Game add-on copyrights?

[coolja]

I have a game for the PC that people can create add-ons for. Some of the people that have made addons (not related to the maker of the game) are complaining about others modifying their work, and that their work is copyrighted, making it illegal to duplicate it. I want to resolve this, so could sombody tell me if it is ok to do that? Thanks in advance.

 

[T-DESIGNER]

I am not an attorney, and you did not give very much detail
and/or examples. Generally, if a work has been copyrighted,
the work cannot be copied/reproduced/duplicated/modified
without receiving/paying for permission from the owner of the
copyright.

The copyright owner(s) will probably need the services of an
attorney to determine if copyright infringement has occurred,
what financial harm has been done, and what course of action
needs to be taken.

 

[coolja]

Actually, the add-ons are not meant to be sold, they were created by gamers just for fun, and none of them copyrighted their work, they just thought that it automatically was copyrighted by law. Would that stand up legally?

 

[T-DESIGNER]

I am not an attorney, but the following is a quote from the
FAQ page of the U.S. Copyright Office's web site:

"When is my work protected?

Your work is under copyright protection the moment it is created
and fixed in a tangible form so that it is perceptible either directly
or with the aid of a machine or device."

 

[T-DESIGNER]

Here is something else of interest, which was taken from the U. S.
Copyright Law Office's web site:

"COPYRIGHT REGISTRATION

In general, copyright registration is a legal formality intended to
make a public record of the basic facts of a particular copyright.
However, registration is not a condition of copyright protection.
Even though registration is not a requirement for protection, the
copyright law provides several inducements or advantages to
encourage copyright owners to make registration. Among these
advantages are the following:

* Registration establishes a public record of the copyright claim.

* Before an infringement suit may be filed in court, registration is
- necessary for works of U. S. origin.

* If made before or within 5 years of publication, registration will
- establish prima facie evidence in court of the validity of the
- copyright and of the facts stated in the certificate.

* If registration is made within 3 months after publication of the
- work or prior to an infringement of the work, statutory
- damages and attorney's fees will be available to the copyright
- owner in court actions. Otherwise, only an award of actual
- damages and profits is available to the copyright owner.

* Registration allows the owner of the copyright to record the
- registration with the U. S. Customs Service for protection
- against the importation of infringing copies. For additional
- information, request Publication No. 563 "How to Protect Your
- Intellectual Property Right," from: U.S. Customs Service, P.O.
- Box 7404, Washington, D.C. 20044. See the U.S. Customs
- Service Website at www.customs.gov for online
- publications.

Registration may be made at any time within the life of the
copyright. Unlike the law before 1978, when a work has been
registered in unpublished form, it is not necessary to make
another registration when the work becomes published, although
the copyright owner may register the published edition, if desired."

Source: http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html#cr