EA Is Being Sued Over A…Tattoo. From 2004.

Tattoo artist Stephen Allen is responsible for at least some of the artwork adorning the arms of former NFL running back Ricky Williams. That same tattoo has appeared on the cover of a video game, leading Allen to sue both Williams and the publisher.

The game in question is NFL Street, a console game released by EA Sports in…2004. Despite the game’s age, Allen says he only became aware of the use of his art in 2010. He says the tattoo featured on the cover – represented in an illustration, which you can see above, and not a photo – was inked on Williams in 2003.

Allen is pursuing the case because he claims his individual tattoo work is copyrighted. He has filed the suit in a Louisiana federal court.

New Case: Allen v. EA (Tattoo Art) [Patent Arcade]

Originally written and published by Luke Plunkett at Kotaku. Click here to read the original story.