Archive notice: This article was originally published on March 18, 2009. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
The success of music games depends crucially on which pieces of music can be used in the game concerned. But properly acquiring usage rights is essential not only here, but also in “normal” games, in which music is used as atmospheric accompaniment to the actual action. In his talk “Music in Games”, lawyer Matthias Atrott addresses the legal and economic framework for licensing music for computer games, distinguishing between the individual rights holders and between copyright and neighbouring rights. Registration by 23 March is required for free participation in the event, which is supported by Messe Frankfurt.
“A basic understanding of the theoretical and legal requirements is essential for putting them into practice,” says Atrott, whose talk is therefore aimed at all employees at development studios and/or publishers who are responsible for implementing music in computer games as part of their work. In “Music in Games”, Atrott gives an overview of the legal requirements associated with proper licensing; using practical examples, he also explains which rights
should be acquired from whom and how their acquisition should be regulated contractually. “In addition to the
‘synchronisation right’, that is, permission to combine a sound recording with game programming, neighbouring rights and the rights administered by collecting societies, such as the ‘mechanical reproduction right’ or the ‘performance right’, must also be acquired,” says Atrott, who has extensive experience from his many years of collaboration with users of rights and rights holders, but particularly from his work on games in the “SingStar” series, and therefore also addresses games-specific issues. For online games, for example, there is
a certain uncertainty among collecting societies regarding the economic
Date: Wednesday, 1.4.2009
Venue: Messe Frankfurt
MusikBiz Stage, Hall 4.2.
Room Dimension
60327 Frankfurt am Main
Time: 9:30 to 10:30
Participation: free with registration at http://www.gameplaces.de by 23.3.
