A lawsuit over Red Dead Redemption 2’s Wild West Pinkerton agents is ending quietly, with publisher Take-Two Interactive and developer Rockstar Games dismissing a defensive complaint against the modern-day Pinkerton agency.
Take-Two and its subsidiary Rockstar filed the suit in January, striking back at a cease-and-desist notice from Pinkerton, which argued Red Dead Redemption 2 had infringed on its trademark. The publisher wanted a court to rule that its use of the Pinkerton name — as part of a game that emphasizes historical accuracy — was fair use. But GameDaily.biz notes that the suit was dropped today, apparently ending the dispute.
The Pinkerton National Detective Agency is a staple of Western fiction, reflecting its real role in the American Old West. (It was acquired in 1999 by Swedish security company Securitas AB.) However, the company asked Take-Two to pay royalties for the right to mention its agents in the latest Red Dead Redemption installment. After Take-Two’s lawsuit, Pinkerton also claimed Rockstar was damaging its reputation by portraying agents as “violent villains” and letting players kill them.
“Take-Two can confirm that the present-day Pinkerton Consulting and Investigation company has withdrawn its claims against Red Dead Redemption 2, and Take-Two will not continue legal action against Pinkerton. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a work of fiction set in the late 1800s that references historical entities active during that time,” a spokesperson for Take-Two told The Verge. Pinkerton didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.
