Take-Two Interactive has gained a case relating to its depiction of LeBron James’ tattoos in NBA 2K. Whereas James himself was not concerned within the case, his tattoo artist, Jimmy Hayden, was.
Hayden sued Take-Two by alleging that using James’ tattoos in NBA 2K violated his rights as he was not compensated regardless of being the one who inked them onto the basketball star. Nonetheless, an Ohio federal jury rejected these allegations. Since Take-Two had an settlement to make use of James’ likeness within the sport, the studio additionally had an implied license to additionally depict these tattoos onto his character.
Consequently, the jury decided that Hayden’s rights weren’t violated. Take-Two’s lawyer, Dale Cendali of regulation agency Kirkland & Ellis, praised the choice. He instructed Reuters that it was an essential resolution for the leisure business and “anybody who has ever gotten a tattoo and might need in any other case apprehensive about their freedom to share their our bodies with their tattoos.”
This is not the primary time Take-Two was sued for this subject. In previous circumstances, Take-Two each gained and misplaced. In 2020, Take-Two settled one other lawsuit involving the NBA 2K collection from Strong Oak Sketches. In 2022, Take-Two misplaced a lawsuit associated to WWE 2K and its depiction of professional wrestler Randy Orton’s tattoos. The federal jury in Illinois awarded the tattoo artist $3,750 in damages.