Practical Answer — Game IP & Supplier Control
How Do I Protect a Game Concept When Working With Chinese Studios?
Last updated: June 2026
The main risks when working with Chinese studios on game production are title filing, asset ownership, and production file control. The document layer and trademark timing matter most.
In short
Register the game title and logo as a China trademark before the studio sees them. Sign an NNN before sharing any game assets, artwork, or concept materials. Add a collaboration agreement with IP ownership terms before any development work begins. The risks when working with Chinese studios are trademark filing by the studio, ownership claims over collaboratively created assets, and production file control when the relationship ends.
The Direct Answer
Protecting a game concept when working with Chinese studios requires three layers: trademark registration for the title and logo before studio contact; an NNN agreement before sharing game files or assets; and a collaboration or production agreement with IP ownership, delivery, and non-use terms before development work begins. Each layer addresses a different stage of the risk.
What Assets Are at Risk When Working With Chinese Studios
When collaborating with a Chinese studio, publisher, printer, or game manufacturer, the following assets are most commonly at risk:
Game title and logo
The game name and logo can be registered as a trademark in China by anyone — including a studio that has seen your title through collaboration materials. China's first-to-file trademark system means the studio could file before you and establish prior rights.
Character names and original artwork
Character names may be registerable as trademarks. Original artwork, illustrations, character designs, and graphic assets are protected by copyright from creation — but enforcement is more practical when ownership is expressly documented in the collaboration agreement.
Game rules, written content, and rulebook
Written content, including game rules, story text, and rulebooks, is protected by copyright. The studio's contribution to development may create shared or competing copyright claims if ownership is not addressed in the agreement.
Production files — print-ready artwork, digital assets, templates
Print-ready files, high-resolution artwork, and production templates shared with a printer or manufacturer may be retained and used by the studio for other products. Delivery, return, and non-use obligations should be expressly agreed before production files are shared.
The Three Protection Layers
Each layer addresses a different stage of the studio relationship:
- Layer 1 — Trademark registration before studio contact: File China trademark for the game title, logo, and key character names before any studio sees the materials. This prevents the studio from filing first and establishes your prior rights.
- Layer 2 — NNN agreement before sharing game assets: Sign an NNN covering non-disclosure, non-use, and non-circumvention — including a prohibition on filing any trademark, copyright registration, or other IP based on the game materials — before sharing any game files, concept art, or production materials.
- Layer 3 — Collaboration agreement before development work begins: Address IP ownership of assets created during development, file delivery obligations, non-use of game assets for other projects, return obligations, and what happens to all production files if the relationship ends.
IP Ownership in Collaboration Agreements
One of the most common gaps in game production collaborations is the absence of IP ownership terms for assets created during the project. If a Chinese studio contributes artwork, character designs, or adaptations during the collaboration, it may have a claim to those assets unless the agreement expressly assigns ownership to the buyer.
The collaboration agreement should expressly state:
- All assets created under the collaboration — including artwork, adaptations, translations, and derivative works — belong to the buyer
- The studio may not use any game assets, materials, or concepts for other projects or its own products
- On termination, the studio must deliver all production files and certify destruction of retained copies
- The studio and its employees, subcontractors, and affiliates may not file any IP registration based on the game materials
See also: Game IP Protection in China and How Do I Protect My Game or Story IP Before Pitching It to Chinese Partners?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What IP assets should be protected when working with a Chinese studio?
The main assets at risk include: the game title and logo (protectable by trademark); character names (protectable by trademark and in some cases copyright); original artwork, illustrations, and graphic assets (protectable by copyright and potentially design rights); game rules and written content (protectable by copyright); and any distinctive product shape or packaging (potentially protectable by design registration). The most practical first step is usually trademark registration for the title and logo.
Is an NNN enough when working with a Chinese studio on game production?
An NNN addresses the early disclosure stage — before game files or assets are shared. But as the relationship moves into production collaboration, a development or collaboration agreement is usually needed to address IP ownership of assets created during development, file delivery obligations, non-use and non-filing terms, and what happens to game assets if the relationship ends. The NNN is the first layer; the collaboration agreement covers production-stage control.
Who owns artwork or assets created by a Chinese studio during collaboration?
Ownership of collaboratively created assets depends on what the collaboration agreement says — not on who created them. Without an express IP ownership clause assigning the created assets to the buyer, the studio may have a claim to the created artwork, characters, or other assets. The agreement should expressly state that all assets created under the collaboration belong to the buyer.
Can a Chinese studio publish or sell my game concept under a different title?
Whether a studio can do so depends on what agreement terms are in place and what IP is registered. Without NNN terms covering game concepts and assets, without a collaboration agreement with IP ownership clauses, and without trademark registration for the title, a studio may argue it developed a similar but independent game. Trademark registration and clear agreement terms are the main practical protections.
When should I register the game trademark in China?
Before the studio has access to the game title, character names, or logo. China's trademark system operates on a first-to-file basis — whoever files first generally has the stronger claim to the mark. A studio that has seen your title and logo during collaboration could file first if no trademark has been registered. Filing at or before the point of first contact with Chinese partners is the most practical approach.
On this page
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