NBA Tats Spur Copyright Suit

Tattoo artists are suing Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. for copyright infringement over eight tattoos portrayed on National Basketball Association stars Kobe Bryant and LeBron James in the video game NBA 2K16. The artists say that, though “the issue of tattoo copyrightability has yet to be decided upon in court due to numerous settlements,” the tattoos are the kind of “pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works” that deserve legal protection. The suit – filed after Take-Two refused an offer of perpetual license in exchange for a $1.4 million fee – seeks a halt to infringements, and damages up to $150,000 per tattoo.