改编文学角色为网络游戏角色的侵权行为认定

Copyright Right Infringement Determination Regarding Online Game Character Adapted from Literary Character

网络游戏角色是由计算机软件生成的视听作品和文字作品混合产物,兼具与游戏用户进行信息交互的功能,其创作以游戏用户的偏好为导向,因此在认定是否存在侵权改编行为的过程中进行实质性相似判断,应避免僵化地套用“抽象—过滤—对比法”,而要围绕游戏角色的表达特点和著作人经济利益的保护,重视适用“整体观感法”,强调在关于表达的实质性相似判断中引入理性的普通游戏用户和文学作品读者,以其主观体验对作品进行整体对比。具体操作中,为避免不当扩大保护范围,需确保原作品的文学角色已被充分开发、可以独立获得著作权保护,并且相关游戏角色使用了涉案文学角色的“基本表达”,即其最主要的内在性格特征。

As a mixture of audiovisual work and literary work generated by software with a plus feature of information interaction,online game characters tend to be created in the way could cater to their players.Therefore,in the process of determination about whether online game developers’creation has constituted infringement of adaptation right,application of the classical“abstraction-filtration-comparison test”without flexibility is advised to be avoided.In line with the online game characters’expression and entertainment feature as well as the economic interest of the author,“total concept and feel test”,especially the average reasonable players and readers’feel towards the expression substantial similarity of the characters in question as a whole,should be given due attention.And in application of the latter test,the trier must confirm that the literary characters involved have been fully developed and under independent protection of copyright law,meanwhile the online game characters have used the major inner traits and characteristics of the literary characters,which is recognized as their essential expression.