Epic v. Google: A Horse of a Different Color
On December 11, 2023, the jury in the Epic Games, Inc. v. Google LLC et al antitrust litigation handed Epic a significant victory after less than four hours of deliberation, finding that Google wielded unlawful monopoly power within the Android app distribution and in-app billing services.
And the Dance Goes On: Hanagami v. Epic Games Inc. and the Future of Choreography Lawsuits
On November 1, 2023, the Ninth Circuit delivered its decision in the appeal of Hanagami v. Epic Games Inc., reversing the Central District’s grant of defendant Epic Games’ motion to dismiss in the copyright infringement lawsuit brought by choreographer Kyle Hanagami.
Microsoft’s AI Indemnification Promise: A Potential Game-Changer?
On September 7, 2023, Microsoft announced a new “Copilot Copyright Commitment” for users of its suite of AI-powered tools, following their earlier “AI Customer Commitments” policy statement in June.
Starfield, Mods, and Derivative Works - an In-Depth Look
With the upcoming release of Starfield, developer Bethesda has advertised that its game will have “full mod support,” even claiming it will be a modder’s “paradise.”
Never a Dull Moment in Kids’ Privacy: The FTC Goes After Xbox
Mere months after making waves with a historic $520 million penalty against Epic Games (which we wrote about previously here), the FTC has followed up with another $20 million penalty against Microsoft in connection with its Xbox Live service.
Epic v. Apple: So… What Now?
The Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit recently affirmed the 2021 district court ruling in Epic Games v. Apple.
2023 GDC Recap: As Belts Tighten, Developers Cautiously Turn to AI
With the specter of COVID looming less large over the proceedings, this year’s Game Developer’s Conference (GDC) had the potential to be a return to the Conference’s “glory days” as a place where game developers and lawyers from all over the world could meet, exchange stories, and generally party the night away.
Zarya of the Dawn: Is the Sun Setting on the Copyrightability of AI-Generated Works?
At the end of February, the U.S. Copyright Office made waves again when it announced it was revoking a comic book author’s copyright registration in the AI-generated images used within their book Zarya of the Dawn.
New Extra Credits Video: “Why Using AI Art is Dangerous in Games”
Tyz Law Group attorneys Joe Newman and Jonathan Downing announced a new collaboration with popular gaming YouTube channel Extra Credits, discussing the legal issues surrounding the use of artificial intelligence for content creation, particularly in the world of video games.
The Illusory Wall: Wizards of the Coast and the Dangers of Ambiguous Licensing
The Dungeons & Dragons (“D&D”) Players Handbook for the game’s Third Edition, first published in 2000 by Wizards of the Coast (“Wizards,” parent company Hasbro), contains a chapter dedicated to spells that characters may learn and cast within the game.