A game is years of work concentrated into a handful of contracts.
The publishing deal, the platform terms, the funding agreement and the development contracts decide who owns the IP, how money flows and in what order, what happens if milestones slip, and whether the sequel is yours to make. Studios routinely sign these at the point of least leverage and most excitement. Recoupment is where the detail can impact developers, as once the platform share and the publisher’s recoupable costs are stacked up, a headline royalty can mean very little.
We act for studios and developers across the deals that shape a project.
We help with:
- publishing agreements, royalty waterfalls and recoupment;
- development and freelance agreements;
- funding arrangements and how they interact with existing deals;
- ownership of engine, tools, IP and sequel rights;
- EULAs, player terms and user-generated content; and
- monetisation, in-game purchases and the consumer law angles.
We model the commercials before you sign rather than after to show you what recoups, in what order, and what you actually receive at realistic sales levels. We also protect what outlasts a single title, since the engine, tools and IP are the studio’s real asset. Pricing is fixed and scoped for studio budgets.
Our Approach
Legal advice that makes running and growing your business easier.
We start with your business, not the law.
Before we open a document, we want to understand what you are trying to do commercially. The legal answer is only useful if it serves that.
We get to the point.
You get a clear view of what matters and what does not, in plain English, with the real risks separated from the noise.
We give you an answer.
Not a menu of options and a shrug. We tell you what we would do, why, and where there is a genuine judgment call for you to make.
We stay available.
Whether you work with us on a single project or on a subscription, we are here for the follow-up question. We would always rather you asked.
Ways of working together
Fixed-fee projects
A single, defined piece of work for an agreed fixed fee, communicated before we engage. Reviewing a contract, drafting your terms, handling a negotiation.
No surprises and no hidden fees
Flagship Subscription
Ares Access
Ongoing support on a fixed monthly subscription, for businesses that need commercial legal input regularly rather than as the occasional one-off.
- Dedicated lawyer
- Fixed monthly fees
- Commercial advice on demand
From £500 plus VAT per month
Legal Health Check
Fixed fee of £2,000 plus VAT
Any questions?
Phone: 02382 420035
