Video game creator Robin Antonick recently sued Electronic Arts for failing to pay him tens of millions of dollars in royalties and profits for the highly successful “Madden NFL Football,” which has already sold over 85 million copies for more than 20 years since it has been rolled out.

Illinois-based Antonick created the football video game, which allows players to participate in a simulated football game with eleven players for the competing teams. He said that his creation of the game was based from his programming knowledge as well as his knowledge of ex-Oakland Raiders head coach John Madden’s style of calling players in certain game situations.

The first version of “Madden NFL Football” was developed for the Commodore 64, MS Dos, and Apple II platform and was released in 1988. Antonick signed a development contract with Electronic Arts in 1986, enabling him to receive royalties on derivative versions of the game. Years later, he continued with development work in a cubicle a few feet away from Trip Hawkins, founder of Electronic Arts.

Although the game has become much more sophisticated and real as years went by, Antonick claims that it is still based on his game. One of the most recent addition in the game rules prevented players from reinserting players who suffers from concussions.

According to Antonick’s complaint, due to the hype surrounding the 20^th Anniversary of the videogame did he realize that EA was not separately developing subsequent versions of the software.  Recent statements made by the company’s founder said that current versions of “Madden Football” were based on software developed by Antonick.

Antonick is seeking for payment of owed royalties as well as disgorgement of all profits from game sales due to the allegedly fraudulent behavior. “Madden NFL Football” has generated over $4 billion in profits over the years. In his complaint, Antonick said that he has not been receiving royalties since 1992.

In the early part of the 1990s, Electronic Arts allegedly began taking steps to franchise the game to other platforms, such as a Sega Genesis in 1990, and licensed versions without seeking approval from Antonick. He said that he had no knowledge that EA no longer wanted profit sharing despite being the developer of the game.

In the last two years, Antonick and Electronic Arts have been involved in a confidential settlement negotiation. The video game company could not be reached for comments.

Want to earn some spare money as a writer for us? Send us an email!