series--violated a 1999 patent for technology that simulates a concert performance via pre-recorded audio and a musical instrument.

The guitar maker sued six retailers--GameStop, Amazon.com, Wal-Mart... Read more

Update: In its legal filings, Gibson named the six retailers it is targeting for their sales of Guitar Hero: GameStop, Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, Target, Toys "R" Us and Kmart.

Original Story: Guitar manufacturer Gibson has announced that it is pursuing legal action against unspecified retailers for selling publisher Activision's popular Guitar Hero line of music video games, an action that Gibson claims infringes on one of its patents.

"Gibson Guitar took this action reluctantly, but is required to protect its intellectual property and will continue to do so against any other person in accordance with the law and its rights," the company proclaimed in a statement.

Earlier this year, Gibson began claiming that Activision's Guitar Hero games violate a 1999 patent for technology that simulates a concert performance via pre-recorded audio and a musical instrument.

Gibson had previously granted Activision and subsidiary RedOctane the license to use Gibson instruments in the Guitar Hero games, and as a model for the... Read more

Following guitar manufacturer Gibson's claims that the wildly successful Guitar Hero franchise violates a 1999 patent, Guitar Hero owner Activision has filed a lawsuit seeking to invalidate Gibson's patent.

According to the suit, as reported by Reuters, Gibson alleges that the series infringes on a patent for technology that simulates a concert performance via pre-recorded audio and a musical instrument.

Gibson notified Activision of the infringement in a letter on January 7, stating that Activision needed to obtain a license from Gibson .

In response, Activision claimed that Guitar Hero does not violate Gibson's patent, and that the three-year delay between the debut of Guitar Hero and Gibson's allegation has granted the company an implied license.

Interestingly, Gibson previously granted Activision the license to use Gibson instruments in the games and as a model for the series' guitar-shaped ... Read more