Today’s content creators can choose from myriad platforms to build their careers on. For short-form vertical content, creators have found audiences through TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, while for livestreaming, creators can choose between or multi-stream on Twitch, Kick and Rumble. But for long-form content, YouTube remains the primary platform, and a diverse array of creators, …
My favorite board game, Agricola, has been turned into a mobile game app twice. The first time, Lookout Games had rights in the board game and, presumably, entered into a license agreement with Playdek to develop the mobile app. The result was an excellent adaptation of the board game with a few bugs. Later, Asmodee …
Many creator payment disputes begin the day the contract is signed. By the time payment becomes an issue, the work has already been completed, the campaign has gone live and leverage has largely disappeared. Many of those disputes could have been avoided if the payment provisions had received the same attention as the headline business …
Why Most Creator Payment Disputes Are Lost At Signing Read More »
An indemnification clause is a provision in an agreement that shifts risk from one party to another. In a game development agreement, it often appears near the end of the document and receives less attention than payment terms or ownership rights because it looks like legal jargon. But when a dispute arises, this clause can …
Indemnification Clauses in Game Development Contracts Read More »
On August 12, Twitch shifted the default settings on every channel so that a broad range of content (including live streams, VODs, clips, highlights, and the text and images on a channel) can be used to train Amazon’s generative AI models unless a creator opts out. The shift has drawn plenty of attention from the …
Twitch’s New AI Terms Affect Developers, Too: How to Mitigate Risks to Game IP Read More »
Gaming is an ever-evolving industry that seems to shift and reinvent itself every day. Big news or changes in industry conditions can directly impact publishing deals, so publishers, developers and content creators will want to look at any deals they have in place (or that they’re negotiating) when that news hits. One event impacting the …
What Happens to a Publishing Deal When Conditions Change? Read More »
Here’s a common scenario game studios may be familiar with: a contractor and studio meet, decide they want to work together, and then begin a short evaluation period so both can test the working relationship. The evaluation goes well and they agree to continue. A few extra requests get added here and there. Weeks later, …
Anime Expo. Comic-Con. Offkai. Any convention season means thousands of attendees walking the floor as Frieren, Mao Mao, Spider-Man or even their favorite VTubers such as Calliope Mori or Ironmouse. Cosplay is one of the most visible and beloved parts of fan culture and has been widely accepted by every party in the industry. Brand …
Legal Issues in Cosplay: When Cosplay Becomes a Business Read More »
Odin Law and Media is excited to welcome Layla Maurer to the firm! Layla Maurer, Attorney Layla’s practice focuses on helping clients across the creative, gaming and technology industries structure practical transactions. Drawing on her background in IT, digital media and in-house counsel at Wizards of the Coast, she understands both the business and creative …
Many game developers dream of starting a game studio. For some, that has always been the goal. For others, recent layoffs have created the opportunity to build something new. Launching a studio is exciting, but a few early legal decisions can shape everything that follows. Getting these issues right from the beginning can prevent expensive …
Starting a Game Studio: 5 Legal Issues to Get Right First Read More »