International Game Developers Association White Paper Points to IP Rights Abuse as Big Threat to Game Developers
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - October 15, 2003 - According to the 94-page white paper released today by the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) Intellectual Property Rights Committee, misuse of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), whether clearly unethical, unreasonably aggressive, or simply uninformed, is potentially the single biggest threat to independent game developers today. The white paper is a comprehensive analysis of key forms of IPR, legal definitions and information about global intellectual property rights as they relate to games and those connected to game development.
"No matter your role in developing games, or where you are based, appropriate and ethical use of the various forms of IPR is becoming a complex and high stakes issue," states Tobi Saulnier, VP of product development at Vicarious Visions, and co-chair of the IPR Committee. Co-chair Tom Barbalet, of Noble Ape, adds, "While the white paper is a neutral legal primer on the topic of IPR and games, it will serve to educate and inform game developers of their rights and how to avoid areas of potential abuse and conflict."
"The impact of IPR on innovation and the business of games is a heated topic," said Jason Della Rocca, program director of the IGDA. "We plan to use the white paper as a stepping stone towards a more in-depth look at IPR and where the Committee needs to focus future advocacy efforts."
Topics covered in the white paper include the history of IP Rights; forms of IP protection; overview of IP in video games; practical applications; and three opinion essays from leading game industry thinkers. The IGDA Intellectual Property Rights Committee was formed in January 2003 and currently consists of forty members including game developers, musicians, journalists, CTOs, CEOs, open-source evangelists, students, academics and lawyers from North America, Europe and Asia.
Please visit the IGDA web site for further details and to download the free IPR white paper:
http://www.igda.org/biz/ipr_paper.php
About the International Game Developers Association (IGDA)
The International Game Developers Association is a non-profit association established by game developers to foster the creation of a worldwide game development community. The IGDA's mission is to build a community of game developers which leverages the expertise of its members for the betterment of the industry and the development of the art form. For more information on the IGDA, please visit www.igda.org or e-mail info@igda.org.