Copyright, Contract, and Video Games: Terms of Play

Author:   Amy Thomas (University of Glasgow, UK)
Publisher:   Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
ISBN:  

9781509988068


Pages:   208
Publication Date:   14 May 2026
Format:   Hardback
Availability:   Manufactured on demand   Availability explained


Our Price $180.00 Quantity:  
Pre-Order

Share |

Copyright, Contract, and Video Games: Terms of Play


Overview

This book uncovers how video game contracts act as monologues of power, moulding players to align with proprietary ideologies. In the era of interactive technologies, the player emerges as a vital yet curiously overlooked figure. While copyright law governs the creation and distribution of these technologies, it sidesteps the player, leaving private contracts to define their role and obligations. Using video games as a case study, this book fills the gap left by copyright law, offering an innovative socio-legal methodology to interrogate and challenge harmful contractual norms. By analysing contracts as a form of critical discourse, the book exposes the contradictions and idealisations embedded in these agreements, which often serve to reinforce industry priorities. It is an essential resource for scholars in intellectual property law, video game studies, and socio-legal research, contributing to pressing debates on user rights and the shifting balance of power in interactive industries. With its fresh perspective on the interplay of copyright, contract, and cultural participation, the book redefines the player's role in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, offering new tools to understand and critique the legal frameworks shaping this most interactive of industries.

Full Product Details

Author:   Amy Thomas (University of Glasgow, UK)
Publisher:   Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Imprint:   Hart Publishing
ISBN:  

9781509988068


ISBN 10:   1509988068
Pages:   208
Publication Date:   14 May 2026
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  College/higher education ,  Professional & Vocational ,  Tertiary & Higher Education
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming
Availability:   Manufactured on demand   Availability explained

Table of Contents

Introduction Level 1 1. The Player in Copyright Law 2. The Player in Contract Level 2 3. Research Design Level 3 4. Authority 5. Access 6. Artifice Conclusion: The Final Boss

Reviews

Author Information

Amy Thomas is Lecturer in Intellectual Property and Information Law at the University of Glasgow, UK.

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Countries Available

All regions
Latest Reading Guide

April RG 26_2

 

Shopping Cart
Your cart is empty
Shopping cart
Mailing List