A business development toolkit designed for Quebec’s video game studios. It brings together practical insights and reliable resources to help studios understand the key challenges of building and growing a business, and know where to find additional guidance.
The Game Studio Toolkit
1.8 Essential Contracts and Day-to-Day Licensing
Essential Contracts and Day-to-Day Licensing
A studio regularly relies on the work, tools, and content of others: freelancers, composers, suppliers, software, plugins, assets, open-source libraries, and AI services.
In each case, a contract or licence determines what the studio is actually allowed to do with that work or technology.
A good contract does not need to be unnecessarily complex. Its main purpose is to eliminate uncertainty about the expected work, pricing, deadlines, responsibilities, and rights granted.
The goal is to ensure the studio understands its commitments and can demonstrate that it holds the rights needed for its game.
Key Takeaways
- A contract should clearly answer a few essential questions: who does what, by when, at what price, under which conditions, and with what rights?
- Paying for a deliverable does not automatically mean owning it. The contract must specify which rights the studio receives.
- An asset, plugin, or piece of open-source code is not free of licensing restrictions simply because it is readily available. Its use is still governed by a licence.
- Licences should be reviewed before an external component becomes difficult or expensive to replace in the game.
Why It Matters
A game can include hundreds of components that the studio did not create on its own.
An external artist creates illustrations. Another collaborator composes the music. An open-source library speeds up development. A plugin comes from an online marketplace. A third-party technology becomes essential to the game’s functionality.
The issue is generally not the use of these resources. Problems arise when the team no longer knows exactly which rights it has obtained, what restrictions apply, or which obligations it must meet.
These uncertainties can become significant when publishing the game, signing with a publisher, porting the project to a new platform, or undergoing an intellectual property review.
Contracts and licences help clarify these conditions before a component is integrated into the project and becomes difficult to replace.
Ressources
La Guilde Service Partners Who Can Help
SIXØCINQ can assist studios in drafting and reviewing contracts related to their business activities, including agreements with freelancers, suppliers, partners, and other individuals or organizations contributing to the company’s development.
ROBIC advises businesses on intellectual property, licensing, and contracts related to the use and commercialization of their assets. For video game studios, the firm can assist with drafting or reviewing agreements involving copyright, content licensing, transfers of rights, and various forms of IP exploitation.
Additional Resources
Deviant Legal | The Game Developer’s Guide to Publishing Agreements
Updated in March 2026, this guide was developed specifically for video game studios. It breaks down the key provisions of publishing agreements, including game licensing rights, intellectual property ownership, third-party software, milestones, revenue arrangements, warranties, and contract termination.
Unity | Asset Store Terms of Service and EULA
Updated in December 2024, these terms provide a practical example of the rules governing assets purchased or downloaded from an online marketplace, including licensing rights, restrictions, and certain AI-related uses.