Expert: Shannon Moore - 1/18/2009

Question
How long do Board game copyrights last? Do they expire?  I am curious about a game copyrighted in 1971 by Brown Bag Enterprises.

Answer
Dear J,

Here's what the US Copyright Office has to say:

"The term of copyright for a particular work depends on several factors, including whether it has been published, and, if so, the date of first publication...For works first published prior to 1978, the term will vary depending on several factors. To determine the length of copyright protection for a particular work, consult chapter 3 of the Copyright Act (title 17 of the United States Code)."

http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-duration.html#duration -- Link to above quote

http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap3.html -- Link to chapter 3

Hope that helps!

Warmest regards,
Shannon Moore
http://www.tmexpress.com