Starting Game Development Studio

Ask Your Question For Free

Summary

To start a game development studio in Kentucky, you need to register a DBA to operate under a studio name. Trademarking your name is optional but offers additional protection. For out-of-state activities, you may need to register your DBA in those states. When seeking investors or using Kickstarter, registering your business in Kentucky is advisable for legal compliance and credibility. For merchandising, trademark and copyright registrations can provide legal protection but are not mandatory. Consult a local attorney for specific advice.

Full Conversation

My domestic partner and I are both independent game developers. We are in Louisville, KY. We want to go by a studio name instead of our real names online. We will not have any income from this for at least 2 years while we develop games and go back to college (her for the first time, me to finish a degree). We do not wish to form an LLC, as it wouldn't actually protect anything in our specific use case. Do we just need a DBA? Do we need to trademark our name, too? If we go to an out of state gaming convention or apply to be part of Nintendo's developer program so we need anything but the DBA? We are considered a general partnership
In Kentucky:
*. A DBA (doing business as) registration would be necessary to legally operate under your studio name.
*. Trademarking your name is optional but can provide additional protection.
*. For out-of-state activities, you might need to register your DBA in those states too, depending on their laws.
*. Applying to Nintendo's program would be governed by their specific requirements.
For exact procedures, consult a local attorney.
Once we have the core development done and have something to demo and show to investors, what else would we need to do. At that point do we need to register our business in KY?
Yes, it is generally advisable to register your business in KY upon reaching such a stage. This can give you more credibility with investors and ensure you are in compliance with local laws. For specifics, please consult a local attorney.
Same question, but instead of typical investors it's Kickstarter.
When dealing with Kickstarter, it's recommended to:
*. Register your business in KY for legal compliance.
*. Review Kickstarter's terms of use, as they have specific rules for creators.
*. Ensure your project meets Kickstarter's project guidelines.
Please consult a local attorney for more specific advice.
Do we need any specific trademarks or copyright filings to make our own merch to finance development and travel to conventions to get our name out?
In Kentucky:
*. Trademark registration can help protect your brand.
*. Copyright registration can protect your game designs.
*. These are not obligatory for merchandising, but can provide legal protection.
For specifics, please consult a local attorney.