Headlines

Take-Two Interactive and Visual Concepts, the manufacturers of NBA 2K, have been sued by Solid Oak Sketches, a company that via the original artists has acquired the copyrights to select tattoos on some of the NBA's biggest stars.

In total, eight tattoos on players including LeBron James & Kobe Bryant are listed in the complaint. Solid Oak Sketches are asking for $819,500 in prior 'unauthorized' inclusions within the game and promotional items, while also offering a perpetual license for a one-time cost of $1,144,000. All of the tattoos were issued a Certificate of Registration by the United States Register of Copyrights in June/July 2015, although the plaintiffs are seeking restitution from before that timeframe. The full complaint is available for viewing at The Hollywood Reporter.

Concern over a lawsuit of this nature has become one of the reasons the Madden NFL franchise will only include player tattoos that the player has the rights to and/or that the tattoo artist will grant usage rights to EA SPORTS. Sports franchises such as NBA LIVE and EA SPORTS UFC already engage in the practice of excluding or modifying tattoos of licensed properties to avoid a legal issue. Some examples of these include Shaquille O'Neal's 'Man of Steel' and C.M. Punk's 'Cobra Commander' and Pepsi logos. Unless/until a court decision rules that tattoos are a commissioned work of art that are owned by the licensee, could sports titles remove player tattoos in the interim? If so, that would certainly damage the realism in player details that EA SPORTS UFC, NBA 2K, and NBA LIVE have excelled at.

Continue on for more, including to see the list and in-game screens of offending players and tattoos. ...

The EA SPORTS Madden NFL 16 Super Bowl 50 prediction forecasts a 24-20 victory for the Carolina Panthers over the Denver Broncos.

The Madden NFL Super Bowl prediction has correctly predicted nine of the last twelve Super Bowls including the exact score and MVP of last year's game.

Continue on to view the video prediction from EA SPORTS. ...

A new roster update is now available in NBA LIVE 16. The Magic's Nikola Vucevic is the biggest gainer of the week, gaining three points overall. The biggest decrease of the week belongs to Cleveland's Matthew Dellevadova who drops three points overall following a drop in recent production.

This update includes roster, rating, and apparel changes only. While not confirmed and no indication from the development team, it is expected based on LIVE 14 & 15 release schedule that the next significant game update will come around February 9 alongside All-Star Game content.

Continue on to read the blog from EA SPORTS with notes on this update. ...

The WWE has announced a new multi-year extension with 2K as exclusive developer and publisher of WWE video game properties. 2K is the developer and publisher of both the WWE 2K franchise (consoles) and WWE Supercard (mobile). Financial terms of the new agreement were not disclosed.

“We are thrilled with the positive momentum of the WWE 2K series, including generating year-over-year growth, as well as the success of WWE SuperCard," said David Ismailer, Chief Operating Officer for 2K.

2K acquired the rights to the WWE franchise from THQ on January 13, 2013 following THQ's move towards bankruptcy. There had been some speculation that a poor year for WWE 2K16 may have led to the end of the agreement.

Continue on to read the full press release courtesy WWE. ...

EA SPORTS has posted a video and blog breaking down how UFC Ultimate Team (UUT?) will work in EA SPORTS UFC 2.

Anticipation and interest in the mode even by those traditionally not big Ultimate Team fans exists due to the individual basis of the sport as compared to the team-based focus in other Ultimate Team modes.

In UUT, users will create five different fighters as part of their team and they can be across various weight classes.
Coins (earned in-game) or UFC Points (purchased) can purchase packs to earn packs and items to improve/customize their fighters. Within the mode, users can compete in Daily Objectives as well as Single Player & Online Championships.

Continue on to see the video and read the blog to learn about UFC Ultimate Team. ...

A new video blog from MLB The Show 16 details some of the improvements coming to Road to the Show (RTTS).

This year in RTTS, users can play a series of games without having to go to the main menu which should allow for more games completed in less time. Changes to the training system allow users to utilize specific gameplay perks to help them excel. ShowTime is a new way to slow down the action in critical moments to help give the user more control.

The perks system has been a source of some debate and concern by the community as some worry that it could be gimmicky and ruin the purity of the mode.

The next MLB 16 livestream is tentatively scheduled for February 4 at 2 PM PT on Twitch with a deep dive look at Road to the Show improvements and the new ShowTime feature.

Continue on to see the MLB 16 VLOG as well as the upcoming information release schedule. ...

A new roster and data update is now available in NBA Live 16.

Steph Curry remains the top player in the game (95 OVR) while LeBron James and Russell Westbrook are now tied for second-best (93 OVR).

This update also corrects the issue with the Phoenix Suns' Orange Flex uniform. It now appears correctly in-game.

Continue on to read the blog entry from EA SPORTS on this update. ...

The mystery pre-order fighter has been announced for EA SPORTS UFC 2 and as many in the sports gaming community corrected guessed, it is former boxing champion Mike Tyson.

Users who pre-order the standard edition of the game will have instant access to "Iron" Mike Tyson, modeled and based upon the boxer in the 1980s. Those who pre-order the Deluxe Edition will receive both “Iron” Mike as well as “Legacy” Mike Tyson, which is based upon the end of his boxing career. Both versions can also be unlocked by progressing in the game.

Mike Tyson has quite the video game legacy. He has appeared in the following franchises: Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, Mike Tyson Boxing, Fight Night Round 4, Mike Tyson: Main Event, WWE '13, and now EA SPORTS UFC 2.

Continue on to see the press release and video courtesy EA SPORTS. ...

One of the in-game commentators in the NCAA Football franchise has now become one of the first - if not the loudest - voices in trying to get the franchise to return.

Analyst Kirk Herbsteit is not only hoping the series returns, he puts the blame squarely at the feet of Ed O'Bannon, whose class-action lawsuit helped lead to the (temporary?) end of EA SPORTS' NCAA Football franchise. In an interview with SECcountry.com, Herbstreit issued the following comments: “I was probably as devastated or more devastated than anybody in the country. I’ll do anything I can do to help be a part, to lead a cause, bring that game back.” ... "I can’t believe Ed O’Bannon took that game away from us.”

If Herbstreit is serious about helping to see NCAA Football return - which we believe he is - he should use his connections and weekly in-season meetings with Athletic Directors and athletic departments to push for schools/conferences to actually use their highly clamored for autonomy and establish player likeness rights for student-athletes. Since acquiring the rights to make some of their own rules, the Power Five conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC) and the NCAA have continued to punt on finally addressing this long-term issue. Until that issue (and likely all litigation) is settled, there is no little to no hope for the franchise returning.

Continue on to read an excerpt of SECcountry.com's interview with Herbstreit. ...