“The Fight Is Not Over” Says Video Game History Foundation After U.S. Copyright Office Denies Access To Games For Archival Reasons

5 days ago 51

The Video Game History Foundation says “the fight is not over,” after the U.S. Copyright Office decided it would not allow the organization (or any other like it) the access they need to properly archive and preserve games.

“Today, the U.S. Copyright Office announced that it would not support the needs of libraries and archives to increase access to video game history, leaving 87% of classic games legally inaccessible through any practical means,” the VGHF said in a post on Twitter.

It added, “while we are disappointed, the fight is not over.” In a longer statement, the foundation dug more into the details of the situation.

“During our hearing with the Copyright Office, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) declared that they would never support remote game access for research purposes under any conditions. The game industry’s absolutist position—which the ESA’s own members have declined to go on the record to support—forces researchers to explore extra-legal methods to access the vast majority of out-of-print video games that are otherwise unavailable.

We’re not done fighting here. We will continue our advocacy for greater access and legal allowances for video game preservation and working with members of the game industry to increase internal awareness around these issues.

We encourage members of the game industry who are disappointed by the Copyright Office’s decision to ask their leadership to push for greater support for the work of libraries and archives within their industry groups.”

Whatever your position on how games should be preserved, everyone should agree that they ought to be preserved.

Source – [Video Game History Foundation]