Discussion:
Proposed Class-Abandoned Software-Video Games Requiring Server Communication
I chose to examine the Abandoned Software - Video Games Requiring Server Communication, as I am a video gamer at heart. The Library of Congress states, "We ask the Librarian to grant an exemption to the ban on circumventing access controls applied to copyrighted works, 17 U.S.C. §1201(a)(1), for users who wish to modify lawfully acquired copies of computer programs for the purpose of continuing to play videogames that are no longer supported by the developer, and that require communication with a server". (U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, 2015.)
This proposal enables video gamers the capability to play video games when an authentication server or matchmaking server has been taken offline.The game must still be playable, when the said servers have been taken offline. However, the user must have a legally owned physical or downloaded copy of the game in order to continue their playing. Furthermore, according to the Proposed Class , users who want to preserve video gamer, can do so, and make them available for research and study purposes. (LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 2015.) Moreover, there is an exception to this law, as Massive Multiplayer or Online Role playing games are exempt. The entire content of the game and its purpose is stored on the developer's server. Therefore, the game physically is not playable when taken offline.
Furthermore, the proposal protects gamers who lawfully purchase a video game by allowing them continued access to the game's single player mode. For example, in 2010 EA sports deactivated over 20 of their games. Madden 09 was one of the video games deactivated by EA, and it was only released a year + prior. (Thompson, 2010.) Proposal Class allowed for the continuation of playing these games, without the multiplayer feature. In my opinion, paying $60 for a game, then it's deactivated a year later isn't fair or reasonable. This proposal offers reason, ethics, and fairness to the gaming community.