O.J. Simpson Ordered To Return Game Revenue

Controversial ex-football player and actor O.J. Simpson has been told by a California court to repay any revenue earned from his appearance in Take-Two’s All Pro Football 2K8. Relatives of Ron Goldman, of whose murder Simpson was famously acquitted in 1995 but found legally responsible for in a civil court in 1997, won a court order demanding any money Simpson might earn from Take-Two Interactive’s All Pro Football 2K8. As a result of Electronic Arts gaining exclusive rights to use official NFL teams and stadium, the 2K Sports label title includes only fictional teams, but hundreds of retired sports figures – including Simpson. A now infamous online clip of the game showed Simpson as a member of the team Assassins, whose mascot is a hooded and knife wielding figure. However, much of the content of the game is customisable by the user and Simpson is not by default a member of the fictional team. The legal action by Goldman’s estate is part of efforts to reclaim a $33.5 million judgment for the wrongful death of Goldman and Simpson’s ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson. According to a Reuters report, Take-Two has declined to say how it obtained the rights to Simpson’s name and likeness or how he was compensated.