IP, Legal & Partnerships
Protecting the long-term value
Behind every game sits a set of legal assets that has to carry value over time. Trademarks, copyright, partnership agreements and regulatory approvals shape what the studio is allowed to do, where they are allowed to do it and what they get to keep. When those pieces are in place the game becomes easier to defend, sell, extend and port, when they are unclear they slow the studio down.
IP work is what separates a one-off from a long-lived franchise. Sunnerot can support trademark registrations with EUIPO, USPTO and WIPO, copyright strategy for creative material, management of licensed IP and follow-up on infringements. Preparation work for merchandise, spin-offs and porting is part of the same picture, that is often where the value sits once the main title is in live-ops.
Partnership agreements are the other backbone. Co-dev contracts, IP licences, distribution deals and platform-specific partnerships create both opportunities and risks. Sunnerot can review terms before they are signed, flag commercial mechanics, exit clauses and territorial rights, and act as a sparring partner ahead of negotiations. The lawyer drafts the paper, but someone has to understand what it means operationally for the studio.
Regulation around games is fragmented and shifts. PEGI, ESRB, USK, ACB, CERO, GRAC, NPPA, ClassInd, every region has its own age ratings and content requirements. Engagements range from single reviews to ongoing sparring that follows the studio through the development and live-ops cycle.
What we deliver
- Support for trademark registration (EUIPO, USPTO, WIPO)
- Copyright strategy for creative material
- Contract review and negotiation support
- Regulatory mapping per territory
- Ongoing legal sparring
Suited for
Studios ahead of trademark registration, reveal or launch in new territories. Companies with incoming partner, platform or distribution agreements that need operational review.