[game_preservation] Deactivated Multiplayer or Authentication Servers for Games

[Kendra Albert]

Hi all,
I’m writing on behalf of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. We’re in the process of determining whether to pursue a DMCA 1201 exemption request for circumventing video game authentication servers for games where support has been discontinued by the game developer. Basically, the objective of the exemption would be to prevent gamers who crack copies, reverse engineer authentication or run their own multiplayer servers for unsupported games from getting sued.  

Currently, we’re in the information gathering stage, and we’re looking for examples of games where the authentication or multiplayer servers were shut off, and players created alternative solutions to continue to be able to play. We have a number of MMO-related examples, so now we’re slightly more interested in either single player games or games where servers played a matchmaking function.  

Some stuff that’s already on our radar: Allegiance (http://www.freeallegiance.org/forums/index.php?act=home), XBConnect (http://www.xbconnect.com); the DWC network server emulator for DS (https://github.com/polaris-/dwc_network_server_emulator); the Wiimmfi project for Mario Kart Wii (http://forum.wii-homebrew.com/board42-kreativitaet/mkw-server-project-english/51748-wiimmfi-patcher-for-mario-kart-wii/); Online Consoles support for Dreamcast, Gamecube and PS2 (http://onlineconsoles.com/%20); and the various Gamespy-related shutdowns.  

Still, we would love more examples. I’m hoping that folks in this community might have some suggestions on where to look. Feel free to respond to me off-list if you prefer.  

Thanks for reading, and any leads are much appreciated,
Kendra
--  
Kendra Albert
Legal Intern
Electronic Frontier Foundation

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