Die urheberrechtliche Nutzung von Tätowierungen in Videospielen

How are tattoos protected by copyright - and what does this mean for video games?

Lukas Thalheimer analyses the legal challenges of using tattoos in video games based on the case of Solid Oak Sketches vs. Take-Two Interactive. The focus is on the detailed reproduction of tattoos of famous NBA players in the video game NBA 2K.

Questions of protectability, existing infringements and illegality will be clarified in the context of German copyright law. Special emphasis is placed on the question of the implied grant of rights and the justification of the use of the tattoos as de minimis according to § 57 UrhG.