Legal backups?

[avrame]

Hey all,

So, my copy of 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors just arrived from Amazon today. Excited to play the game, I hopped online and downloaded the rom to my DSi flashcard. My brother (both of us are in our late twenties) asks me what I ordered from Amazon, and I told him what I got, and told him that it was pretty good. He asks to see the box, at which point I present to him the sealed copy of the game.

He sorta flips out at me, saying that I should open that game prior to playing it on my flashcard. He explains to me that in the event I beat it, the game could be returned to Amazon, thus equating to something no less than piracy.

Personally, I just wanted to keep the game sealed as part of my collection, but I do see his valid argument. My mindset is as long as I paid for the game in a legitimate manner, it within my rights to create a backup of the game for personal use.

What are your guys' thoughts on this?

[flojocabron]

Ahh the legal grey area!

You've opened a can of worms!

do what you want as long as you dont make a profit off of it.

Your game is still new so technically you arent allowed to copy it. But that doesnt stop piraters at all. They are gonna do whatever they want.

You did the goodboy route by buying it. So congrats. Now only if others were as smart as you.

Good thing that videogame companies dont make a big deal about older games. If those companies were like the music industry, we'd all be in trouble

Many rom websites out of respect (and lawsuits) prefer not to copy newer games, but many of you know of some that dont.

So what you did wasnt right, but it wasnt wrong either.

Thats my opinion, but I'm sure others here will try to condemn or justify your actions.

[Rurouni_Fencer]

What you did was perfectly legal.. Who's to say that if you DO return the sealed copy to Amazon after beating it, you can't just delete the ROM..?

[Flake]

Sorry but you're not in the right.

Yes, you DO own a copy of the game.

But the copy you flashed is not a back up that YOU made from YOUR game. The copy you flashed could have been stolen, returned, pirated...who knows where it came from?

The only back up you are legally entitled to is the one that you make from your own copy.

Of course, no one is going to call the cyber police to back trace you. So I would not worry about it.

[Rurouni_Fencer]

"Consequences will NEVER be the same!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG1h-BAYSbE

[aaron]

Of course, no one is going to call the cyber police to back trace you. So I would not worry about it.

i dunno man, i think he dun goofed.

[CRTGAMER]

What you did was perfectly legal.. Who's to say that if you DO return the sealed copy to Amazon after beating it, you can't just delete the ROM..?

As long as paid for, a backup for only personal use is okay. The download site distributing illegal backups is wrong as well as anyone downloading from there. Even worse, by going the refund route, you just stepped into the pirate circle of playing the game without paying for it.

[Breetai]

Sorry but you're not in the right.

Yes, you DO own a copy of the game.

But the copy you flashed is not a back up that YOU made from YOUR game. The copy you flashed could have been stolen, returned, pirated...who knows where it came from?

Actually, it depends on which country he lives in if what he did was legal or not. From my understanding, if he is in Canada then what he did was perfectly fine. Every country is different.

Morally, I'd say he is in the clear. If he sells the game, then he should delete the copy.

[Niode]

Ahh the legal grey area!

do what you want 'cause a pirate is free! You are a pirate!!

FTFY

[flojocabron]

Ahh the legal grey area!

do what you want 'cause a pirate is free! You are a pirate!!

FTFY

I must have picked this up subliminally! all my little nieces and nephews love that show!

yep we are all pirates!