The family of Jonas Savimbi, founder and leader of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), are attempting to sue Activision for the late resistance fighter's portrayal in Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. Yup, for everyone who fell asleep in history class and didn't know, Savimbi was indeed a real person. The suit alleges that Activision and Treyarch portray Savimbi as a "big halfwit who wants to kill everybody" and a "barbarian." The family is seeking €1 million in damages.
A lawyer representing Activision responded that the game paints him as one of the good guys, fighting against the oppressive Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) regime. While technically true (Savimbi did indeed lead a guerrilla war against the MPLA for more than a decade, one battle of which is shown in Black Ops 2), the classifications of "barbarian" and "good guy" both seem simplistic to summarily describe a human being.
This isn't the first time Black Ops 2's portrayal of historical figures has come into question. Two years ago, former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega attempted to sue Activision over his appearance in the game. And while that suit similarly alleged damages to reputation, it was thrown out of court, having been ruled as protected speech under the First Amendment.
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