Tattoos in Video Games

[Mark Bee]

I've noticed a lot of tattoos in video games recently. In GTA5 there is a tattoo shop that allows you to purchase some designs, but most are reserved as rewards for completing game content.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErTGryhsOAU

The game overtly links tattooing to criminal behaviour. (Pull off five heists, get a chest tattoo, etc) I admit I'm not too fussed about it. And I'm looking forward to getting more than one in-game tattoo.

Today I found this YouTube clip for Assassin's Creed 4.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQXEX13frvE

It seems to be called the "tattoo trailer." I thought it was interesting that it seems to feature more traditional style (ish) tattoos than other games which generally focus on black and gray or realistic styles.

[cltattooing]

Well that was amusing! And a really terrible trailer for Assassin's Creed as far as trailers go.

[Synesthesia]

Haha, I always make my characters as heavily tattooed as the game allows. Some of the old Tony Hawk games had a sleeve option for tattoos, I would use the sleeve as filler and then layer a couple more individual tattoos on top of that. And for the games that didn't have that option, I would take a tattoo and rotate it and distort it until it would cover the entire arm and look vaguely like a sleeve.

Saints Row 3 had some good options, haven't played the newest one yet.

[Dennis]

Lots of tattoos in Sleeping Dogs, and it's a fun game as well!

[Russ]

I've noticed a lot of tattoos in video games recently. In GTA5 there is a tattoo shop that allows you to purchase some designs, but most are reserved as rewards for completing game content.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErTGryhsOAU

The game overtly links tattooing to criminal behaviour. (Pull off five heists, get a chest tattoo, etc) I admit I'm not too fussed about it. And I'm looking forward to getting more than one in-game tattoo.

Today I found this YouTube clip for Assassin's Creed 4.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQXEX13frvE

It seems to be called the "tattoo trailer." I thought it was interesting that it seems to feature more traditional style (ish) tattoos than other games which generally focus on black and gray or realistic styles.

How as Trevor got a beard?

[HaydenRose]

Elder Scrolls online is going to have some more tattoo options, but it looks like mostly tribal-esque stuff. Those tattoos in Sleeping Dogs are awesome. I remember when my fiance was playing it, but never saw all of the options.

[Dennis]

How as Trevor got a beard?

You can get a beard at the barbershop!

[ieatass4free]

for a while now you could customize your sports players to have tattoos. in nba 2k/live, youve been able to throw ink on your players since like 2003.

[spookysproul]

for a while now you could customize your sports players to have tattoos. in nba 2k/live, youve been able to throw ink on your players since like 2003.

Are the tattoos in the game as bad as in real life? I don't know what it is, but professional athletes seem to get exclusively tattooed by the worst tattooers available.

[Dennis]

Are the tattoos in the game as bad as in real life? I don't know what it is, but professional athletes seem to get exclusively tattooed by the worst tattooers available.

Hahahah, it seems to be that way! If I was making that kind of money I'd be using my down time to travel the world and collect some killer work!

[Graeme]

Elder Scrolls online is going to have some more tattoo options, but it looks like mostly tribal-esque stuff. Those tattoos in Sleeping Dogs are awesome. I remember when my fiance was playing it, but never saw all of the options.

Oh great, because I didn't spend enough time as it is playing Oblivion and Skyrim.

[HaydenRose]

Oh great, because I didn't spend enough time as it is playing Oblivion and Skyrim.

Can you ever spend enough?! Lol

[Cork]

Did you know Horitomo did the tattoo work for the game Yakuza? Here is an old interview. The interview isn't groundbreaking, but as a nerd it's nice to see the 2 worlds mixing.

Like A Dragon: Yakuza PS2 SEGA Tattoo Art from 1UP.com

The tattoo:

[MissRaffix3]

I personally don't know much about video games, but I have an ex who's very much into them. He would download mods for the games that other fans made and actually design his own tattoos to put on his characters. It was pretty cool, actually.

[Graeme]

If anybody is so inclined, Sleeping Dogs that @Dennis mentioned earlier in this thread is currently available as a free download for XBox Live members until January 16. It seems like a lot of fun so far, and there are plenty of tattoos in the game.

[motsimus]

Hey @Cork a guy actually won that same yakuza back piece as part of a promotional thing for the game you can see it here Sydney man gets Yakuza-inspired tattoo - GameSpot

[misfitsmidget75]

I downloaded it yesterday! Do you know if you can design your own tattoos?

[Cork]

Hey @Cork a guy actually won that same yakuza back piece as part of a promotional thing for the game you can see it here Sydney man gets Yakuza-inspired tattoo - GameSpot

Of course, they don't give credit to the artist. But that's a really weird thing to auction off.

[NERD RAGE]

Holy shit, thanks for the heads up. I wanted to play it and a few other games but I want to pay for as little as possible.

[Dbeatdano]

If anybody is so inclined, Sleeping Dogs that @Dennis mentioned earlier in this thread is currently available as a free download for XBox Live members until January 16. It seems like a lot of fun so far, and there are plenty of tattoos in the game.

Wow I just read this today. My timing is horrible.