Planning for a Soft Landing: Negotiating Termination Clauses in Game Dev Deals

Speakers: Jim Charne

Track: Business and Management

Format: Lecture

Experience Level: All

Description: Game dev deals are like pre-nuptual contracts. They are negotiated when there is romance in the air and the bloom is on the rose. This sesson examines a typical game dev termination clause, section by section, identifies contract terms that are bad for developers, considers the worst case scenario, then offers ideas to improve what may happen when your project is killed or worse.

Idea Takeaway: By understanding each element of a termination clause, game developers can often improve their circumstances when a game is cancelled or their deal terminated for any reason.

Intended Audience: Business executives,lawyers, and studio heads who are charged with negotating game development contracts.