I hoped I would not have to write this post, but here we go… Summary The Brexit referendum does not automatically mean the UK’s departure from the EU, but it will very likely start the process. Legally, the UK would need to start both an EU exit process (known as ‘Article 50’) and begin its… Continue reading Implementing Brexit – what happens next?
Brexit, digital entertainment, tech and why I’m voting Remain
It would be against the UK’s interests to vote to leave the European Union: this is my attempt to explain why I believe this and why I will be voting ‘Remain’ on the Brexit referendum on 23rd June 2016. For those of you who don’t know me: I’m a digital entertainment and tech lawyer with… Continue reading Brexit, digital entertainment, tech and why I’m voting Remain
A quick guide to eSports business and law (in 20 minutes)
I was invited to speak at Casual Connect Europe this month, where I gave an overview of what I consider to be some of the most interesting considerations in eSports business (and a bit of law). You can the slides here: eSports business and law (in 20 minutes) from Jas Purewal For email recipients, check… Continue reading A quick guide to eSports business and law (in 20 minutes)
Season’s greetings!
It’s coming to the end of the year and you know what that means…yes, it’s another bad holiday legal joke! Here we go…(oh, and happy holidays/best wishes for 2016!)
Can Apple stop you re-downloading a delisted game?
Reports emerged this week that allegedly that Apple is now longer making games which have been removed from the App Store available for re-download by existing purchasers. Cue Internet consternation. But what’s the actual legal position?
Video games and the UK’s Consumer Rights Act 2015
My colleague Pete Lewin from my firm Purewal & Partners has written a great practical guide to what about the video games industry needs to know about the UK’s new Consumer Rights Act 2015, which introduces a new series of consumer rights in games. Check it out!
Displaying inappropriate ads in a children’s game is a bad idea (but it’ll happen anyway)
Earlier this month, the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority issued a ruling against Mobjizz Limited, owner of Ewank.com (an adult services provider) for displaying adult ads in Talking Tom (owned by Outfit7), the popular mobile app that is particularly popular with young children as a kind of game.) The adult ads apparently involved three nearly naked women. The… Continue reading Displaying inappropriate ads in a children’s game is a bad idea (but it’ll happen anyway)
Some legal thoughts on Take Two vs the BBC over Grand Theft Auto
News broke last week that Take Two, the rights holder to Grand Theft Auto (both as its publisher and as owner of Rockstar Games, its developer), will take legal action against the BBC in the UK over the BBC’s forthcoming TV drama Game Changer – which is all about the story of how Grand Theft Auto was… Continue reading Some legal thoughts on Take Two vs the BBC over Grand Theft Auto
The top 10 legal mistakes by games developers
I was honoured to give the first talk at Rezzed 2015 in London earlier this month, where I gave a short practical talk about the top 10 legal mistakes that games developers frequently make, why they are mistakes and what to do about them. Here’s the slides below – enjoy! [Newsletter readers, you can find… Continue reading The top 10 legal mistakes by games developers
A practical legal guide to owning your own IP
One of my most frequently encountered – and important – jobs as a digital entertainment lawyer is to advise on intellectual property ownership: who owns which bits of this great game/software/artwork/video/audio etc? This comes up so often, and from time to time can cause such controversy in the press, that I thought I might write some quick pointers… Continue reading A practical legal guide to owning your own IP