Roblox and National Music Publishers Association Settle $200 Million Copyright Lawsuit
Roblox and the National Music Publishers’ Association today announced an agreement that “settles any previous claims against Roblox and sets the foundation for future partnerships with global publishers that will unlock new creative and commercial opportunities on its platform,” according to the announcement.
In June, a group of music publishers sued Roblox through the NMPA for $200 million-plus, claiming copyright infringement by the company.
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The agreement settles claims filed by NMPA members, offers an industry-wide opt-in open to all eligible NMPA publishers and opens a negotiation period for members to engage individually in new go-forward licensing deals with the Roblox global platform that brings millions of people together through shared experiences.
Terms of the agreement were not announced; the arrangement was the second one of its kind announced in recent days: Last week the NMPA announced an agreement with Twitch, another platform with whom it has long battling over licensing sissues, to work together “to build productive partnerships between the service and music publishers,” according to the announcement, although it fell short of a full licensing deal.
According to the announcement, the new agreement expands Roblox’s existing relationships with major publishers to the entire publishing industry. “Roblox will work closely with the global music publishing industry to help them unlock new ways for music to be more meaningfully integrated into the global Roblox community of more than 48 million daily active users. The deal paves the way for innovative partnerships between Roblox and publishers that will offer songwriters new ways to monetize their songs and catalogues.
NMPA President & CEO David Israelite commented on the agreement saying, “We are extremely pleased to have found a way forward with Roblox as it continues to offer a unique platform for musicians and songwriters in the metaverse,” it says. “Roblox understands that music has the potential to play a more integral role on its platform. I appreciate Roblox’s willingness to work with us in pursuit of advancing the interests of publishers and songwriters and look forward to seeing how they expand virtual experiences through music.”
Roblox Vice President, Global Head of Music Jon Vlassopulos added, “We are delighted to have come to terms with select NMPA members, building on our existing relationships with major publishers. We are pleased that the publishing industry sees the potential of Roblox to be a significant creative and commercial opportunity for its members. Music is a natural way for people to express themselves, be entertained, and connect with likeminded people. We strive to offer experiences that bring millions of fans together with the songwriters and artists they love. Roblox currently enables labels and publishers to reach millions of fans at once in hyper social, immersive environments such as launch parties and virtual concerts. Moving forward, we are committed to partnering with the music industry, as a whole, to create an exciting new social era of the music business which engages fans and artists in an unprecedented way in the metaverse.”
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