Speaker Information

Adam Sullivan Sr. Manager, Business and Legal Affairs Square Enix

Adam Sullivan is the Head of Legal for Square Enix America, one of the world’s leading video game publishers known for games such as Final Fantasy, Tomb Raider and the iconic Space Invaders. Since 2009, he has provided legal advice and guidance to all departments ranging from game development to sales and distribution, helping the teams to negotiate deals and to navigate dangerous waters such as data privacy, children’s data, virtual currency and cloud services. He also manages litigation and works closely with legal teams in Europe and Japan to coordinate worldwide efforts on global digital products.

Before joining Square Enix, he spent two years working for Sony Computer Entertainment America where he helped develop policies for emerging business models such as micro-transactions and user-generated content. He also spent two years working in civil litigation at the law firm Ericksen Arbuthnot.

Adam obtained a JD/MBA at Pepperdine University with a certificate from the Palmer Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology Law, and is a graduate of Dartmouth College. He serves on the Board of Directors for Dartmouth Alumni in Entertainment and Media, and was named as the Video game Counsel of the Year for 2013 by the Association of Media and Entertainment Counsel.

1:45 PM Addressing the Benefits and Impediments of DRM

The use of digital rights management is not universally accepted. Some content providers claim that DRM is necessary to fight copyright infringement online and that it can help the copyright holder maintain control or ensure continued revenue streams. Opponents of DRM contend there is no evidence that DRM helps prevent copyright infringement, arguing instead that it serves only to inconvenience legitimate customers. Furthermore, works can become permanently inaccessible if the DRM scheme changes or if the service is discontinued. This session will review the use of DRM and how it has actively helped or hurt business models within creative content industries.

Addressing the benefits of DRM on copy protection and the impediments on the legitimate consumer
Analysing the input of capital for DRM technologies and its return on investment
Recognizing DRM’s impact on content value and a developer’s work
Forecasting for the future and potential alternatives

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