The uproar when Aliens: Colonial Marines released was serious enough to eventually get an apology from Sega. After trailers advertising awesome-looking in-game footage, people were expecting, understandably, the game to look at least that good. The fact it did not was a serious gut-shot to the entire gaming community, and the internet made its frustrations known.
Sega was slapped with a court order requiring disclaimers on their trailers that the trailers did not reflect the actual finished product, trailers that even after release still claimed to be showing in-game footage. People were not satisfied.
Sega and Gearbox are now being taken to court by Edelson LLC in a class action lawsuit in the jurisdiction of northern California. The claim states the advertising for Aliens: Colonial Marines violated several of California’s civil business laws. The early demos claiming to be actual gameplay were, according to Edelson LLC, a deliberate misrepresentation. Combined with Sega deliberately preventing any reviews or gameplay footage in the weeks leading up to release, things which would show the actual finished product, Sega pointedly promoted the game on known falsehoods.
The suit claims anyone who bought Aliens: Colonial Marines on the day of its release or made a pre-order are eligible for damages as a result of these actions on Sega’s part.
