Court Asked if Call of Duty’s Humvee Use Pushes Legal Boundaries

The enduring popularity of the “Call of Duty” video-game franchise—with more than 300 million copies sold since 2004—revolves around simulations of modern combat, including characters yelling “Get in the Humvee” from a detailed depiction of the military vehicle.

To Humvee maker AM General LLC, the concerted marketing usage goes over the line separating artistic liberty and branding rights. The outcome of its lawsuit against video game company Activision Blizzard Inc. in a New York federal court may help settle when trademark law protects brands in entertainment products that generally enjoy broad First Amendment protection.

Activision, in its bid for a ...