California game lawyer Zachary Strebeck looks at the lawsuit recently filed between Gearbox Software and both 3D Realms and Interceptor. Common questions are fielded, and some rampant speculation about the various agreements involved is thrown about.
Game lawyer Zachary Strebeck lays out the basic legal issues that every game developer will face, from intellectual property to business formation, with links to blog posts on each subject.
Game lawyer Zachary Strebeck looks at the years-long court battle between the estate of deceased guitarist Jimi Hendrix and a Hendrix merchandising website.
A trademark knockout search is easy to do, and game lawyer Zachary Strebeck shows you how to do one to save money and time when starting a new brand or business.
Recording artist Prince has filed a lawsuit in the Northern District of California against 22 individuals, alleging that they posted links to bootleg copies of his live concerts to their various sites. Some of them are Facebook pages, other are blogs hosted by Google’s Blogger platform. Prince is seeking $1 million from each of the …
Read moreLegal Update – Prince sues bloggers for $22 million over bootlegs
The long-running dispute between multiple television and film studios and television upstart Aereo is finally heading to the highest court in the land.The long-running dispute between multiple television and film studios and television upstart Aereo is finally heading to the highest court in the land. After multiple defeats on the district and appellate court levels, …
Lack of understanding, though, could lead an unsuspecting company to open themselves up to liability from the government and contest participants.Many companies wish to reward the support of their audience through contests, giving away prizes in exchange for entry. However, the law surrounding contests and sweepstakes is complex. Lack of understanding, though, could lead an …
The ruling states that all elements, including characters and events, of the Sherlock Holmes mythos published prior to 1923 are in the public domain.On Dec. 23, the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Illinois issued a declaratory judgment in favor of the plaintiff, author and editor Leslie Klinger, on the subject of the …
Read moreLegal Update – Sherlock Holmes character in the public domain (mostly)
Avoid the expense of simple preliminary legal tasks: Hiring an attorney can be expensive, especially for routine tasks, such as searching for pre-existing trademarks. On the flip side, doing legal work by yourself can be dangerous and costly if incorrect. Familiarizing yourself with the simple legal issues faced by game developers and giving yourself the …
Read moreSeven (mostly) free legal resources for game developers
What is intellectual property? According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), intellectual property is defined as “creations of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works, and symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce.” This guide should help you to understand the basics.Various types of legal protection are available for intellectual property, each providing …
Read moreWhat is Intellectual Property? A handy roadmap for game developers