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We level up your legal
Deviant Legal is the premier law firm for the video games industry. We make quality legal accessible to anyone, whether you are a beginning developer, an established studio, esports team or content creator. No soulslike legalese, but an approachable and personable co-op (legal) partner. As members of the games community, our mission is to contribute towards a safer and more successful industry every day.
Chosen by the best in games, esports and beyond.
Game lawyers rewriting the rules of traditional law firms.
We like to break the prejudice of lawyers being formal, distant and expensive. Instead, we are considered gamedevs with legal expertise. Our approach is simple: clear communication, no confusing jargon, and no hidden fees.
We help you understand and navigate all legal challenges in game development and interactive entertainment, such as negotiating publishing and licensing agreements, protecting your intellectual property rights and complying with privacy and consumer laws. We help you focus on releasing awesome immersive experiences without legal headaches.
We're not just lawyers. We’re your legal party member who protects your game.
What we offer
Legal support that understands you
Accessible and authentic
We believe that legal help shouldn’t feel out of reach. Whether you’re an indie developer or a global brand, we bring a down-to-earth, approachable style that makes understanding the law simple. We champion diversity and inclusion while we simultaneously encourage our team to remain authentic as well.
Remote, but always in reach
Why stay tethered to a single location when the industries we serve are global? As a remote-first law firm, we transcend borders to connect with clients and team members worldwide. This flexibility lets us adapt to your needs, reduce overhead, and pass those savings on to you.
Helpful & Accessible
From intellectual property to contracts and compliance, we provide comprehensive legal solutions built for the fast-paced world of gaming, esports, entertainment, and beyond. But we don’t stop at the paperwork. We’re your partner in crafting strategies that not only protect your work but also push your vision forward with in-house commercial knowledge, specialisation and insights.
How we can help
Let's make the complex, simple
Whether you’re tackling your first deal or scaling a global brand, we can help.
Let's get introduced
Your partner in every legal challenge or opportunity.
Deviant Legal is founded by René Otto: one of Europe's leading video game lawyers who has worked with over 300 clients in the industry.
Through his work, René built a reputation for cutting through legal complexity and championing fairness and inclusivity.
His vision is that legal should be accessible regardless of your size, budget or background. So whether you're navigating your first publishing deal, scaling an established studio, or you have been around since the Commodore 64, Deviant Legal is the go-to law firm for all your legal matters.
- Deals Value0Million EUR (2025)
- Clients helped0In 2025
- Awards0Industry Recognitions
Meet the Team
Choose Your Character
Law is our craft. People are our strength.
René Otto
Founder & AttorneyAward-winning game lawyer. Gamer at heart who swapped WoW raids for single-player adventures. Known among peers as a “Pokémon Master,” he’s an advocate for inclusivity in games and the legal profession.
Lieke van Dijk
Legal CounselLegal counsel at Deviant Legal by day; AD carry in League of Legends, Palalock in D&D, anime enthusiast and cosplayer by night. Friendly, open, and approachable, but also fiercely determined, which you can see in her will to push her achievements up.
Romana Baboeram
Business & Relations ManagerFull-time business & relations manager, part-time professional cosplayer, but above all, a full-time geek. Her passions and hyper fixations have given her a wide-ranging skill set and deep knowledge of the games industry, both commercially and personally.
Backed By The Best
Game Industry Advisory Board
Deviant Legal has established an advisory board of leading experts from various areas of the games industry, including development, publishing and content creation. Their insights ensure that our legal services stay aligned with the real-world needs of a rapidly evolving sector. This gives our firm an unique strategic advantage over traditional law firms, because we understand the challenges of the games industry like no other.
Rami Ismail
Indie developer & industry ambassador
Luciënne van Bokhorst
LEGO
Manny Hachey
Xsolla
Sakuraflor
Content Creator
Don't believe us — believe your peers.
What the games industry has to say about us.
We believe that the best results come from collaboration with the games community. That's why we take pride in what our clients and partners have to say about us.
Because in the end, trust, teamwork and reputation matter most.
René is a gamer at heart and a skilled lawyer who catches every detail. Working with him on our Deliver Us Mars contracts was a pleasure—professional, precise, and with plenty of good laughs along the way.
René supported our indie studio with a custom rev share agreement. Knowledgeable, supportive, and proactive—he translated our needs into clear legal terms and protected both our company and our team.
René is simply a spectacular combination of personable, approachable, humble, genuinely kind and caring, and also by being a great and dependable lawyer with tremendous specialization in all things games industry.
Working with René was a game-changer. He guided us through complex IP licensing with expertise, clarity, and long-term vision—always supportive, flexible, and deeply understanding of the creative industries.
Get a free consultation!
Legal help is around the cornerWe believe that you should be able to discuss your matter before starting a collaboration. This also allows us to tell you what we can do for you and what the associated costs are.
