Celebrity Likeness Laws

[discocar]

If you were to put someone in your game who doesn't look but using the same name, so for example if you had a figher and he was called Tyson. instead of using the full name Mike Tyson. The sprite also doesn't really look like Mike Tyson. Could you get away with that? does that get by the law? Does anyone know anything about this?

Thanks

 

[Morendral]

I wouldn't do that. I'm not a lawyer, but my understanding is that it infringes on that person if it can be reasonably assumed to be them. A fighter named Tyson who kinda sorta looks like him sounds way too close.

Most bits of media I've seen change the names so as not to risk this: Mark Tillson or something would do. Rule of thumb is that unless a professional tells you otherwise, if you have to ask the answer is probably no

 

[Dog Slobber]

Can you afford to spend thousands of dollars to defend your case?

Here's a list of celebrities who sued video game companies because they felt the likeness was too similar.
http://www.mtv.com/news/1872058/video-game-celebrity-lawsuits/

I'm unsure if any were successful.

 

[Jabbers]

I wouldn't do that. I'm not a lawyer, but my understanding is that it infringes on that person if it can be reasonably assumed to be them. A fighter named Tyson who kinda sorta looks like him sounds way too close.

Most bits of media I've seen change the names so as not to risk this: Mark Tillson or something would do. Rule of thumb is that unless a professional tells you otherwise, if you have to ask the answer is probably no

I agree with this view.

I think in the US you are legally allowed to parody real people, but if you use someone's likeness and real name, then you're in trouble. The trick is to abstract the character in a humorous way so that the audience know who it is, but that it is plausibly a different person.

As ever, speak to a specialist lawyer if you want to be certain.

 

[Neptune]

Call him like "Pike Bicen" lol