Usually when you use a famous person’s likeness is in a video game, that person gets some type of paid compensation. Well it sounds like the many MMA fighters in EA Sports UFC 3 won’t be getting any type of paid compensation for being in the new video game.
This shocking revelation was revealed by UFC Fighter Kajan Johnson when he was interviewed earlier this week by MMA website Bloody Elbow. He said: “Across every single other sport, whether it’s NFL, NBA, MLB, those athletes that are in that game are making money. If they’re using their face and their likeness and their name, they’re gonna be compensated for it. And we’re not — it’s not even on the table for discussion really“.
Johnson’s anger is not towards EA though much to the belief of many. He feels the lack of payment is due to the UFC itself. He feels fighters should get some type of payment because they are out there with their faces in the game promoting it to the fans.
Johnson is also disappointed about other fighters that are not speaking out about this topic. He wants to form some type of union so they can fight on issues like this among other things. Likenesses in a video game is not the only thing that is bothering MMA fighters in the UFC.
In the past, UFC fighters were able to get their own sponsorship money wearing their own clothes. Now they cannot do that because Reebok exclusively provides all clothing to fighters and they are only paid a base fee and that’s it. Before Reebok came along, fighters would receive more money from a variety of sports labels and companies.
It will be interesting to see how this might affect any sequels that will be made in the future. If more MMA fighters agree with Johnson, they should get some type of payment for appearing in the video games.