Copyright Law Just Got Better for Video Game History (vice.com)

In a series of rulings, the Library of Congress has carved out a number of exemptions that will help the movement to archive and preserve video games. From a report: In an 85-page ruling [PDF] that covered everything from electronic aircraft controls to farm equipment diagnostic software, the Librarian of Congress carved out fair use exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) for video games and software in general. These exemptions will make it easier for archivists to save historic video games and for museums to share that cultural history with the public. "The Acting Register found that the record supported granting an expansion in the relatively discrete circumstances where a preservation institution legally possesses a copy of a video game's server code and the game's local code," the Librarian of Congress said. "In such circumstances, the preservation activities described by proponents are likely to be fair uses."

These rules are definitely good news for single-player games. "The big change for single-player games happened during the last DMCA review process in 2015, when the Copyright Office decided that museums and archives could break the online authentication for single-player titles that were just phoning home to a server for copy protection reasons," Phil Salvador -- a Washington, DC-area librarian and archivist who runs The Obscuritory, a site that focuses on discussing and preserving obscure, old game -- told Motherboard. That 2015 ruling was due to expire this year, but thanks to pressure from activists it was renewed today instead.

Comments

I propose a sane solution 25 year copyright

[UnknownSoldier]

Since technology changes so fast I would propose a common sense solution:

Software should only have copyright protection for 25 years from the date of first commercial sale.

This would give commercial entities more then enough time to make money from their product.

This would give consumers the legal protection to archive ancient games.

It is BULLSHIT that 8-bit games & productive software from 1980's for the Apple, C64, Atari, etc. are STILL copyrighted. NO ONE is using them EXCEPT for collectors and us old farts.

i.e.
It SHOULD be legal to run Diablo 2 server emulators in (2000 +25 = 2025) without getting bullshit DMCA, C&D, and sued to kingdom come for wanting to play a game 25 years after the fact it first entered our culture. Blizzard has had more then enough time to make money off of it.

It SHOULD be legal to run WoW server emulators in (2004 + 25 = 2029).

Can we get a lawyer / politician who is looking out for preserving our culture???