Reconstructing the copyright idea/expression dichotomy for video games

Video game players do not just engage in ready-made gameplay but also actively take part in the construction of these experiences: they bring their desires, anticipations and previous experiences with them, and interpret and reflect their experience of gameplay in that light. Video games pose two challenges for a copyright assessment. First, should a game be assessed as an entity or broken down into its composite elements? Second, should copyright be granted to the gameplay which guides players’ behaviours and shapes their ludic experience of a game? It is these questions which are addressed in this article.