Wrestler Maxx Payne Sues Game Publisher

Ryan Barrett writes "The Associated Press reports that retired WCW wrestler, actor, and voice actor Maxx Payne is suing a group of game developers and publishers over the game Max Payne. In Payne's words, "I left wrestling to come home to Utah and be with my family and I find myself in the biggest battle of my life - to save my identity." This raises an interesting question: in most cases like this, we Slashdotters are quick to speak out in Payne's defense. But when the big bad corporations are game developers, do we still take the little guy's side?" Is this suit exposing a genuine rip-off, or is it just a naming coincidence?

Comments

Took him a while

[RQuinn]

If the game has done so much to steal his identity, then why has he waited two years since the game was released to sue?

Hate to say it but my instinct says he probably saw the marketing push for the sequel and thought "Hey they're putting a lot of money into this... I should get my hands on some of it"

They should change his name to Max Power

[Cobralisk]

"I got it off a hair dryer" - Homer Simpson

Re:Ask Spike Lee!

[ralphus]

Spike Lee actually took issue with the name SpikeTV and sued and then settled.

I wonder how Spike Jonze feels about this...

Pseudonyms and political office

[Nakanai_de]

Here in Japan, there's an ex-wrestler named the Great Sasuke who won a position in the Iwate Prefectural Assembly under his stage persona. There was a minor scandal because he wore his mask to the legislative sessions and the ruling party didn't like that. The bill to forbid wearing masks failed, though, so he still goes to work every day in a business suit and a full-face mask.