Open Access Review

Navigating Copyright in AI-Enhanced Game Design: Legal Challenges in Multimodal and Dynamic Content Creation

by Andrew Begemann a,*  and  James Hutson a
a
Department of Game Design, Lindenwood University, St. Charles City, MO, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
JIE  2025 3(1):42; https://doi.org/10.58567/jie03010001
Received: 12 December 2024 / Accepted: 12 January 2025 / Published Online: 15 January 2025
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Abstract

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in video game design has transformed traditional workflows, allowing for the generation of text, images, music, videos, and code at unprecedented scales. However, this advancement presents complex challenges for copyright law, traditionally rooted in human originality and authorship. This article examines recent case law that underscores the evolving legal landscape, exploring landmark cases such as Zarya of the Dawn and Andersen v. Stability AI. These cases reveal the tensions between AI-generated outputs and copyright eligibility, especially in the dynamic, multimodal compositions inherent to video games. The review analyzes how various AI tools are employed across the stages of game development—from design documentation to character modeling, soundtrack composition, and cinematic sequences—and the legal uncertainties surrounding each. Emphasis is placed on the role of human input in determining copyright eligibility, proposing that human-AI co-creation models and enhanced metadata standards may offer pathways to reconcile AI-driven innovation with intellectual property protections. As video games exemplify the unique challenges in AI-generated, temporally interactive works, this study calls for a nuanced copyright framework that acknowledges both technological capabilities and the irreplaceable contribution of human creativity. The findings advocate for policy adaptations that align legal protections with the realities of AI-integrated creative processes, ensuring a balanced approach that supports both innovation and creator rights.

Keywords: Ai-Generated Content; Copyright Law; Game Design; Multimodal Creation; Human-Ai Co-Creation;
Copyright: © 2025 by Begemann and Hutson. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) (Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

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ACS Style
Begemann, A.; Hutson, J. Navigating Copyright in AI-Enhanced Game Design: Legal Challenges in Multimodal and Dynamic Content Creation. Journal of Information Economics, 2025, 3, 42. https://doi.org/10.58567/jie03010001
AMA Style
Begemann A, Hutson J. Navigating Copyright in AI-Enhanced Game Design: Legal Challenges in Multimodal and Dynamic Content Creation. Journal of Information Economics; 2025, 3(1):42. https://doi.org/10.58567/jie03010001
Chicago/Turabian Style
Begemann, Andrew; Hutson, James 2025. "Navigating Copyright in AI-Enhanced Game Design: Legal Challenges in Multimodal and Dynamic Content Creation" Journal of Information Economics 3, no.1:42. https://doi.org/10.58567/jie03010001
APA style
Begemann, A., & Hutson, J. (2025). Navigating Copyright in AI-Enhanced Game Design: Legal Challenges in Multimodal and Dynamic Content Creation. Journal of Information Economics, 3(1), 42. https://doi.org/10.58567/jie03010001

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