With the rapid growth of the video game industry, the copyright protection of game rules has become a critical legal issue, as demonstrated by the Three Kingdoms Tactics infringement case in China. This paper examines whether and how game rules should be protected under copyright law, using a combination of case analysis and comparative legal research. The study focuses on the legal disputes surrounding game rules, analyzing their eligibility for copyright protection under the "idea-expression dichotomy" and assessing judicial approaches in both domestic and international contexts. The findings suggest that while pure game mechanics may fall under unprotected "ideas," their unique expression within a game’s overall structure could qualify for copyright protection under certain conditions. The paper concludes by proposing refined legal standards for determining infringement and suggests balancing industry innovation with reasonable legal safeguards.
Research Article
Open Access