copyright
Copyright Infringement Guide
<p>I'm thinking of making a website that explains about games (walkthroughs, level-passing guide, etc.) which will include screenshots and the game content. Will these violate some kinds of copyright laws?</p>
<p>Sorry for my bad english explanation. I'm also sorry if this isn't the place for asking such question.</p>

<p>What you describe would generally be considered &quot;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_use" rel="nofollow noreferrer">fair use</a>&quot; or &quot;<a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/exceptions-to-copyright#fair-dealing" rel="nofollow noreferrer">fair dealing</a>&quot;. The details will depend on your jurisdiction, but as a rule courts will look at how much you copied, how you used it, whether you are making a profit, and whether it has a negative impact on the market for the original game.</p>
<p>The trouble with fair use and its relatives is that they don't have any well-defined boundaries: if it ever came to a court case the court would look at the facts of the case and make a judgement about the balance. So making sure you have the balance well-weighted in your favour is important.</p>
<p>Describing the game or how to beat it in your own words is not a problem. E.g. &quot;The boss monster has a vulnerable spot on its right ankle&quot;. You own the copyright in your own words, even if you are describing something that is copyrighted by someone else.</p>
<p>Screenshots are generally not a problem, especially if you take them from general gameplay. If you were to copy a publicity shot provided by the publisher then that would be more of an issue.</p>
<p>The more of your own work you put in, the more the balance tilts in your favour. For instance, taking a screenshot of the boss fight, cropping around the boss monster, and putting an arrow labelled &quot;Aim here&quot; is better than just reproducing the whole screenshot.</p>
