How do I register a video game?

You trademark a game name by applying to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and getting your application approved for registration. Trademarking a game name is a legal process that usually takes about 12 months. So, the sooner you start trademarking your game name, the better.

How much does it cost to trademark a video game?

You should expect to spend $1,500 or more to register a single mark in a single class of goods or services. For each additional class of goods or services, there is an additional fee to the Trademark Office.

Do you have to copyright a video game?

Regardless of where or on what device they're played, copyright law protects video games from the moment they are fixed in a tangible form of expression.

What to do if you have an idea for a game?

How do you patent a video game?

Do not register in Video Game Programming

How do I trademark my own game?

You trademark a game name by applying to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and getting your application approved for registration. Trademarking a game name is a legal process that usually takes about 12 months. So, the sooner you start trademarking your game name, the better.

Who owns the rights to a video game?

The developer usually owns the rights to the video game but, in some situations, the publisher may own some or all of the rights to the game. The developer can be a single person or a team of people working together, and may be a legal entity such as a limited liability company or corporation.

How do you protect an idea for a game?

Patents are registered through the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Basically, a patent is designed to protect your idea/invention from being copied. During development, a patent ensures no one can take your idea and use it as their own. Registered copyrights are another form of legal protection.

How do you pitch a game idea to a company?

How do I sell my idea to a company?

What are 5 things you can copyright in a game?

The computer code or other fixed medium is considered copyrightable, and the game's presentation can be copyrighted as a literary work or dramatic work, while elements like character design, art and sound and music can also be copyrighted.

How do I protect my game from being copied?

The best way of doing this is to register for federal trademark protection with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). By following the USPTO's online guide to trademark registration, you will see that you can register the name of products (such as a game).

Do you need a license to publish a game?

Do you need a license to publish a game? You'll probably need a local business license (~$100 altogether up here in Roseville, CA; business license, fictitious name check, and home business fee). You may also need a Seller's Permit.

How much is a game licensing fee?

Console Licensing

The price for doing this can be $3 to $10 dollars per manufactured unit, though there is often some negotiation to be had with manufacturers such as Sony, third-party publishers may pay the highest price.

What is the difference between copyright and trademark?

Copyrights primarily protect the rights of people who create literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other original works (like history tests, and software code). Trademarks can protect the use of a company's name and its product names, brand identity (like logos), and slogans.

How long do game trademarks last?

A federal trademark lasts 10 years from the date of registration, with 10-year renewal terms. Between the fifth and sixth year after the registration date, the registrant must file an affidavit to state that the mark is still in use.

Can I sell my idea for a game?

Inquire with the company first. Ask them if they want to hear your idea and offer to sign an NDA (nondisclosure agreement). If you're not interested in money or lawsuits, tell them in writing they can have your idea no strings attached if they want to use it. Don't just send the idea in unsolicited.

Can I create a game and sell it?

You just need to make sure that your marketing does replicate the experience that a consumer will get when they play your game. You might also want to look at options like video production. A video production company will make the marketing for your game far more immersive and exciting.

Is it possible to sell game ideas?

If you have been working on a game idea with a lot of potential, you may want to consider creating a pitch to sell your project. Pitching gives you an opportunity to sell the vision of your game to potential investors, team members, studios, and game journalists.

Can you protect an idea without a patent?

If your idea doesn't qualify for a patent, you can still seek protection under the trade secrets law if it's a secret and provides a competitive advantage.

How do you own the rights to an idea?

The U.S. Copyright Office says that you obtain a copyright on a creative work automatically at the time of creation. This means that you can copyright creative ideas like fictional characters, music and art, simply by putting those ideas into a tangible form.

Does copyright protect my ideas?

Copyright does not protect ideas, concepts, systems, or methods of doing something. You may express your ideas in writing or drawings and claim copyright in your description, but be aware that copyright will not protect the idea itself as revealed in your written or artistic work.

How do you know if a game is copyrighted?

How do you check if something is copyrighted? We found out earlier that every original creative work is “copyrighted” as soon as it's written down or saved in some tangible form. If you want to check registrations, though, you need to use the search engine on copyright.gov.

Does copyright protect the idea for a game its name or title?

The Copyright Office factsheet on games explains exactly this: Copyright does not protect the idea for game, its name or title, or the method or methods for playing it. Nor does copyright protect any idea, system, method, device, or trademark material involved in developing, merchandising, or playing a game.

Is it illegal to sell video games?

There's still nothing illegal about selling used video games, but in some states the steps you have to take to sell your old copies of Playstation, Xbox and Wii titles may make you feel like you've broken the law.