Italian Law Recognizes Video Games as Cultural Artistic Works

Italy's Law 220/2016 on cinema and audiovisual works, effective from January 1, 2017, explicitly includes video games among eligible works for public support. The law defines an audiovisual work as a recording of moving images, with or without sound, on any medium and by any technique, including animation, with narrative, documentary, or video game content, provided it is an intellectual work protected by copyright and intended for the public. This recognition grants video games the status of cultural artistic products, eligible for copyright protection if they possess creativity. The law opens new avenues for the video game market, including interaction with cultural heritage, as seen in projects like Father and Son by the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. A 2016 agreement between AESVI (Italian Video Game Publishers Developers Association) and the Italian Film Commissions Association aims to promote Italy's historical, artistic, and landscape heritage through video game production, resulting in the IVIPRO (Italian Videogame Program). In 2015, about 49% of Italians were gamers, making Italy a key European market. Implementation awaits ministerial decrees.