Copyrighted Guns

[Cinncinatus]

I'm a director for a video game that will be provided for free over the internet, I'm in Nevada. My question is I would like to use the real life guns and gun names in my game, but not sure about what channels I have to go though to get promission, or what kind of contracts have to be signed? Do I have to even follow the copyright laws since I'm not selling my game?

 

[lawrat]

I am a law school graduate. What I offer is mere information, not to be construed as forming an attorney client relationship.

Yes, even if it is free, you need to get permission in the form of a license to use the guns themselves. Names of guns are not copyrightable because names are not copyrightable BUT they are able to be trademarked.

So you want to make sure you see an Intellectual Property attorney in your state to help you get this permission.

It will be in the form of a contract, known as a license. You may have to pay for the license. But if the lawyer can convince them to give it "in gratis" (free) because your game is free, then that would be good too.