Viewing Virtual Property Law Through the Lens of Innovation:  cite as “Vacca, Ryan G., Viewing Virtual Property Ownership Through the Lens of Innovation. Tennessee Law Review, Vol. 76, p. 33, 2008. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1100302”

Other less authoritative, but still noteworthy posts from blogs, after the jump

Great article by the law firm that continues to impress me with their thoroughness
 
Joystiq Law of the Game looks at the Infinity Ward dispute

 
Trademarking Avatars (from Pixels and Policy)
 
Music Issues:
 
Joystiq talks to the RBN developers at GDC 

Virtual Economy Issues:
 
JVW Research - latest issue (ALWAYS worth the read)

All these jump out at me, plus there are others I may have missed.  Please feel free to point out in the comments… as always, I have final say on whether it’s approved – as long as it’s reasonably relevant.

Jay Moffitt is a Tennessee attorney. This blog is for entertainment and educational purposes only and does not consitute legal advice or create an attorney/client relationship. Jay Moffitt is not certified as a specialist in this area by Tennessee and Tennessee does not certify specialists in this practice area. All comments will be answered promptly and courteously as long as they are germane to the discussion and do not contain specific game names or incidents.

The funding money is beginning to be there. It was recently announced that the University of Texas will be using 16 disciplines in Second Life. The details are that “A new, one-year project will set the bar for virtual educational tools as the University of Texas brings 16 campuses into the Second Life world with its Transforming Undergraduate Education system. This plan by researcher and educator Dr. Leslie Jarmon (SL: Bluewave Ogee), recently received a grant to fund the project for a year.” The Linden Lab press release claims “the first statewide rollout of a virtual learning environment in the world.” The release continues to describe the environment as “the initiation of a pioneering statewide virtual learning community of students, faculty, researchers and administrators in Second Life, that offers an innovative, low-cost approach to undergraduate instruction”.

Comments?

Here are some other groundbreaking educational uses for virtual worlds

Autism resources in Virtual Worlds

Swine Flu in Virtual Worlds; Swine Flu Game

QWag changes name to Teleplace; has interactive technology and database integration

US Government resources in Second Life; including Medical resources

Jay Moffitt is a TN attorney. The statements here are not legal advice, and no attorney/client relationship is created. Jay Moffitt claims no certification in this specialty, and TN does not offer a certification in this area of law. Copyright, Jay Moffitt, 2009. Comments are welcomed and will be answered promptly and courteously.

Fairfield, Joshua,The Magic Circle(November 19, 2008). Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law, 2009; Washington & Lee Legal Studies Paper No. 2008-45. (Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1304234)

Synopsis listed as: The article concludes that although real-world law cannot reasonably be excluded from virtual worlds, game gods and players can control the interface between law and virtual worlds through their agreements, customs, and practices.

Grimmelmann, James Taylor Lewis,Virtual World Feudalism. Yale Law Journal Pocket Part, Vol. 118, p. 126, 2009 ; NYLS Legal Studies Research Paper No. 08/09 #24. (Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1331602)

Stated synopsis: The similarity between ownership of land in feudal England and in Second Life suggests that offline courts should protect user interests in virtual items, gradually, without treating them as full-blown modern “property.”

A little less scholarly:

Latest Spending figures from Virtual Worlds News indicate that In 2009, an estimated $400 million to $600 million will be spent on virtual goods in the United States, and 5.5 billion worldwide.

“Latest report from Screen Digest reveals reveals that the subscription-based MMOG market grew by 22% in 2008 and reached consumer spending levels of $1.4 billion in North America and Europe.” The report also specifically states that “With a 58% share of Western consumer spending on subscription MMOGs and over $2.2 billion in cumulative spending on subscriptions since the beginning of 2005, World of Warcraft remains dominant in the market.”

September report from Gamedaily states that “a new study conducted by the market researchers at VGMarket and PlaySpan says that freetoplay now accounts for half of all digital goods transactions.” Of course this deals with the new browser-based games termed “freemium”, where you can register and play for free, but upgrades to profiles, clothing, and virtual objects are purchases as an extra, but optional, service.

Jay Moffitt is a TN attorney. This blog does not constitute legal advice, and does not create an attorney/client relationship. Jay Moffitt is not certified in this area of law, and TN does not offer a certification in this area of law.

Legal Issues for Game Designers

In Game Dollar Lawsuit, … great discussion of currency in games

Zynga vs Playdom… contains good background on games in social networks

WOW vs. MDY Michael Connely, aka “The Glider case”

These last two help one understand the popularity of particular game properties.

Comscore.com – List of top 50 media properties

K-Zero graph of virtual world sectors

Disclaimer: Jay Moffitt is a TN attorney. This post does not constitute legal advice and no attorney/client relationship is created by reading this page. There is no certification offered in Tennessee in this particular specialty and the attorney does not claim one.