ABSTRACT

As demonstrated throughout the preceding chapters of this treatise, our once-archaic, mindless video games have managed to evolve into a most advanced art form capable of teaching, training, entertaining, and dramatically affecting public perceptions. Instead of ancient rules of property law that must be derived from governmental or other publicly ruled entities, virtual worlds are governed by rules and laws laid down by their corporate creators. Property rights are purely contractual and subject to End User License Agreements (EULAs) and Terms of Use (TOU). This treatise's analyses and references shine light on the historically chaotic video game and the global efforts to regulate, control, and direct it. Policy considerations involving intellectual property ownership became (and remain) particularly important, forming a perpetual two-edged sword. The preceding chapters reflect extensive research from a gathering of some of the most knowledgeable writers on the subject of video game policymaking.