Strategic Partnerships Advance Music and Gaming Synergy
A newly inked strategic partnership between Sony Music Entertainment and Roblox is another indication of a maturing relationship amongst the music, gaming, and esports industries, a synergy that has...
View ArticleEsports Media Rights
Sheppard Mullin’s Esports and Games Industry Team is pleased to share our whitepaper on Esports Media Rights, in partnership with and co-written by FTI Consulting, a leading global business advisory...
View ArticleWhat the Future Holds for Esports Gambling
The emergence of legalized sports gambling in more than half the states across the country appears destined to coincide with the rise of competitive video gaming or “esports”—a wildly popular sphere...
View ArticleVideo Games, AI, and …the Law?
Video games have come a long way. They have morphed from simulated games of ping pong to today’s fully-immersive virtual reality games that leverage biometrics and artificial intelligence (AI). While...
View ArticleToo Many Bites at the Apple?
When a patent owner loses at the International Trade Commission (“ITC”), can it hire new counsel and try again in district court? That question will be answered in Gamevice, Inc. v. Nintendo Co., Ltd....
View ArticleBlockchain Game Developers and FinCEN: When are State Money Transmission Laws...
The rising prevalence of crypto and virtual currencies has invited the scrutiny of several regulatory bodies who continue to grapple with the unique challenges posed by blockchain technology, FinCEN...
View ArticleHow Generative AI Generates Legal Issues in the Games Industry
Roblox recently announced that it is working on generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools that will help developers who build experiences on Roblox, to more easily create games and assets. The...
View ArticleCopyright Office Guidance on AI
The U.S. Copyright Office (“Office”) has published guidance on its policy and practices for examining and registering works that contain material generated by the use of artificial intelligence...
View ArticleNo More Games: Activision Settles with DOJ Over Esports Compensation
On April 3, 2023, the Department of Justice (the “DOJ”) filed a civil complaint against Activision Blizzard Inc. (“Activision”) alleging that the “competitive balance tax” constituted an unreasonable...
View ArticleChina Proposes New Regulations for Online Gaming
In December 2023, China’s National Press and Publication Administration introduced draft regulations with potentially significant implications for the online gaming industry. The proposed regulations,...
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