Patent Arcade / IGDA SIG

After typing up my post on KC Munchkin, I thought to myself: "Wouldn't it be helpful if someone made a comprehensive online list of early IP lawsuits related to video games?" Of course, as these things tend to go on the Web, someone already has.  Today I stumbled across The Patent Arcade, a blog by lawyer Ross Dannenberg (who is also an adjunct IP prof at George Mason) that features a continually updated library of  video game IP decisions, with blog-format postings about the opinions (including screenshots).  Included are some cases discussed here before, including the KC Munchkin case, Williams v. Arctic Int'l (here, there), and Marvel v. NcSoft.  Relatedly, I should note that the IGDA has recently started an IP rights special interest group with a wiki and a blog.

Update: I just received an email from Chris Bennet of the Video Game Law Blog.  They've even got an RSS feed for online/multiplayer.   If any one knows of more gaming blawgs out there, please let me know or post a comment.

Comments

[Peter Edelmann]

1.

Thanks Greg - some useful resources...

Jon Festinger's book Video Game Law (Butterworths, 2005) has a much more extensive list of game-related cases, including a number from outside the US (mainly Canada). Unfortunately, the list is not available online, and the content on Jon's site is pretty sparse.

The folks over at Davis and Co. here in Vancouver also have a Video Game Law Blog with useful updates.

[greglas]

2.

Thanks for the book reference, Peter -- I'll have to check it out. And I just added VGLB as an update to this post.

[Dmitri Williams]

3.

What a great resource. I'll use it in class this fall.

[Jon Festinger]

4.

Hi all

I do keep a lengthy list of every video game law decision I can find, which I update regularly. It is in alphbetical order. So if anyone isl ooking for such a bare bones list please e-mail me and I'll send it to you.

Although not as complete interms of listing all court decisions I could find, the course outline for the VIdeo Game Law course I teach at UBC and UVic law schools lists a great many of the cases (obviously those I believe are most important)and does organize them contextually. it also includes ongoing litigation references where there hasn't been a decision or where hostilities ceased for some other reason. I've just finished an updated version and am happy to send to whoever wants one.

Finally the course website http://www.law.uvic.ca/festinger/343-7/index.html contains the actual text of almost all the cases in digital form but it is password protected and looking at the licenses from Quicklaw and LexisNexis they look pretty restrictive. However I am sure there is a way to get them to agree to access for academics for non-commercial purposes if someone out there is interested.

Jon Festinger