网络游戏直播著作权问题研究——以主播法律身份与直播行为之合理性为对象

网络游戏直播作为新传播技术发展背景下的产物,其著作权争议主要集中于主播在直播中的法律身份与直播行为的合理性判定这两大问题上。游戏主播直播游戏操作的行为不同于表演,但依据游戏类别不同以及相应操作空间与个性化程度的差异,直播所临时呈现的游戏操作画面可能产生有别于游戏固有素材的独创性内容,构成基于原游戏运行画面的演绎作品。而直播行为是否构成合理使用同样应以游戏类别为划分标准,竞技类游戏的网络直播具有高度转换性,对游戏商业市场的潜在推广远大于其对市场的破坏效应,不属于游戏作品著作权限制的例外,而应被视为合理使用。

Research on Copyright Issues Related to Online Game Live Broadcast:Targeting on the Legal Identity of the Anchor and the Fairness of the Live Broadcast Behavior

As a product of the development of new communicating technology, the copyright disputes of live broadcast of video games have mainly focused upon two major issues: the anchor' s legal identity and the fairness of live broadcast behaviors. The game anchor’s live gamely differs from the action of performance. Nevertheless, depending on different game categories and the distinction between the corresponding gameplay space and the degree of personalization, the anchor’s gameplay pictures temporarily presented by the live broadcast may produce original content distinguished from the inherent materials of the game, which may constitute a deductive work based on the running pictures of the game itself. Whether the live broadcast behavior constitutes a fair use may also be based on the game category. The live broadcast behavior of e-sport games is highly transformative, where the potential promotion effects it may produce on the commercial market of the game work is much greater than the destructive effects it may cause. Thus, the live broadcast behavior of e-sport games should be considered as a fair use rather than an exception to the copyright restrictions of game works.