Illegal Termination of a video game exclusive license
Karamanolis & Karamanolis LLC advised and represented a Cyprus-based video game company specializing in the publishing and development of mobile video games in a complex dispute arising from a video game development and publishing agreement.
Illegal Termination of Video Game Development Agreement
The dispute arose when one of the video game developers with whom our client was cooperating unlawfully terminated the agreement governing the co-development and exploitation of a hyper-casual mobile video game. Under the terms of the agreement, our client held the exclusive right to use, publish, and commercially exploit the video game, including distribution through major digital platforms.
The developer’s actions amounted to an illegal and unjustified termination, threatening our client’s ongoing commercial exploitation of the game and its relationships with digital distribution platforms.
Interim Injunctions and Urgent Court Protection
Karamanolis & Karamanolis LLC acted immediately by initiating legal proceedings against the developer, seeking:
- Relief for illegal termination of contract
- Specific performance of the video game development agreement
- Urgent interim injunctions to prevent further harm
The Court granted interim injunctions prohibiting the developer from interfering with our client’s lawful use and exploitation of the video game. Crucially, the Court also ordered that the developer was prohibited from initiating DMCA takedown procedures or similar actions before digital distribution platforms that could disrupt the game’s availability.
Protection of Video Game Rights Pending Final Judgment
The interim court orders have since become absolute and will remain in force until the final adjudication of the claim, effectively safeguarding our client’s rights during the litigation process.
This matter is a further example of how timely interim relief and strategic litigation can successfully protect video game publishers and developers from illegal, oppressive, and bad-faith actions by counterparties, particularly in the fast-moving mobile gaming and digital distribution ecosystem.
Our Experience in Video Game Law
Karamanolis & Karamanolis LLC regularly advises video game publishers, developers, and studios on:
- Video game development and publishing agreements
- Termination and breach of contract disputes
- Interim injunctions and urgent court relief
- DMCA takedown abuse and platform disputes
- Intellectual property exploitation in mobile games