MTJG London 2024 will be dedicated to exploring what happens when principles in lawmaking collide and what our response ought to be to the loss of coherence and impact.
The interactive entertainment sector is yet again at the forefront of a Battle Royale for human flourishing as it navigates incoherent laws with colliding aims and objectives, incompatible regulations, conflicting jurisdictional approaches, or, at the highest level, clashes between who ought to determine what the principles are and how to implement them.
The conference will enable our speakers and panellists to outline these clashes, debate the colliding principles and aims of IP, privacy and data protection, consumer protection, antitrust law, and human rights, and ultimately, inspire the relevant actors to pursue practices based on trust and focused primarily on human welfare.



agenda

Day 1 / 9th May 2024

9.15-9.45       Registration and coffee/tea
9.45-10.00    Welcome - Dr Gaetano Dimita & Dr Michaela MacDonald

10.00-11.00    Video Games, Culture & Society
Video games and the industry have both transformed radically since they got hold of the public’s imagination back in the 1960’s. They have long surpassed the notion that they are a niche form of entertainment. Today, video games are a fundamental part of our culture and heritage, shaping our perceptions, experiences, and expectations. They have truly become ‘more than just a game’.

Yin Harn Lee, Univerity of Bristol; Dimiter Gantchev, WIPO, Kim Voll, Fair Play Alliance - Brace Yourself Games; Andy Phelps, American University

11.00-11.45    Patent and Innovation
Intellectual property rights, and patents in particular, can be considered both a powerful catalyst for innovation and creativity, as well as create barriers to entry. This session will look at how video games and interactive entertainment can be leveraged to connect people and enhance user experience on an unprecedented level .

Gwilym Roberts, Kilburn & Strode; Arty Rajendra, Osborne Clarke; Ross Dannenberg, Banner & Witcoff

11.45-12.00    Coffee/tea break
12.00-13.15    TMs, Designs and Freedoms
Our panellists / speakers will consider the interplay between the freedom of creativity in an ecosystem underpinned by trademarks and designs.

Kostya Lobov, Harbottle & Lewis; Kinga Palinska, CD Project Red; ALexandre Rudoni, Allen & Overy; Rosie Burbidge, Gunnercooke; Dorian Slater Thomas. Frankfurt Kurnit

13.15-14.15    Lunch
14.15-15.15    Copyright and Creativity
This session explores the intersections between the complex and cross-cutting nature of video games and interactive entertainment, and copyright. Does creativity thrive because or despite copyright?

Andy Ramos, Perez Llorca, Monika Gebel, Triple Dot Studios; Andrea Dufaure, Allen & Overy; Paolo Lantieri, WIPO; Sophie Goossens, Reed Smith

15.15-16.00    IP and Competition Law
We are witnessing an increasing pushback from national authorities regarding the perceived use of intellectual property rights that may harm competition. Our panellists will discuss different strategies on how we strive for a more levelled and open ecosystem.

Verity Egerton-Doyle, Linklaters; Stijin Huijts, Geradin Partners; Jessica Giraud, Homa Games

16.00-16.30    Coffee/tea break
16.30-17.30    Human and Non-human Labour and Creativity
We are now living in a world where the outputs of human and non-human labour exist alongside each other, becoming even undistinguishable, perhaps. How can we embrace these new value chains and business models while balancing creativity, access and commercial exploitation?

Erich Hou-Richards, UKIPO; Scott Kelly, Banner & Witcoff; Eva Nitti, Improbable; Ben Richards, Microsoft; Loredana Cacciotti, Downtown Music

19.00-00.00    Evening reception

Day 2 / 10th May 2024

9.30-10.00    Registration and coffee/tea
10.00-11.00    Data Privacy and Data Sharing
Our experts will kick off the day’s agenda with a probe into where the line between fair and foul lies when it comes to data-based business models and practices. Trust and safety by design, tackling dark patterns and AI ethics, will people manage to stay ahead of the technology?

Willy Duhen, Activision Blizzard King; Stacy Feuer, ESRB; Andreas Lober, Advant Beiten; Mike Dunford, Kusk Law; Rupam Dave', Harbottle & Lewis

11.00-11.30    Coffee/tea break
11.30-12.45    Players/Consumers and World Creators
Interaction and participation are central to video games. This panel will explore how consumer protection, advertising and privacy rules and regulation drive business decisions with regards to marketplaces, monetisation and subscription models.

Greg Boyd, Frankfurt Kurnit; Mikolaj Skowronek, Netease; Tamara Sakolchyk, Epic; Isabel Davies, Wiggin; Nick Allan, Lewis Silkin

12.45-13.45    Lunch
13.45-15.00    Clash of Regulations
The core theme of the conference revolves around the unfolding clash of values, principles, and objectives informing the existing and emerging laws and regulations. Our panellists will unpack the main challenges and fault lines in this legendary battle for human welfare.

Paul Gardner, Wiggin; Nicoletta Serao, LCA; Leslie William, Linklaters

15.00-16.00    Globalization and Localization – Who Decides Which Principles Shall Prevail?
Stay with us for the final session of the day, discussing the state of the industry and future trends.

Ben Golant, TenCent; Heidi Holman, Microsoft; Kate Edwards, Geogrify - SetJetters; Julian Ward, Lee & Thompson

16.00-17.00    Closing remarks and Drinks reception


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