Activision Blizzard was mum after Scratch DJ Game said Monday tha...
Activision Blizzard was mum after Scratch DJ Game said Monday that a California Superior Court judge granted it a temporary restraining order in its suit against Activision Publishing over the coming videogame Scratch -- The Ultimate DJ (CED April…
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16 p2). The plaintiff was ordered to comply with the TRO by close of business Monday, said Scratch DJ Game, a joint venture of Genius Products and pro audio equipment maker Numark Industries. Activision Blizzard didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The court last week ordered 7 Studios, recently acquired by Activision, to turn over to Scratch DJ Game within five days all source code related to the game, including 7 Studio’s pre-existing developer software tools and technology that went into developing the game, Scratch DJ Game said. The developer, which Genius hired to make the game for it long before Activision bought 7 Studios, was also named in the suit, along with 7 Studios CEO Lewis Peterson. Scratch DJ Game accused Activision Publishing of “intentional interference with contractual relationship,” unfair competition and breach of contract, among other things. The court also granted an injunction preventing 7 Studios from disclosing or discussing the game code or Scratch trade secrets with Activision or any other third parties, Scratch DJ Game said Monday. Scratch DJ Game “will aggressively pursue its court case against Activision, 7 Studios and Peterson for damages resulting from their actions to delay and take over the Scratch game,” it also said Monday. Separately, Activision Blizzard said in a filing with the SEC that it amended Chief Financial Officer Thomas Tippl’s employment agreement April 15. The term of Tippl’s employment with the company under the amended agreement will expire April 15, 2014. His annual base salary will initially be $750,000 per year, but will be increased annually “in an amount at least equal to the average percentage increase approved by” the Compensation Committee of the firm’s board, the filing said. Tippl will also be eligible to receive an annual bonus with a target amount of 100 percent of his base salary based upon achievement of certain financial and business objectives determined by the Compensation Committee, it said. Tippl will also receive a grant of 1.2 million stock options and 150,000 shares of restricted stock, as well as a grant of 80,000 performance shares.