ABSTRACT
Before Pokemon Go, when one thought of video games, one likely thought primarily of the devices on which games are played—originally, arcade cabinets; then home gaming consoles and computers; and, most recently, smartphones. Pokemon Go proves in many respects to be not so much a new phenomenon, but in fact just another step in the integration of game play into the material environment around us. This book explores a particular dimension of that integration: the legal landscape of video games. Two major factors influence the relationship of the law and video games: user-generated interactions; and the expansion of what the "video game" industry is into multilayered approaches to product and brand expansion. The book considers issues emergent in the relationship of the law to the video game industry. It focuses on US law, and addresses several issues that evince global and international dimensions. This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book.
