Earlier this week, EA Sports released the latest UFC video game which includes many of your favorite UFC fighters including Carlos Condit. However, gamers may notice that Condit will not have the lion tattoo that is on the side of his body for legal reasons.
As the Wall Street Journal reports, the tattoo was removed from the video game as a precaution from infringing on any copyright issue that Condit’s tattoo artist may have with its use. Previously, Condit’s tattoo artist sued defunct video game maker THQ for the unauthorized use of the tattoo in UFC Undisputed. Long story short, Escobedo asked for millions, the Bankruptcy Court quantified the use to the sum of $22,500 (the amount Condit was paid for the use of his likeness).
The move to digitally airbrush Condit of his tattoo underscores a big issue the National Football League Players’ Association (and likely other leagues) is facing when it comes to player tattoos and digital rights. One of the ways to protect itself from lawsuits is to have players get their tattoo artists sign releases.
Payout Perspective:
Authenticity is something that sports video games have and the inclusion of fighters’ facial features, hair style, mannerisms and even their tattoos are important. College football games have come under fire for similar issues and we may see the elimination of any identifiable feature your favorite college player may have in a game. But that issue is a little different from the one here. However, it is clear that If you are Carlos Condit, you might be concerned with the fact that your likeness is not exact, which may impact your overall future brand. That argument is a little far-fetched but the issue of re-imaging personas due to concerns about being sued is a slippery slope we may see in future video games.
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