Videogame screenshots Copyright

[gattoplano]

Hi,
Does someone know about the games' screenshots international copyright policy?

Could someone use part of a screenshot from some website I own, if they crop out my watermark on it?

Thank you

 

[stscac]

The following information is not legal advice, nor should it be taken or interpreted as such.

Does someone know about the games' screenshots international copyright policy?

Yes, using screenshots in a positive manner towards the game and the manufacturer of the game has not been a major problem in the past.

Could someone use part of a screenshot from some website I own, if they crop out my watermark on it?

So far, there are three major websites that scan websites for screenshots:

• Whois Source
• Alexa
• Thumbshots

You can protect your website from robots taking screenshots by inserting a robots.txt text file in the root of your public_html or equivalenet directory.

You can find more information about robots.txt along with information about many robots and spiders at the following link:
Information about Robots, Spiders, and The Robots.txt File

Hope that is what you were looking for

-Steve

 

[Freakz]

I'm interested in this too. What if I wanted to use screenshots from Gamespot.com (they are all watermarked) on a website I own. Would I be allowed to do that if I kept their watermark? Without?

 

[labrocca]

I don't believe a screenshot can be copyrighted. It's a screen capture of another persons work. If you take a screenshot of an EA Madden game you can't claim you own it as it's just a reproduction of the original work by EA.

 

[Hostnetric]

If it is an original work then you would need their permission and most sites will do this with the condition that you give them credit for the work and do not try to pose as the original owner. Screenshots however are a subject that does come up alot and if the gaming companies really wanted to they could enforce their trademark and copyrights to these screenshots. However, they are not going to do this as they are enjoying all the free publicity it is providing.

 

[gattoplano]

more than gaming companies themselves, if IGN takes a screenshot from GAMESPOT, i.e., and covers GAMESPOT'S watermark with IGN's, could IGN have trouble?

Always talking about screenshots, not artwork or similars.

Thanks

 

[primacomputer]

I'm sure a screen shot would fall under fair use. For example you're doing a review of a game, and want to show a few screen shots. That's what fair use is. However you do have rights to the files you prepare. Someone can not simply take them, put them on their site and claim fair use. You did the work. You control how the file is used.

A lot of people will let you use files if you give credit, but you have to remember that's exactly what is happening. They are letting you use them. You can't “force” them to let you use them by offering credit, cash, or anything else.

 

[labrocca]

Screenshots CAN'T be copyrighted...it's the same as a scan. If you scan something then that's scan can't be copyrighted. It's a copy of something not an original piece of work.

Also 'fair use' is exactly what most screenshots would fall under...otherwise every magazine would need to pay royalties just to show screenshots. But it doesn't cuz it's considered a 'fair use'.

 

[killaklown]

Screenshots CAN'T be copyrighted...it's the same as a scan. If you scan something then that's scan can't be copyrighted. It's a copy of something not an original piece of work.

Also 'fair use' is exactly what most screenshots would fall under...otherwise every magazine would need to pay royalties just to show screenshots. But it doesn't cuz it's considered a 'fair use'.

yea but then if its not copyrighted, you can just scan the whole magazine and then sell it online.. sence its a copy of something.