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Vanishing act: 87% of classic video games are no longer available commercially | The disappearance of classic video games (www.techspot.com)

submitted 1 year ago by L4s@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

42 comments fedilink hide all child comments

That probably doesn't come as much of a surprise to retro gaming enthusiasts, but those outside the gaming community might not even know there is a problem....

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[–] Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca 16 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Is there no sort of common property library of video games?

I feel like after 20 years a video game should become common property for people to download and enjoy for free.

[–] antonim@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Best I can do is 70 years.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain

[–] techt@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

70 years after the death of the author or 120 years, whichever is less. We can thank Disney for that one.

[–] BloodyFable@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Who is the author of a video game, however? It's a collaborative effort of hundreds of people, sometimes.

[–] techt@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

It's a good point that certainly complicates things. Thanks to your comment, I also found this!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_property_protection_of_video_games

I think the Copyright section has good related information.

[–] Peanutbjelly@sopuli.xyz 0 points 1 year ago

But I thought the Mickey mouse protection act has only served to increase the diversity, well-being and development of artists everywhere!

Right?

Or is the reality that Disney and Warner can just buy all the art rights, sitting on those for the next hundred years in an endless cycle of power and wealth consolidation?

Nobody saw that coming at all.

Right?

I'm pretty sure the system has been severely skewed unfavorably for normal people.

[–] T156@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Should also add an addendum where if the developer and/or publisher goes out of business, that should also apply.

They certainly wouldn't be making any money off it afterwards.