Copyright, Contract, and Video Games

Terms of Play
Erscheinungsjahr 2026
ISBN: 978-1-5099-8806-8
Verlag: Bloomsbury Academic

Buch, Englisch, 208 Seiten, Hardback, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 503 g

This book uncovers how video game contracts act as monologues of power, moulding players to align with proprietary ideologies.

In the era of interactive technologies, the player emerges as a vital yet curiously overlooked figure. While copyright law governs the creation and distribution of these technologies, it sidesteps the player, leaving private contracts to define their role and obligations. Using video games as a case study, this book fills the gap left by copyright law, offering an innovative socio-legal methodology to interrogate and challenge harmful contractual norms.

By analysing contracts as a form of critical discourse, the book exposes the contradictions and idealisations embedded in these agreements, which often serve to reinforce industry priorities. It is an essential resource for scholars in intellectual property law, video game studies, and socio-legal research, contributing to pressing debates on user rights and the shifting balance of power in interactive industries.

With its fresh perspective on the interplay of copyright, contract, and cultural participation, the book redefines the player's role in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, offering new tools to understand and critique the legal frameworks shaping this most interactive of industries.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Thomas, Amy

Fachgebiete

• Rechtswissenschaften Recht, Rechtswissenschaft Allgemein Rechtsvergleichung
• Rechtswissenschaften Ausländisches Recht Common Law (UK, USA, Australien u.a.)

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Introduction

Level 1
1. The Player in Copyright Law
2. The Player in Contract

Level 2
3. Research Design

Level 3
4. Authority
5. Access
6. Artifice

Conclusion: The Final Boss

Über Autor(innen)

Thomas, Amy
Amy Thomas is Lecturer in Intellectual Property and Information Law at the University of Glasgow, UK.