Creative Commons License Explained: Essential Guide for Game Developers

Navigating asset licensing is crucial for game developers, especially for indie studios. Creative Commons (CC) licenses offer a vast pool of free-to-use content, but understanding their nuances is essential to avoid legal issues.

This guide breaks down Creative Commons licenses, explaining how to leverage them correctly in your game projects.

Understanding the Core Elements

Creative Commons licenses are built from four core elements, each with a specific meaning.

BY (Attribution): This element requires you to give credit to the original creator. This is present in all CC licenses.

SA (ShareAlike): If you adapt or build upon the material, you must license your new creation under the same or a compatible license.

ND (NoDerivatives): You can use the material, but you cannot adapt, remix, transform, or build upon it.

NC (NonCommercial): You can use the material only for non-commercial purposes; commercial use is prohibited.

The Six Creative Commons Licenses Explained

These four elements combine to form six distinct Creative Commons licenses, each offering different permissions and restrictions.

CC BY (Attribution): This is the most permissive license, allowing you to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, even for commercial purposes, provided attribution is given.

CC BY-SA (Attribution-ShareAlike): This license permits remixing, adapting, and building upon the material for any purpose, including commercial, as long as you give attribution and license your new creations under identical terms.

CC BY-ND (Attribution-NoDerivatives): You can reuse and redistribute the material, even commercially, but you cannot modify it in any way. Attribution is always required.

CC BY-NC (Attribution-NonCommercial): This license allows you to remix, adapt, and build upon the material for non-commercial purposes only, with attribution.

CC BY-NC-SA (Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike): You can remix, adapt, and build upon the material for non-commercial purposes, provided you give attribution and license your new creations under identical terms.