The Librarian of Congress has issued some new copyright rule exemptions that affect how video games, along with other media, can be preserved and protected after they’re released. There were quite a few rule changes including one that re-allows Blu-Ray ripping for remixing of films in noncommercial use and another that continues to allow phone owners the right to jailbreak phones and install whatever software they choose.
The new rules on archiving and preserving video games now allows users to modify a game that has a server authentication. This would shut off that feature in games whose publisher has abandoned the game and/or shut down its servers. The new rules would also allow museums to even jailbreak consoles to get games running. This only extends to games that can’t be run at all without a server check. Games that have online and offline components, say multiplayer for example, can’t be meddled with.
This is a really great step for a lot of people who are passionate about preserving video games. It means games once lost to company closing or the march of time can live again. And maybe this means I can once day get that NBA Live ’06 achievement.
