In January 2022, the judge decided the company Electronic Arts must face a Mut 25 coins lawsuit filed by ex-players who claimed that their images were employed in the games without permission or compensation. The company pledged to fight the lawsuit and demanded it to be heard by the United States Supreme Court, the most powerful court in the country. On Monday the Supreme Court rejected EA's bid to revive its case in the case. The court ruled on free speech elements as per the report from Reuters. The court's top judge decided that the ruling of January 2022 is in effect, allowing the case to go on.

Madden NFL games released from 2022 to 2022 gave players the option to play against teams from the past. Players ' names weren't used however, things such as their positions and their attributes were. In its defense, EA argued this should be protected as freedom of speech in the First Amendment, but the Supreme Court didn't see it as such.

"The appeals court ruled against EA's argument, arguing that the use of the likenesses were "incidental," and therefore covered by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution which provides for free speech" Reuters reported.

Here's a passage from the unanimous decision by three judges that was written by the Circuit Judge Raymond Fisher: "EA's use of replicas of former players is not a matter of course, as it is integral to EA's principal commercial objective that is to make a convincing virtual representation of football games that involve players from both former and current NFL players."

One of the defendants in the suit one of the plaintiffs, Former Los Angeles Rams quarterback Vince Ferragamo said that Madden NFL game featured the exact characteristics, likenesses and traits, of former players. But, Ferragamo claims EA did not get permission for their use.

The situation is similar to the one of 2022 when a judge has ruled in favor of EA in a lawsuit that was filed from an ex- Arizona State University QB Sam Keller regarding his participation in the NCAA Football series. He claimed EA cheap mut coins employed images of college athletes, without paying the athletes. EA was eventually forced to pay $60,000 to settle this lawsuit in addition to it was decided that the NCAA Football series was put in limbo.