Is Doing This Illegal?

[Kenshinjapan]

Most of you probably know that you can "crack" your gaming console to where it can "save" the games to where you never need it again. Well I know someone who has been buying games, downloading them onto his ps2, and reselling the originl copy on ebay. I have argued with my family over whether this is illegal or not. Could somebody help me out please? :) :?

[underu2000]

I don't see the benefit here. Obviously when resold, the cash you get for it is less than what was paid for it. So you end up with a loss, possibly a significant one. Why not just rent it?

 

I'm not sure about everything you said though, clarify por favor?

[Kenshinjapan]

Well buying a game and selling the copys is clarified as being illegal several times before. But the guy I know thats doing this is making his own copy, and selling the original breaking even or even getting a small profit. So in the end he is pretty much getting a free game.

[The_Sith]

Sounds like he's bypassing the original "system" of the PS2, which is to play games off a disc and save personalized "checkpoints" on a memory card (or something). Saving the entire game and making it so you no longer need the game anymore (and thus can return it or resell it) is the same thing as buying software, copying it, and returning it. At my part-time job, we don't accept software back once it has been opened for this very reason. I'm guessing this rule applies to games as well.

 

 

 

I don't know the legal stance on it though.

[Zonorhc]

If he's bypassing copy protection and making copies for anything other than personal backup purposes, yes, it's illegal.

 

 

 

Since he's selling the original and only keeping the one copy he made, I would think that's not exactly what a "backup" is supposed to do.

[indy500fan]

Yep, it's illegal. Copyright infringement. Backup is legal.

[blade995]

Backing up a game is legal if you own the original copy. Soon as you sell that original copy, you must destroy the backup copies.

 

 

 

Oh and to play these backups on a ps2 you have to softmod or install a modchip in the ps2, which is also illegal depending on where you live.

[adam_ross0]

Yes. He is duplicating the original copy, which is perfectly legal, but he is also selling the original. In a sense, he is obtaining illegal copies of the game. doing that is no different than just buying a discount bootleg copy of it.

 

 

 

Taking copyrighted software/games/etc., duplicating it, then re-selling the original and keeping your duplications is illegal. however, taking what you already own and making a copy of it for, say..your immediate family is perfectly legal.

[Defender2516]

Yes the governement wants their money.. tell you friend he's the greatest ^_^

 

 

 

~Defender~

[stopspe]

That is totally illegal.

[Futurama]

It is, but, its kinda a grey area.

 

Look at it like drugs. Using is a much smaller crime than supplying - illegal or not, you probably wont get in any trouble for using, but if you're burning copies to sell, that's where you want to watch out.

[Chocobodude0]

Unless he keeps the original copy, it's illegal. It's copyright right infirngement, and can even be considered pirating.

[adam_ross0]

So, look at it this way. Burn all you want. But if you sell, and the government or the record companies don't get the money, then you'd better say bye to your loved ones now.

 

 

 

Meh. Who really cares anyways >.>

[Stragomagus]

Most of you probably know that you can "crack" your gaming console to where it can "save" the games to where you never need it again. Well I know someone who has been buying games, downloading them onto his ps2, and reselling the originl copy on ebay. I have argued with my family over whether this is illegal or not. Could somebody help me out please? :) :?

 

 

 

As long as he is not doing these things your friend will be okay.

 

 

 

1. Making many copies and then selling them.

 

2. Roms are generally seen as okay as long as the game is no longer in print or there is no other way of obtaining the game by normal means due to rarity.

 

3. Is not uploading the copy to a rom site while the game is still in print and/or still widely available.

 

4. DMCA clearly states that copies can be made as long as they are not being used for personal gain. So, you could make as many copies as you want as long as no profir is being seen.

 

 

 

The rest should be covered at this site http://www.copyright.gov/legislation/dmca.pdf

 

 

 

You will need a pdf reader for this.

[Kiriyama]

Legally you can make backup copies of the disc, but cannot sell copies, or your orignal one for that matter, as soon as you sell your orginal copy, you must erase all backups.

 

 

 

For example if you have a collectors edition of something, you can make another copy of it onto disc, for say if you wanted to preserve the orginals. That can be done with any disc as long as you have the orignal copy you bought.