Problems of Licensing Agreements and Online Piracy in the Field of Online Computer Games

Abstract

Aim. An overview of individual problems existing in the computer game industry and consideration of proposals to overcome them.

Methodology. The basic scientific methods were: analysis and hypothesis. Thus, an analysis of existing local regulations for online computer games of the MMORPG genre was carried out to identify regulatory problems, as well as current legislation in terms of determining the availability of effective mechanisms for resolving identified problems. The hypothesis method has been applied in terms of developing a number of proposals to improve the regulation of problematic relations.  

Results. It is concluded that there are systemic problems in the field of licensing agreements for computer games. So, in today’s realities, they ensure the interests of only one side – the manufacturer, trampling on the other, which cannot be considered true. Proposals are given to create standard rules for drafting license agreements, or to create a license agreement designer that takes into account the interests of each of the parties. It is determined that as a response to violations of user rights, many unauthorized analogues of computer games have appeared, and a trend towards their popularization has been determined. To normalize the situation, two ways to solve the problem are proposed: the first, as a priority, to take into account the interests and needs of users through the creation of a license agreement constructor, which is necessary for the conscious refusal of users from piracy, the second is to create a set of administrative measures aimed at forcibly reducing the proportion of intellectual property violations on the Internet.

Research implications. Identifying the main legal problems in the field of computer games and developing proposals to overcome them.