Business and Legal Primer for Game Development

Business is an important part of making games and the legal aspects have also become significant. Business and Legal Primer for Games explores the major legal and business issues involved in game development with a particular focus on starting a business. The book contains practical introductory sections on business and legal problems that members of the development community are often confronted with. These problems include business structure, contracts, employment law, taxation, and IP. Those seeking to start their own game development company will receive invaluable information regarding getting started, basic business operations, marketing, licensing intellectual property, and exit strategies. Business and Legal Primer for Games is the ideal starting point with any who has ever wanted to start a game business and an excellent reference of information for those who already are involved in game development.

Greg Boyd is an attorney with Kenyon & Kenyon LLP in New York. He has represented some of the most prominent game companies in the world; his practice includes IP counseling and litigation for both publishers and developers. As a member of the International Game Developers Association IP Rights Committee, he was an author and editor on the International Game Developers Association IP Whitepaper. Dr. Boyd has spoken at several national conferences including AIPLA, GDC, Austin Game Conference, and State of Play. His commentary on business and law in the game industry has appeared in national publications including Fortune, Forbes, Game Developer Magazine, and Gamasutra. He sits on the Board of Advisors for Mobygames. Dr. Boyd obtained M.D. and J.D. degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Brian Green, often known by the online pseudonym of "Psychochild", is an experienced online game developer. He is co-editor a co-author of this book. Brian received degrees in both Spanish and Computer Science with a minor in Business. He started his professional career in 1998 working on the classic online RPG, Meridian 59 (http://www.meridian59.com/). He then left to work at the now defunct Communities.com on The Palace, a noted graphical chat product. Brian later started Near Death Studios, Inc. with fellow former Meridian 59 developer Rob "Q" Ellis II. In late 2001, the company had the opportunity to purchase Meridian 59 and work on it again. In May of 2002 Meridian 59 was commercially re-launched. Brian has maintained Meridian 59 and ran the business side of Near Death Studios, Inc. He is a frequent speaker at game industry conferences and shares his experiences in developing independent games and running a business.