Key takeaways from the 2026 More Than Just a Game conference in London

It was a pleasure to attend this year’s More Than Just a Game (MTJG) conference in London on 23–24 April 2026, which featured a series of sessions focused on Games and Interactive Entertainment Law. 

The conference brought together legal professionals and academics to explore the most pressing legal and ethical challenges shaping the video games and interactive entertainment industry. Over the course of two days, discussions spanned a broad range of themes, from issues relating to player data collection, to the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on game development.

In this post, we share our key takeaways from the event: 

1| AI, authorship and game development

Artificial intelligence is reshaping game development economics at pace. Morgan Stanley analysts estimate that advanced AI tools could cut development costs by nearly half, potentially unlocking around $22bn in annual profits for game developers. Beyond cost savings, AI may extend the lifespan of existing franchises and reduce reliance on new releases. These shifts make the legal questions of authorship and IP all the more pressing as highlighted in one of this year’s MTJG panel discussions. Core themes included: 

• AI-assisted vs AI-generated works: The global consensus currently leans against copyright protection for fully AI-generated content, though AI-assisted works enjoy broader support for recognition, and more case law on this issue is expected in the coming years. This debate raises fundamental questions about whether existing copyright frameworks, with their emphasis on originality and an author’s ‘own intellectual creation’, are still fit for purpose. 

• Mixed creation and commercial risk: AI's co-creative role in coding blurs the line between human and AI-generated contributions, leaving studios exposed to the risk that parts of their games or creative assets may prove un-copyrightable.

• Documentation and internal policies: Studios are encouraged to document AI inputs meticulously and adopt policies mandating a minimum level of human involvement to strengthen copyright claims and provide a defensive tool in litigation.

• The EU regulatory landscape: The EU AI Act carries significant (collateral) consequences for the games industry, including potential coverage of in-game mechanics and AI-labelling obligations for realistic fictional settings. The EU Copyright Directive is under mandatory review, focused primarily on the use of copyrighted material for training AI models.

2| Player data in the spotlight

Player data sits at the heart of modern game development, driving both product improvement and monetisation. Yet, as the panel at MTJG made clear, studios must navigate growing legal, ethical, and commercial pressures in how they collect, use, and protect it.

• Building and maintaining player trust: Players are largely indifferent to data collection until something goes wrong. Clear communication about what players can expect is a critical part of building and maintaining player trust, especially around monetisation. 

• Data sensitivity and breach risk: As the volume and variety of player data collected continues to grow, studios must be mindful that not all data carries equal risk in the event of a breach, identity and telemetry data may be considered less risky to players than other, more sensitive categories of personal data.

• Contractual and commercial value of player data: Studios and publishers should review their development and publishing agreements, carefully addressing what happens to player data when an agreement ends. 

• Regulatory compliance and emerging risks: The impact of the EU AI Act will depend on how AI is used to collect and process telemetry data. The key area of interest will be the use of AI or automated decision-making to ban players, which will raise questions about human involvement and transparency under the AI Act and GDPR.

3| Content moderation: practical challenges for in-house teams

Content moderation in the games industry has never been more complex or scrutinised. 

• Platform liability: Platform liability for user-generated content is under increasing scrutiny globally. The sentiment towards Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act protections are changing in the US, while the EU’s Digital Services Act provides 'safe harbour' protections but also encourages proactive moderation, particularly to protect minors.

• A risk-based approach: Platforms need to take a risk-based approach, recognising that some features, such as those with significant UGC elements, carry more risk than others.

• Automation and its limits: Automation is crucial for managing the sheer volume of content and reducing the significant mental toll on human moderation teams. Platforms are comfortable using AI to scan and triage content at scale, but not yet for making final automated decisions in complex cases. Trained human moderators are still needed for grey areas.

• Shifting towards positive reinforcement: Moderation is evolving away from purely punitive measures towards nudges and positive reinforcement to guide player behaviour. The goal is to encourage players to apply the same standards of behaviour online as they would in real life, challenging the idea that 'trash talk' is an inherent part of gaming.

• Bridging the knowledge gap: Engaging parents through better information and tailored account types for younger players is also an area where platforms are increasingly focused.

What's next

As AI, data, and regulation continue to reshape the gaming landscape at pace, studios that invest now in robust governance frameworks, thoughtful data practices, and proactive compliance will be well-positioned to transform legal challenges into opportunities, gaining an edge over competitors.

Read our Games and Interactive Entertainment Legal Outlook 2026 to learn about key issues affecting the sector in 2026.

See our Games and Interactive Entertainment page to find out more about our work and thought leadership in the space.