Interactive Entertainment

Having advised on games since the days of the Sega Mega Drive, today we continue to advise clients from indie and AA studios to multinational developers and publishers on some of the most cutting-edge legal issues.  As technologies converge and the dawn of the metaverse approaches, we also draw on the experience of our wider Media & Entertainment and Technology teams to offer cutting-edge legal advice in this ever-changing industry that now touches the worlds of advertising, music, film, TV and sport.

We offer a full-service to games clients, both large and small, who include game developers, publishers, esports platforms, game distributors, book publishers, VR and AR companies, middleware providers and more.  We know games deals, the market positions and how to deal with the difficult issues that will always arise.  We have experience in dealing with all kinds of games on various platforms with all different monetisation strategies, from PC and console MMOs to casual mobile games.  

Examples of the types of work we do in this sector include:

Commercial contracts and games deals:

•  Publishing contracts, acting for both publishers and developers, in all key games markets worldwide.
• Development agreements, relating to games and related technology on all platforms.
• Outsourcing arrangements, acting for businesses on both sides of outsourcing.
• Licensing deals, from TV, book and film cross-overs to merchandising.
• Consumer documentation, including EULAs, privacy policies and other terms.
• Esports sponsorship and licensing arrangements.
• Games on blockchain platforms and incorporating NFT technology.

Intellectual property advice and management:

• Trade mark filings and searches.
• Patent filings and advice on games technology.
• Registered design filings to protect GUIs, characters and other features.
• Advice on using real-life people, buildings and objects in games.
• Brand and reputation management.
• Broadcasting and digital rights.

Games regulation:

• Player data collection and use.
• Consumer law regulation.
• Loot boxes and gambling issues.
• Advertising standards for microtransactions and more.
• Online safety and codes of conduct for players.
• Esports/gaming ordinances, regulations and tournament rules.

‘Lewis Silkin has always provided timely and pragmatic advice. They are experts in the entertainment and media field, understand the marketplace, the players and the types of deals being done, and the have been extremely helpful in providing strategic and tactical guidance and advice.’ Legal 500 2022

‘The team is extremely well integrated and versatile, so that it is always easy to receive pointed advice from the member of the team with the most relevant expertise.’ Legal 500 2022