Capcom ‘resolves’ lawsuit over images used in Resident Evil 4

A lot of copyright infringement cases in the games world are tedious, frustrating affairs, solidifying the idea that games publishers are staffed with painfully pedantic legal automatons designed for one purpose: copyright-striking (yes you, Take-Two). What’s less common is a copyright dispute where your jaw drops at the resemblance between dozens of textures in a major game look and the photographs in an art photography book. That was the basis for designer Judy A. Juracek’s lawsuit against Capcom, which alleged last June that the publisher used, without permission, at least 80 photographs from a CD-ROM accompanying her 1996 photography book Spaces. Most of the textures were claimed to feature in Devil May Cry and Resident Evil 4. Now, the law firm representing Juracek, St Onge Steward Johnston & Reens LLC, has confirmed that the dispute has been “amicably resolved” (thanks, Polygon). We don’t have the specifics of what resolution was reached, so can’t definitely sing the copycat, copycat song at Capcom, but some of the exhibits from the court documents are, shall we say, uncannily compelling. There’s the actual game logo…