OJ Simpson Ordered to Pay Goldmans Over All-Pro Football 2K8
By Shawn on Wednesday, August 8th, 2007 at 1:47 PM PST In Games, Microsoft, Sony, Take-Two
O.J. Simpson has been ordered by a California judge to pay to the Goldman’s estate any licensing fees, royalties or other compensation earned from lending his name and likeness to 2K Sports’ All-Pro Football 2K8. The Goldman’s won a settlement Simpson has yet to pay in the wrongful death suit brought against Simpson over the 1994 stabbing deaths of Goldman and Simpson’s ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson.
Ironically, Simpson’s likeness is being used in an All-Pro Football 2K8 game trailer, “Slashing the Defense Gameplay”, as a member of the fictional Assassins football team which features a hooded, knife-wielding mascot. Although 2K Sports has issued a statement claiming the mascot is “not specifically associated with O.J. Simpson, and the game does not promote any such connection”, I’m sure there’s an inside joke somewhere.
via Reuters
I am baffled that he was even included in the game in the first place.
“I am baffled that he was even included in the game in the first place.”
You must be an idiot then. This is Take-Two afterall. To that company there is no such thing as bad P.R., and Simpson’s association with the game definitely brought plenty of media attention and free publicity to it.
I think this latest stunt from Take-Two will actually pay off from a business perspective. Practically no one who likes football video games would shun the game because of Simpson’s inclusion in it. Plus, regardless of his horrendous actions off the field, Simpsons is still a great of the gridiron. The mainstream media attention the game has received because of Simpson’s inclusion has most likely put it on the radar of many prospective buyers who would normally just grab the latest version of Madden.