A computer video game is a complex work, with its essential elements being the same as are typical for a literary piece: plot and character. It would be inappropriate to understand a video game merely as a computer program – a copyright protected object (source and object codes which are protected by virtue of law). The purpose of this article is to present a scientific justification of copyright protection of a literary piece upon which a computer video game is based, via such essential elements as plot and character. A computer video game contains certain elements of a literary piece allowing to adapt a computer game script with a view to creating a movie or novel script or, visa versa, to adapt a script of a movie or a literary piece to make a computer video game. In terms of copyright protection, each element of a video game should be identified with the aim of analyzing its compliance with the criteria of eligibility for being protected. Thus, most computer video games are based on a certain literary piece – script. A computer game’s character is at the same time a part of a literary piece. Creating of derivative works, mainly of movies and cartoons, on the basis of computer games seems to be a common situation, and this envisages a transfer of proprietary rights to the use of scripts and to characters of computer video games.

List of legal documents 
 

Legislation 
1. Pro avtorske pravo ta sumizhni prava [On Copyright and Related Rights]: Zakon Ukrainy [Law of Ukraine] vid 23 hrudnia 1993 r. № 3792-XII. URL: http://zakon2.rada. gov.ua/laws/show/3792-12 (accessed: 23.11.2017) (in Ukrainian). 
2. Pro rozpovsiudzhennia prymirnykiv audiovizualnykh tvoriv, fonohram, videohram, kompiuternykh prohram, baz danykh [On Distribution of Copies of Audiovisual Works, Phonograms, Videograms, Computer Programs, Databases]: Zakon Ukrainy [Law of Ukraine] vid 23 bereznia 2000 r. № 1587-III. URL: http://zakon2.rada.gov.ua/ laws/show/1587-14 (accessed: 23.11.2017) (in Ukrainian). 
 

Bibliography 
 

Authored books 
3. Gordon M, Sovetskoe avtorskoe pravo [Soviet Copyright] (Juridicheskaja literatura 1955) (in Russian). 
4. Ionas V, Proizvedenija tvorchestva v grazhdanskom prave [Creative Pieces in Civil Law] (Juridicheskaja literatura 1972) (in Russian). 

Glossary 
5. Intelektualna vlasnist [Intellectual Property] (2000) T 1 (in Ukrainian). 

Articles 
6. Greenspan D and Boyd S G and Purewal J, ‘Video Games and IP: A Global Perspective’ (2014) 2 WIPO Magazine 6 (in English). 
7. Afanasieva K, ‘Avtorske pravo na pokhidni tvory u vydavnychii diialnosti’ [‘Copyright to Derivative Works in Publishing’] (2011) 4 Teoriia i praktyka intelektualnoi vlasnosti 21 (in Ukrainian). 
8. Arhipov V, ‘Pravila igry kak normativnaja sistema, ili Chto obshhego mezhdu jurisprudenciej i gejm-dizajnom’ [‘Rules of a Game as a Normative System, or What the Common Features of Law and Game Design are’] (2015) 25(1) LOGOS 214 (in Russian). 
9. Tarasova I, ‘Pererobka yak obiekt avtorskoho prava’ [‘Processing as an Object of Copyright’] (2014) 1 Pidpryiemnytstvo, hospodarstvo i pravo 21 (in Ukrainian). 
10. Tiapkin A, ‘Oryhinalnist ta novyzna yak umova okhoroniuvanosti tvoru za avtorskym pravom’ [‘Originality and Novelty as a Condition of a Work’s Eligibility for Copyright Protection’] (2002) 18 Visnyk Natsionalnoho universytetu vnutrishnikh sprav 130 (in Ukrainian). 
11. Ulitina O ta Yakusha Ye, ‘Kosplei i avtorske pravo’ [‘Cosplay and Copyright’] (2016) 6 Teoriia i praktyka intelektualnoi vlasnosti 25 (in Ukrainian). 

Conference papers 
12. Ivaniuchenko O, ‘Kompiuterna hra (videohra) yak obiekt avtorskoho prava’ [‘Computer Game (Video Game) as an Object of Copyright’] Aktualni problemy pryvatnoho prava: Mizhnarodna naukovo-praktychna konferentsiia, prysviachena 93-y richnytsi z dnia narodzhennia V P Maslova [Topical Issues of Private Law: International Scientific and Practical Conference Dedicated to the 93rd Anniversary of V P Maslov’s Birth] (Pravo 2015) (in Ukrainian). 

Websites 
13. Lastowka G, ‘Copyright Law and Video Games: A Brief History of an Interactive Medium’ (SSRN, October 2013) accessed 25 November 2017 (in English). 
14. ‘Informatsiina dovidka pro dotrymannia zakonodavstva u sferi zakhystu suspilnoi morali pry obihu kompiuternykh ihor na terytorii Ukrainy’ [‘Information Brief on Compliance with Public Morals Protection Laws within the Framework of Circulation of Computer Games in Ukraine’] (Natsionalna ekspertna komisiia Ukrainy z pytan zakhystu suspilnoi morali, 9 Kviten 2013) accessed 24 November 2017 (in Ukrainian). 
15. Savickaja K, ‘Personazh komp’juternoj igry kak ohranjaemyj ob’’ekt avtorskogo prava’ [‘Computer Game Character as a Copyright Protected Object’] (Otrasli prava Analiticheskij portal, 28 Janvar 2017) accessed 25 November 2017 (in Russian). 

Newspaper articles 
16. Zhilinkova E, ‘“Slozhnoe proizvedenie” – novyj termin’ [‘“Complex Piece” – a new Term’] Juridicheskaja praktika (Kiev, 20 Maj 2008) accessed 24 November 2017 (in Russian).