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Should you copyright your indie game?
When you are developing a game there are some big advantages to trademarking the name of your game and peace of mind is arguably the biggest! Developers often give priority to marketing their games, as they can struggle to get noticed. According to SteamSpy, more than 8,000 new games were released in 2019.
Do I need a publisher for my indie game?
If your experience is mainly in developing games but you have limited experience with the business side of things, you should definitely consider a publisher if you want to scale. But if you want to remain small and maintain full control, self-publishing may be a good option.
What makes a game considered indie?
An indie game, short for independent video game, is a video game typically created by individuals or smaller development teams without the financial and technical support of a large game publisher, in contrast to most “AAA” (triple-A) games.
Do indie game developers need a business license?
Yes. You probably do need to get a business license, after you form an LLC and/or start selling apps.
Do digital artists need a business license?
If you are selling any artwork yourself, it is a legal requirement to have a business license. It allows you to file for a DBA (Doing Business As) so that you can operate under the business name of your choice. You can also operate a business under your own name.
How are video games protected under copyright and trademark law?
Learn how video games are protected under copyright and trademark law, how to respond when your game is removed from the web or a mobile app store by a DMCA takedown notice, and the many ways the law affects the creative process of making a video game. Find a question you’re interested in below and click it to get some answers. What is copyright?
Can a video game be copied by someone else?
However, your artwork only has copyright protection insofar as no one can just closely duplicate it. For example, if a video game has a princess and she looks like Princess Toadstool, that could be in violation of Nintendo’s copyright (unless the game obtained a license or had a good fair use reason to use the character).
Is it legal to make a ghost hunting game?
Yes, but be careful. This is another complicated area. If you wanted to make a game about ghost hunting, then that is fine. It is much more treacherous territory if you just recreate Pac-Man. Copyright protects the expression of an idea, but not the idea itself.