Video Game Libraries Hit a Legal Wall: No Remote Access for Emulated Game Collections! 🎮

Summary:

  1. Legal Denial
    Video game libraries have lost a legal appeal to share emulated versions of their physical game collections online, as the US Copyright Office denied their request for a DMCA exemption.

  2. Impact on Researchers
    The decision forces researchers to physically travel to distant libraries to access rare physical game copies, limiting the availability of important gaming history.

  3. Arguments Against Remote Access
    The Copyright Office sided with the Entertainment Software Association, arguing that remote access could create a loophole for an unauthorized “online arcade” that could undermine the market for classic game re-releases.

  4. Market Concerns
    Despite studies showing that many older games are out of print, the Copyright Office noted a “healthy” market for reissued titles, indicating that some games still see commercial success.

  5. Historical Context
    The Register of Copyrights highlighted the association of emulation with piracy as a concern, even as advocates for game preservation argue for the importance of emulation in maintaining gaming heritage.

Read more at: Ars Technica