Game On: Navigating Copyright and Commissioning in Video Games

As a game developer, protecting your creative vision starts with getting intellectual property (IP) rights right. In the UK, commissioning content means securing clear ownership, legal protection, and future use rights from the start. Whether it’s voice acting, motion capture, or character likenesses, managing rights like copyright and performers’ rights is key to staying legally compliant and ensuring fair treatment—so your game and its creators are protected.

Naomi Korn Associates’ Head of Intellectual Property Sean Waterman recently chatted with Leo Harvey from UKIE exploring some of the key IP considerations and best practices when commissioning content as part of the process of developing games.

In the Ukie Need to Know video Sean highlights the importance of using contracts with IP clauses that clearly define the ownership of intellectual property, specify the uses permitted under licences (including whether the rights extend to sequels, expansions, or adaptations), and address the moral rights of creators. Sean and Leo also discuss how performers’ rights, including their moral rights, can be protected and respected in game development.

You can catch up on the conversation below: