Last week, the Video Game History Foundation (VGHF) announced a Expressing regret that the US Copyright Office has refused to grant an exception to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) to help protect rare video games. However, the VGHF went on to say that it will not back down and will continue to advocate for improved video game protection.
For some context, the VGHF has long been a supporter of the Software Protection Network’s (SPN) petition to obtain an application. for the sake of preserving video games, especially for researchers who need access to them and cannot do so due to unavailability. As the only legal way currently is to obtain a legitimate paper or soft copy of the game and play it on the respective console, researchers face challenges in advancing their research. Piracy, of course, would be illegal, so SPN is fighting to break free. But there are those who do not see things this way.
Although it did not convince the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and the US Copyright Office, VGHF has no regrets in supporting SPN’s request for DMCA exemption. His goal and that of several like-minded organizations (as he noted ), is to help preserve out-of-print and obscure video games for future generations to enjoy. The application sought to allow researchers to access these games remotely from libraries and archives.
The ESA cracked down on the petition, refusing to allow any remote gaming access. ESA members even ignored requests for comment on the situation, reports. As the VGHF puts it, researchers are now forced to use “additional legal methods to access the vast majority of out-of-print video games that are otherwise unavailable.”
Three years of fighting for a cause and not giving up shows VGHF’s commitment to protecting video games. The organization ended its statement by urging members of the gaming industry to support its cause.
