The U.S Copyright Office is currently considering whether to loosen DMCA's provisions for abandoned online games. Currently there are preservation exemptions to keep abandoned games accessible, however the current exemptions do not cover online games. TorrentFreak is reporting that the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) is opposing the request, stating that it would allow people to recreate online environments using server code that was never publicly released as well as possibly being used for profit.
How dare people want to play a game they paid for that EA or Ubisoft says the can't anymore. Seriously, I hope the Copyright Office realized that preservation of all media is important, be it online or otherwise.
Late last year several gaming fans including the Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment (the MADE), a nonprofit organization operating in California, argued for an expansion of this exemption to also cover online games. This includes games in the widely popular multiplayer genre, which require a connection to an online server.
“Although the Current Exemption does not cover it, preservation of online video games is now critical,” MADE wrote in its comment to the Copyright Office. Online games have become ubiquitous and are only growing in popularity. For example, an estimated fifty-three percent of gamers play multiplayer games at least once a week, and spend, on average, six hours a week playing with others online.”
How dare people want to play a game they paid for that EA or Ubisoft says the can't anymore. Seriously, I hope the Copyright Office realized that preservation of all media is important, be it online or otherwise.
Late last year several gaming fans including the Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment (the MADE), a nonprofit organization operating in California, argued for an expansion of this exemption to also cover online games. This includes games in the widely popular multiplayer genre, which require a connection to an online server.
“Although the Current Exemption does not cover it, preservation of online video games is now critical,” MADE wrote in its comment to the Copyright Office. Online games have become ubiquitous and are only growing in popularity. For example, an estimated fifty-three percent of gamers play multiplayer games at least once a week, and spend, on average, six hours a week playing with others online.”