Taito reacts to Stanley’s 9/11 Invader Exhibit, threatens legal action

During the 2008 Leipzig Games Convention, which ran from August 20-24, 2008, an artist named Douglas Stanley chose to create an artistic installation called Invaders!. It was to be part of a Space Invaders: Die Jubiläumsshow! exhibit at Berlin’s Computer Spiele Museum, in honor of Space Invader’s 30th anniversary. Stanley’s Invaders! involved Space Invader aliens destroying New York’s World Trade Center Twin Towers, from the 9/11 terrorist attack, with people able to interact with the exhibit by destroying the aliens and protecting the towers.

The game caused quite an outcry from Americans, especially those directly affected by 9/11, and Taito, the creators of Space Invaders. Upon hearing of Stanley’s Invaders! exhibit, which Taito was not informed of, Taito immediately stated that it was going to end the installation and its unauthorized use of Space Invaders content. The company also stated that it would be willing to take legal action against Stanlet and the Leipzig Games Convention exhibitor which allowed the “Invaders!” exhibit to run…