SMU to Hold Game Law and Business Summit

The Guildhall game school and the Dedman School of Law, both at Southern Methodist University, and The Center for American and International Law, a nonprofit institution, are planning an international summit on the law and business of video games. Titled Game::Business::Law, the event is scheduled for January 14 and 15, 2009. According to an announcement, Richard Garriott, executive producer at NCsoft and founder of Origin Systems, and Dr. Peter Raad, founder and executive director of The Guildhall will serve as co-chairs for conference. “Successful studios and developers know that gaming is a business … very big business. The legal issues are enormous for this industry and we are delighted to host this global event,” said Raad in a press release. The goal of the summit is to bring together global game industry leaders, investors, developers, publishers, and lawyers to explore and discuss the latest trends in the game industry. Game::Business::Law will provide practical approaches for achieving success in the evolving marketplace of digital games. “Digital gaming is one of the world’s fastest growth industries, creating new investment opportunities, social paradigms, business models, and a host of legal issues,” said Xuan-Thao Nguyen, professor of law at the Dedman School of Law. According to NPD Group, and NPD analyst Anita Frazier, the U.S. is on track for video game sales to reach $21 billion or more in 2008. For more information about the summit, visit www.game-business-law.com