The latest trailer for the highly anticipated video game Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) has sparked a legal controversy, as a man from Florida claims that his face was used without his permission.
Lawrence Sullivan, also known as the ‘Florida Joker’, is a 33-year-old man who has tattoos all over his face, including the word ‘Joker’ on his forehead and a smile on his mouth. He became famous in 2017, when his mugshot went viral after he was arrested for pointing a gun at passing cars in Miami.
Sullivan, who claims to be a professional tattoo artist and a fan of the Batman villain, says that he was shocked to see his face in the GTA 6 trailer, which was released last week. The trailer features several scenes set in Vice City, a fictional version of Miami, and one of them shows a character with a striking resemblance to Sullivan.
What does he want from Rockstar Games?
Sullivan says that he feels violated and exploited by Rockstar Games, the developer and publisher of the GTA series. He says that he never gave his consent or signed any contract to use his likeness in the game. He also says that he is not a criminal or a gangster, and that he does not want to be associated with the violent and illegal activities depicted in the game.
Sullivan has hired a lawyer and filed a lawsuit against Rockstar Games, demanding $2 million in damages. He says that he wants to be compensated for the emotional distress and the loss of income that he has suffered because of the trailer. He also wants Rockstar Games to remove his face from the game and the trailer, and to apologize publicly.
How has Rockstar Games responded?
Rockstar Games has not issued any official statement or comment on the lawsuit yet. However, some sources close to the company have said that the character in the trailer is not based on Sullivan, but on a generic model that was created using computer graphics. They have also said that the resemblance is coincidental and unintentional, and that Rockstar Games has no intention of paying any money to Sullivan or changing the game.
This is not the first time that Rockstar Games has faced legal troubles over the GTA series. In the past, the company has been sued by celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan, Karen Gravano, and Michael Washington, who claimed that their likeness was used in the game without their permission. However, none of these lawsuits were successful, as the courts ruled that the game was protected by the First Amendment and the fair use doctrine.
What do the fans think?
The GTA series is one of the most popular and successful video game franchises in history, with over 300 million copies sold worldwide. The fans have been eagerly waiting for the release of GTA 6, which is expected to come out in 2024. The trailer has received over 100 million views on YouTube, and has generated a lot of excitement and speculation among the gamers.
The fans have mixed reactions to the lawsuit filed by Sullivan. Some of them think that he is just trying to get attention and money from Rockstar Games, and that he has no case. They also think that his face does not look exactly like the character in the trailer, and that he is exaggerating the similarity. They say that he should be happy and proud that his face is in the game, and that he should not ruin the fun for the fans.
However, some of them think that he has a valid point, and that Rockstar Games should respect his rights and privacy. They also think that his face is very distinctive and recognizable, and that it is obvious that the character in the trailer is based on him. They say that he deserves to be paid and credited for his contribution to the game, and that Rockstar Games should apologize and settle the matter with him.
