Intellectual Property
Ongoing coverage on Intellectual Property.
Latest coverage
ESA Claims Private Minecraft Servers Are 'Illegal' and 'Piracy' in Stop Killing Games Hearing
The Entertainment Software Association has controversially claimed that private Minecraft servers constitute 'illegal' activity and 'piracy' during a recent hearing. This statement has drawn criticism and confusion regarding intellectual property rights and user-created content.
ESA bafflingly declares private Minecraft servers 'illegal' in Stop Killing Games hearing: 'We consider…
The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) declared private servers for games like Minecraft and Call of Duty to be illegal and considered piracy during a California State Senate hearing. ESA vice president Jennifer Gibbons stated that these servers infringe on publisher intellectual property rights and do not meet safety standards, despite community pushback and the failure of the Protect Our Games Act to pass in its current form.
Valve just killed the Steam Machine Companion Cube
Valve has halted production of Dbrand's "Companion Cube" case for the Steam Machine, which was designed to make the console resemble the Weighted Companion Cube from the Portal games. Dbrand was denied a retroactive license by Valve, forcing them to refund thousands of orders and cease development. The company acknowledged fault for proceeding without initial licensing approval.
Company that made a Steam Machine wrap based on Valve intellectual property without asking forced to take it down
Dbrand has been forced to cancel its 'Companion Cube' wrap for the Steam Machine after failing to obtain a license from Valve. The company admitted to building the product without permission and will issue full refunds to pre-order customers. This incident follows a similar controversy in 2021 where Dbrand was compelled to remove custom PlayStation 5 faceplates due to intellectual property concerns with Sony.
nDreams founder launches new studio Atmospheric to create "original IP across games and music"
Patrick O'Luanaigh, founder of VR studio nDreams, has launched a new independent entertainment company called Atmospheric. The studio aims to create original intellectual property across games and music, exploring innovative ways to integrate audio and narrative into immersive worlds. O'Luanaigh, who stepped down as CEO of nDreams in May 2025, is currently the sole employee and is self-funding the venture, with plans to seek a publishing partner next year.
Companion Cube case for Steam Machine is canceled by Valve after Dbrand bafflingly forgot to get permission to make the…
Dbrand has canceled its Companion Cube case for the Steam Machine after Valve, the owner of the intellectual property, requested its removal. Dbrand admitted to not seeking permission before production, leading to the product's withdrawal and refunds for customers. This incident follows a previous cease-and-desist from Sony regarding Dbrand's 'Darkplates' for the PlayStation 5.
Steam Machine Companion Cube case cancelled because Dbrand didn't ask Valve for permission to make it: 'We’re going to regret that decision for a very long time'
Dbrand has cancelled its Companion Cube case for the Steam Machine after Valve's legal team informed them they did not have a license for the intellectual property. Despite significant investment and sales success, Dbrand was forced to remove all traces of the product due to the unauthorized use of Valve's intellectual property.
Valve dropped that Steam Machine Companion Cube case down the legal incinerator after its makers neglected to get their permission
Dbrand has ceased sales of its unofficial "Companion Cube" case for the Steam Machine after Valve, the owner of the intellectual property, issued a takedown notice. Dbrand admitted to not seeking permission from Valve before developing and selling the Portal-themed accessory, which had become their second-most popular product launch. Valve reportedly declined Dbrand's appeal to properly license the product.
American McGee Interview: Dreadful Land, Plushie Dreadful
American McGee, known for American McGee's Alice and Alice: Madness Returns, discusses his return to the game industry with Dreadful Land and his plushie line, Plushie Dreadful. He reflects on how his personal aesthetic became a brand and the evolving landscape of indie game marketing, from studio-centric branding to game-centric studio branding. McGee is also exploring licensing his Dreadful Land intellectual property for future game development.
Pokémon TCG Pocket developer DeNA has received 1.5 billion yen in subsidies, sparking debate about whether the studio actually needs the investment
Japanese developer DeNA, known for Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, has received a 1.5 billion yen subsidy from the government's IP360 program, intended to support domestic IP development. This has sparked debate among the public and industry figures regarding the necessity of such funding for a successful company and the broader challenges faced by smaller developers in securing game development investment.
Planescape: Torment 2 was greenlit by Wizards of the Coast, 'they were really into what we were doing', but it refused to fund the sequel, and nobody else was interested
Beamdog and former BioWare writer David Gaider pitched a sequel to Planescape: Torment, titled Planescape: Unraveled, to Wizards of the Coast. While Wizards of the Coast was initially receptive to the concept, they declined to fund the project themselves, and no other investors were found. The sequel was ultimately shelved by the end of 2016.
Nintendo is Raising Employee Salaries by 10% in Japan
Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa announced a 10% increase in base salaries for employees in Japan during the company's annual shareholder meeting. This decision aligns with the Japanese Prime Minister's call for wage growth and is intended to support Nintendo's long-term expansion. Furukawa also addressed concerns about RAM supply, the use of AI in game development, and expanding the company's intellectual property across various media.
Games Workshop Removes Certain Tabletop Simulator Materials from Steam
Games Workshop has issued DMCA takedown notices for fan-made mods on Steam's Tabletop Simulator, removing popular Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer: Age of Sigmar community content. This action, consistent with Games Workshop's strict intellectual property enforcement, has drawn criticism from the community, particularly as a new edition of Warhammer 40,000 is released.
Morning Legal Briefs
Games Workshop is reportedly taking legal action against Steam mods for Tabletop Simulator that recreate content from Warhammer 40,000. This action highlights ongoing tensions between IP holders and fan-created content within the gaming community.
Italy's 34BigThings spins out from Embracer Group
Italian game developer 34BigThings has spun out from Embracer Group, with co-founder Valerio Di Donata buying back 100% of the studio's stock. This move makes 34BigThings the second-largest independent game developer in Italy. The studio, known for titles like Carmageddon Rogue Shift and Redout, plans to announce a major new title later this year built on a beloved intellectual property.
"Mission Impossible is high on my list" – how Paramount plans to use co-dev to exploit its archive, while building its own all-new IP
Paramount has merged its video game divisions into the new Paramount Games Studio, led by EVP Dan Prigg. The studio aims to leverage Paramount's extensive IP archive through co-development and internal projects, targeting PC, console, Roblox, and mobile platforms. While exploiting existing franchises like Mission Impossible and Star Trek is a focus, the studio is also developing original IP, aiming for games to potentially inspire future linear entertainment.
Redout Dev Now Fully Independent, Teases 'Major Title' Based on 'Revered' IP
Italian development studio 34BigThings, known for the Redout series, has announced it is once again fully independent after co-founder Valerio Di Donato bought back shares from Embracer Group. The studio is teasing a major new title based on a 'revered' intellectual property, with further projects planned for 2027 and 2028.
Ocarina Of Time Fan Project Bows Out Before Nintendo Comes Knocking
A fan project recreating The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in Unreal Engine has been canceled by its creator, CryZENx, due to fears of legal action from Nintendo. This decision comes shortly after Nintendo announced its own remake of the game for the Nintendo Switch 2. The creator cited "Nintendo ninjas" as the reason for stopping development, highlighting Nintendo's history of protecting its intellectual property.
Ultima's creator Richard Garriott is planning to win back the rights to his legendary RPG from EA with an 50-year-old copyright quirk
Ultima creator Richard Garriott plans to reclaim the rights to the legendary RPG series from Electronic Arts using a provision in the Copyright Act of 1976 that allows authors to reclaim copyright after 35 years. Garriott, also known as Lord British, stated that he intends to regain all copyrights to his original work, though he acknowledges that this would grant him ownership of the copyright rather than the trademark, meaning he could create a game similar to Ultima but not use the 'Ultima' name.
CD Projekt Co-CEO Doesn’t Want to “Flood the Market” With Games: “Not Planning to Grow in That Way”
CD Projekt co-CEO Michał Nowakowski stated the company does not plan to "flood the market" with games or grow by releasing titles annually. Instead, the focus remains on creating high-quality games and leveraging existing intellectual properties, including a remake of The Witcher 1 and new projects like Project Sirius and Project Hadar.
