Technology Case Study: Mobile Racing Game — Comprehensive IP Licensing Strategy
A mobile racing game featuring real drivers, vehicles, and tracks required complex intellectual property architecture across multiple stakeholder categories. The challenge: securing rights to hundreds of brand logos, driver likenesses, manufacturer vehicles, and track environments without prohibitive transaction costs.
The Problem
Traditional licensing approaches were unworkable. Each digitally recreated race car featured dozens of sponsor logos requiring individual brand approvals—an administrative impossibility at scale. The client needed a licensing structure that simplified multi-party negotiations while protecting commercial operations.
The Solution
We developed a driver-centric licensing framework. Drivers warranted rights to license the full likeness of their vehicles—including all sponsor branding—pushing sublicensing obligations and brand management to the appropriate party. When brand concerns arose, drivers negotiated directly, positioning digital representation as equivalent value to physical sponsorship placement.
Over five years, only two brands requested removal from hundreds represented. The model scaled.
Legal Infrastructure
Track Licensing
Secured 3D modeling rights from track owners while establishing monetization frameworks for in-game trackside advertising—converting real-world cost centers into revenue streams.
Component Licensing
Obtained CAD drawings and reproduction rights for aftermarket parts (brakes, turbos, wheels), enabling granular in-app purchase offerings.
Manufacturer Agreements
Negotiated vehicle licensing with OEMs under strict presentation protocols—no damage visualization, positive brand context only.
Operational Framework: Built contract libraries, automated licensing workflows, and ongoing advisory covering terms of service, privacy policy, App Store compliance, and employment matters.
Outcome
The comprehensive IP strategy enabled a commercially successful product. After five years of operation, the studio was acquired by a larger gaming company for tens of millions. All contracts passed acquisition due diligence without issue.
