BarbriSFCourseDetails

Course Details

This CLE course will provide guidance to IP counsel advising creators, designers, companies, and others in the gaming industry on managing key IP challenges. The panel will discuss infringement and enforcement as well as leveraging trademark, copyright, and patent law to protect IP rights.

Faculty

Description

The gaming industry was estimated at over $365 billion in 2023 and is expected to continue to grow. Game companies, creators, designers, and others involved need to take steps to protect the IP value of the games. Many aspects can be protected by copyrights, trademarks, and patents. Establishing IP rights can protect company assets, but failing to do so can create problems that could result in infringement liability, substantial legal fees, or removal of a game from the market.

Using open source software in game creation offers a number of benefits but also presents serious risks, including potentially disclosing the source code. Game creators and developers must document materials used in the game creation to ensure they are not violating others' IP rights.

Counsel can guide clients in the gaming industry in understanding, policing, and protecting their IP rights while avoiding infringing others' IP rights that can lead to liability exposure.

Listen as our authoritative panel examines the challenges involved in protecting IP rights, legal strategies, and determining the best avenue to protect IP rights. The panel will also address the problems that arise if IP issues are not addressed and will offer guidance on policing IP rights.

Outline

  1. Common pitfalls facing new developers
    1. Ownership issues among contractors and employees
    2. Licenses, ownership, and selling a game
    3. Open source considerations
  2. Legal challenges facing the industry generally
    1. Game cloning
    2. U.S. and EU data privacy issues
  3. Developing a comprehensive IP protection strategy
    1. Copyright
    2. Trademark/trade dress
    3. Patent
    4. International considerations

Benefits

The panel will review these and other key issues:

  • What are the infringement risks for gaming creators, designers, and companies?
  • What copyright, trademark, and patent issues should counsel anticipate and address during the development of a game?
  • What strategies should IP counsel employ to enforce IP rights in the gaming industry?