US Feds Allow DRM Cracking to Preserve Abandoned Internet-Based Games

[Lucian Armasu]

The Copyright Office and the Librarian of Congress issued an exemption to the DMCA for abandoned games that require an online connection, making it legal to crack DRM for these games to preserve them.



US Feds Allow DRM Cracking to Preserve Abandoned Internet-Based Games : Read more

 

[robax91]

YES

 

[mcdoogan]

This makes me very happy. Glad to see this work in the end users favor.

 

[finianfichery]

Does this mean I'd get to play the original Halo 3 again on PC someday or would that be disqualified since Halo MCC is existent? I'm thinkin this would have helped the El Dewrito team out a bit

 

[salgado18]

Does this mean there's hope for Dirt 2 to come back?

 

[evoflip]

Tanarus!!!

 

[truerock]

I noticed last week that that Grand Theft Auto 1 (on Windows 10) was broken - again.
Rockstar Games has abandoned it.
I like to see old games with historical merit delivered in their 100% original forms. And, also - I like to see them re-developed into native, high-resolution Windows 10 apps.
Here are some abandoned games that need some attention:
Baldur's Gate
Command and Conquer
Command and Conquer: Red Alert
Diablo
Diablo 2
Duke Nukem 3D
Far Cry
Grand Theft Auto
Mass Effect
Quake 2
Silent Hill
Silent Hill 2
Wolfenstein 3D

 

[Incipient]

"The exemption doesn’t allow just anyone to crack the DRM of old games. Only institutions that have legally obtained a copy of the game’s server code, as well as its local client code, can do so."
Ahh what? This doesn't seem like it will happen too often. And if you have access to the source, it's likely you could somewhat easily remove the DRM without having to crack it?

 

[nukemaster]

I noticed last week that that Grand Theft Auto 1 (on Windows 10) was broken - again.
Rockstar Games has abandoned it.
I like to see old games with historical merit delivered in their 100% original forms. And, also - I like to see them re-developed into native, high-resolution Windows 10 apps.
Here are some abandoned games that need some attention:
Baldur's Gate
Command and Conquer
Command and Conquer: Red Alert
Diablo
Diablo 2
Duke Nukem 3D
Far Cry
Grand Theft Auto
Mass Effect
Quake 2
Silent Hill
Silent Hill 2
Wolfenstein 3D

The game would have to be no longer on sale to be abandoned.
The following are on steam(some are updated versions).
Baldur's Gate
Duke Nukem 3D
Far Cry
Mass Effect
Quake 2
Some may be available on other platforms as well.

I am sure lots of older MMO games would have a good second life with private servers not being such a legal hassle.

 

[shrapnel_indie]

Considering they still require the one to "break" (or remove since they have access to the source code) DRM garbage that is more hassle to legit owners than it is to pirates (although pirated still has issues as you can run into infected/trojan apps easily enough, not to mention that its legal status can get you a free pair of silver bracelets, if they don't cheap out and use zip ties)... it is only a small win... if they refuse to sell the original code, as I can easily see them doing in the name of "unlocking" current IP (last I knew the current excuse of not doing so)... there is no change.

 

[jvjakesta]

Metal Gear Online!!!!!!!