Joystiq

TheStreet reports that 2K's parent company Take-Two paid OJ Simpson $50,000 for the rights to his likeness in All-Pro Football 2K8. Simpson was paid $25,000 last January when he signed the contract and the rest a month after the game came out in July. TheStreet obtained the contract between Take-Two and Simpson's representation Justin Communications. The contract also states that if the deal was renewed for two years that Simpson would receive $50,000 up front. However, all that money will probably go to the Goldman family, as Simpson was ordered to do early last month with this year's cash. In essence Take-Two is helping pay down Simpson's multi-million dollar wrongful death tab.

$50,000 for OJ Simpson's likeness? Well, guess we'll have to wait and hear if 2K Sports makes All-Pro Football 2K9 to see if that cash was worth it. Considering there were a number of old-school football stars in the game, that's a lot of money going toward some gimmicky name-dropping. Wouldn't spending that money on marketing and advertising have been a more fruitful venture? Ohhhh, the game is called "All-Pro" so they had to put former Pro athletes in there? Let's see if they announce APF2K9 or end up going back to the drawing board. Someone has to make decent Madden competition in the marketplace.

[Via GamePolitics]