Halo original composers are suing Microsoft and they may try to stop the TV show from being broadcast

Halo TV Show

Halo the original composers are suing Microsoft and they may try to stop the TV show from being broadcast. Microsoft has been sued by the original composers of Halo's famed music for allegedly unpaid royalties dating back 20 years.

Marty O'Donnell stated to Eurogamer that he and partner composer Mike Salvatori filed the case in June 2020 after failing to reach an agreement with Microsoft over their claims for the previous ten years.

The composers claim to have licensed the Halo music to Bungie, the original Halo developer who was later acquired by Microsoft before the franchise's premiere in 2001.

O'Donnell had recently started working full-time at Bungie as the studio's audio director at the time of the acquisition. Salvatori remained self-employed, working for O'Donnell Salvatori Inc, which was still owned by O'Donnell.

According to reports, Microsoft is asserting that the Halo music was made under a work-for-hire deal rather than a licensing agreement, and thus it qualifies as the author of that piece.

O'Donnell said, "It was never work-for-hire." "It was always going to be a license transaction." The case isn't about O'Donnell and Salvatori claiming ownership of the Halo music, according to O'Donnell. Instead, the two claim they have been owed royalties for many years and have not been paid.

Microsoft is accused of breaching its contract, breaching its fiduciary obligation to develop royalty income in a joint venture, breaching its duty to engage in good faith and fair dealing, failing to provide an accounting partnership, unjust enrichment, and tortious interference, according to the case.

If the companies are unable to reach an agreement during mediation, which is due to take place next week, the case may be taken to court. The composer's legal team has also been asked to investigate if a preliminary injunction may be issued to prevent the release of Paramount's Halo TV show, which is due to premiere on March 24.

Last month, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said that Halo Infinite had the best launch in the franchise's history, attracting over 20 million players since its December release on Xbox One, PC, and Game Pass.

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