Interactive Entertainment - Video Gaming, Esports & User-Generated Content

/Overview

Our video game attorneys advise major players in esports, gaming, interactive media, and user-generated content (UGC) to navigate potential legal issues, stay ahead of the competition, and reach next-level success. With attorneys across all our offices, we bring together deep experience in the practice areas most critical to these industries, from intellectual property and corporate transactions to labor and employment, regulatory compliance, influencer/player endorsement contracts, and litigation.

We represent private and public companies around the globe, as well as players, creators, and talent. Leveraging our collective experience, we look at the big picture, stay ahead of trends, navigate challenges, and proactively identify opportunities, so our clients can stay focused on building great experiences while we manage the legal architecture around them.

/Our Video Gaming & Esports areas of focus include:

• Trademark and copyright protection across digital platforms
• Video game licensing and co-development agreements
• Video game purchase, joint venture, and revenue sharing agreements, including Fortnite, Roblox, and other UGC platforms
• International employment and independent contractor structuring
• Cross-border M&A and tax planning for gaming and esports companies
• Video game and esports IP litigation
• Gaming and esports regulatory compliance
• Brand, team, and creator endorsement contracts

/Representative Experience

• Jogo Studios, Inc.: Represent the video game development company founded by leading content creator Andre “Typical Gamer” Rebelo on strategic growth initiatives, including formation and financing, commercial transactions, licensing, and intellectual property protection. Our work includes advising on strategic acquisitions, and original IP development and protection.
• Content creators and talent: Counsel a broad roster of content creator talent across Twitch, YouTube, and subscription platforms on day-to-day legal needs, including sponsorship and endorsement agreements, content and IP licensing, and merchandising/CPG launches.
• Night Media: Counsel to the premier talent management and creator services company, on business, transactional, and venture matters, including supporting its Gaming division with creator and gaming-adjacent partnerships, company incubations, deal structuring, and operational legal needs.
• Typical Gamer: Represent client with a range of business and intellectual property matters, including operational counsel and IP protection strategies.
• Unspeakable Vlogs, Inc.: Outside counsel to one of YouTube’s most prominent creators, advising across channel operations and related ventures, including brand and commercial partnerships, platform and vendor contracts, copyright and trademark protection, and strategic growth initiatives.
• Stardock Entertainment and Valve Corporation: Represented video game developers and publishers in a trademark and copyright infringement dispute involving Star Control: Origins, an action-adventure video game.
• Ironclad Games and Stardock Entertainment: Employed a First Amendment defense to secure a victory on clients’ behalf of Ironclad Games and Stardock Entertainment in a trademark infringement matter related to the “Rebellion” mark.
• Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.: Manage the worldwide trademark portfolio of one of America’s top-ten largest video game companies. Bandai created Pac-Man, Tekken, Dragonball, and other familiar video game titles.
• Gameloft S.E.: Representing a French video game maker on all trademark prosecution work; also advised in a suit alleging copyright infringement, trade secret misappropriation, and other claims relating to the development of digital cars used in mobile video games. 
• FreshPlanet: Represent a video game developer in trademark prosecution matters.