Mod Chips Up, Game Industry Revenues Down?

securitas writes "In his latest Game On column, the Boston Globe's Hiawatha Bray describes Xbox and PS2 game console hackers as software pirates who use mod chips and damage game industry revenue. The focus of the column seems to be on the use of mod chips as a way to circumvent game copy controls and glosses over legitimate uses, although he mentions some of them. Without offering any research or concrete numbers, Bray facetiously writes, 'But how many mod chip users are interested in making honest backups? You could probably fit them all into the trunk of a Cadillac, with space left over for a spare tire.' Are the majority of mod chip users 'pirates' or are they legitimate users with legitimate applications for the modifications that Bray hasn't considered?"

Comments

Go with your gut feeling

[HardCase]

Are the majority of mod chip users 'pirates' or are they legitimate users with legitimate applications for the modifications that Bray hasn't considered?

The majority of the mod chip users that I know are pirates.

-h-

Terrible research

[jvmatthe]

But how many mod chip users are interested in making honest backups? You could probably fit them all into the trunk of a Cadillac, with space left over for a spare tire.

And yet not one of them was interviewed! This guy posted on USENET asking for information and I responded in email saying that I could tell him about the fliptop modification I made to my PS2. I'd even be happy to give my name for the record because I only use it to play emulators and homebrew software. Furthermore, I only play emulators for which I own the original games. I'm uptight that way, so sue me.

I'm sure it's more sensational to talk about the modchips and pirates and oh look at all that money that the industry loses to illegal copies of games! But a real opportunity was missed here to discuss what can really be done, within the limits of the law, with a modified console.

I guess I'll just stay in the back of this Cadillac with all the other folks using a modified console for legal purposes.

Re:I never

[iainl]

Sure, I'm perfectly prepared to believe there are many out there using it to copy games, just as many people copied Playstation games.

But every chipped XBox owner I know is more interested in playing copies of Genesis or Snes games than illegal XBox ones. Not least because practically every decent XBox game these days is online, and you can't play backups on Live.

Re:It's mine

[Jacer]

It is illegal, deal with it. If you want to change the law (dmca) that makes acts that circumvent copy protection illegal, then you need to lobby your representatives. here are some good links

Re:Imports?

[NanoGriever]

I agree about using mod chips to play import games. There are many many games in Japan that will never be brought over to the US, for whatever silly reasons. (Not being 3D enough, niche genre, etc) For example, being a Xenosaga fan, I would like to get my hands on the fan disc Xenofreaks that is coming out in April. But there is absolutely no chance that the game will be brought over to the US. The only option I have is to import. And I need a mod chip to play an import game.

Re:What about drug paraphenalia?

[DjMd]

Uhhh dude, it's not a Bong, it's a spacer
and it doesn't deliver more medicine, it makes for smaller particles which will go further into the lung (delivery verses dosage, but now I'm spliting hairs)

Re:Uh, does this mean ....

[MoonBuggy]

USB keyboards and mice do work on the Xbox in certain standard setup screens and the standard, unmodded system is running a custom Win2k kernel, so it is probably possible. Whether it is doable without access to the source may be another matter, however.