How do I protect a card game invention?
Adding to Matt Arnold’s points, everyone in a position to make a card game has a much longer list of good ideas than they can ever actually get through, they’re already swimming in their own cool concepts. There is little to no interest in stealing ideas when you have your own ones that you’re dying to get a chance to implement. NDAs are quick and easy (alter a template from the web), but if someone breaks it anyway, what then? Among a lot of companies, NDAs are used as little more than a formality if used at all. They cost nothing, and with multi-million dollar projects, are basic due dilligence, but that’s all that can be said. It is professionalism and the points above that is really what protects secrets. NDAs and other IP protections are useful if you end up in court, but if you end up in court over a game, you’ve already lost. You could consider disguising the key aspects during development – for example if a big part of the appeal is how the mechanics tie in with the theme, then
