Coin Slot

Coin Slot Magazine - #V8N6 - 1983 - February [International Arcade Museum]
Infringement
Games
The video game industry
dollar business since its
inception during the early
1970s. This growth has
have strengthened the position of
the original video game manufacturer
as holder of a valid copyright Courts
have ruled that video games are a
copyrightable medium subject to
spawned both positive and negative
elements within the industry. One
all applicable civil and criminal pro
tection. Armed with these rulings,
of the more persistent negative el
ements is the sub-industry of in
fringement games. The continued
proliferation of infringement games
has an enormous impact on the
entire video game industry. Whether
one is a manufacturer, distributor,
or operator, it is impossible to es
cape the effects of this video game
manufacturers have made inroads
against game infringers, but at a
great expense in time, effort, and
money. Yet, game infringers still
appear, reap a quick profit, then
vanish from the scene.
What does it all mean to the
operator? Quite a bit On the sur
face, an operator is faced with the
black market
Infringement video games date
decision of whether to purchase a
legitimate game or an infringement
back to the dawn of the industry.
The release of PONG, by Atari, was
closely followed by numerous copies
Since that time every video game
has been subject to illegal copying.
With the introduction of SPACE
INVADERS and subsequent hit
game. Many operators know, or at
has grown into a billion
games from Japan, a new influx of
infringement games began; in
fringement games that were mass
least suspect when the game being
purchased is indeed an infringement
game. The decision is to buy the
infringement game at a cheaper
price, receive little or no servicing,
and hope that the game is not dis
covered or reported, versus to buy
the legal game for more money and
receive better servicing. To most
of the video game industry. Legit
imate manufacturers depend on a
healthy industry to sustain growth.
To insure that the industry will con
tinue to grow, legitimate manufac
turers spend millions of dollars on
" To some,
the cheaper
price and
quicker
availability
are too much
off a
temptation, "
operators m
the decision is an easy
.co to others, the cheaper
one;
but
m
:
u
m
e and quicker availability are
o United
gamea Fortunately, rulings fr in
us price
m
d
-
e
e
d
States' courts have
helped ad
stem
too much of a temptation.
rc
nloa w.a games.
the tide of o infringement
However, the implications in buying
w
w
At first D it was / not
clear that United
w
an infringement game run much
/
:
State's copyright
laws applied to
deeper. The infringement game is
http
produced in foreign countries lack
ing strong copyright laws for video
video gamea During the past ten
years, judgements and court rulings
12
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with no stake in the future prosperity
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