Law for game makers
General information on copyright, patents and game ideas in the EU, Germany and the US.
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Are Game Mechanics Copyrighted? EU, Germany and US
Generally no. Copyright protects expression, not ideas or rules. Code, art, text and a game's specific look are protected, with a nuance in Germany.
Can You Copy Game Mechanics? What Is Free and What Is Not
Copyright generally leaves a game's rules open. Code, assets, names, the specific look and extracted data are a different matter, and patents apply too.
Can You Patent a Game Mechanic? US, Europe, Germany
Game rules as such cannot be patented in Europe or Germany, and US courts treat them as abstract. Technical implementations can be, for 20 years.
How to Protect a Game Idea: What Works and What Does Not
A bare game idea cannot be protected. Its written form, art, code, name and design can, and an NDA keeps it confidential while it stays secret.
Patented Game Mechanics: Documented Cases With Dates
A dated overview of documented game patent cases, including Nintendo v. Pocketpair and the USPTO summoning reexamination. Status as of 2 November 2026.