Sheppard Mullin’s Esports and Games Industry Team is pleased to share our whitepaper on Esports Media Rights, in partnership with and co-written by FTI Consulting, a leading global business advisory firm.
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A Primer on Game Monetization
Despite all of the artistry that goes into making a game, at some point early in the development process the question must be asked, “How are we going to make
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Nevada Moves to Create Esports Commission
The State of Nevada has taken to the initials steps to create an official commission governing esports with the introduction of Senate Bill 165, and its subsequent discussion in
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Huya DouYu Merger is a Sign of Things to Come in Esports M&A
The streaming landscape has experienced its second major shakeup this year with Huya’s merger with DouYu on October 12, 2020. Huya and DouYu are China’s largest streaming platforms, averaging 169 million and 165 million monthly users respectively, and will combined be worth around $11 Billion USD. The merger positions the new entity as the largest esports platform in China, and makes it the de facto destination for esports eyeballs in the region.
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Proposed Anti-Spying Legislation May Not Be Cause for Alarm for Gamers in Congress
On Thursday April 30, 2020 U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley announced their intent to introduce the ” Countering Chinese Attempts at Snooping ” Act, with the goal of “… Banning U.S. Officials from Using Tencent, … [and] Other Chinese Communist Party-Backed Platforms.” Specifically, the legislation requires that the company that creates the prohibited technology be “domiciled in the People’s Republic of China or subject to influence or control by the Government of the People Republic of China or the Communist Party of the People’s Republic of China” (“China”). Given Tencent’s investments and involvement in some of the most popular game companies, this may come as a concern to the gamers in congress. But there are two reasons why this legislation may not cut into their gaming sessions.
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Fortnite Streamer Ewok Pens Sponsorship Deal with HyperX
Fortnite streamer Soleil “Ew0k” Wheeler signed on as a brand ambassador for HyperX on April 29, a sponsorship deal that will see the female gamer exclusively use the manufacturer’s products while streaming.
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Recent Case Law May Open New Celebrity Dance Suits Against Game Publishers
There has been a wave of celebrity lawsuits against game companies over in-game dance moves allegedly made famous by the celebrity. A number of legal theories have been tried, including trademark, copyright, right of publicity, misappropriation of likeness, etc. Nearly all of these claims have failed. A recent decision from the Eastern District of Pennsylvania granted a motion to dismiss on seven of eight counts brought. The sole surviving count relates to a false endorsement claim under the Lanham Act. Leo P made two claims under the Lanham Act, the second being for false designation of origin was dismissed by the court.
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