Law enforcement

Widespread software and product piracy poses serious problems for the games industry and threatens the economic livelihood of many developers and publishers of computer and video games. Various tools such as technical copy protection measures and server-based gaming are therefore used to protect against unauthorised use. Mainly due to technical copy protection measures, classic piracy is playing an increasingly minor role in the sale of computer and video games. However, new challenges have emerged, such as key selling, pirate servers and the unauthorised sale of digital goods.

In order to track developments and trends in the unauthorised use of games and to monitor the economic damage to the games industry, game regularly commissions a so-called landscaping study on illegal uses of games in Germany and exchanges views with its members in regular workshops as well as with the European umbrella associations and other industry associations.

To combat structurally infringing websites, game, together with other associations and all major internet service providers, founded the CUII – Clearing Body for Copyright on the Internet. Since July 2025, a new code of conduct has been in place: blocking now takes place exclusively on the basis of court decisions. The CUII has since coordinated the blocking proceedings and the implementation of blocking orders by the participating internet service providers.

For further information on law enforcement in the games industry, the association has published a supplement in the legal journal MMR (in German): MMR 08-2019 – Supplement on Law Enforcement