Play Meter

UP FRONT
There is a controversy presently raging within this
industry that has me deeply concerned. It has to do
with the interpretation of the U.S. Copyright law that
renders most enhancement kits or speed-up kits on
video games illegal. The reason for my concern is that
this controversy is between manufacturer and
operator-two vital segments of this industry that
should, ideally, never be at odds with each other.
With all the other serious problems this industry
faces, one thing we don't need is in-fighting between
manufacturer and operator.
Until this most recent development in the video
game copyright wars, there was general agreement
with the decisions reached by the various courts
involved. In fact, most of us recognized that recent
rulings in U.S. district courts have been, to a great
degree, the salvation of video games in this country .
One need only look to Japan and Europe to see what
horrors were brought about by the number of copy
games that flooded those markets. Counterfeit games
have ruined the video game business in those parts of
the world and could have easily done the same in our
country had it not been for the protection afforded
copyright holders under the law.
The vast majority of the people in this industry
agree that the manufacturers have the right to protect
their own creations from video game pirates. Copy
games are a serious detriment to this industry and, as
such, deserve to be illegal. But the questions now
arise: Where do you draw the line? Why is it illegal for
operators to install speed-up kits in games that they
own? What criteria should be used to decide whether
or not one game falls just short of being a copy of
another? Has the copyright law, in regard to video
games been stretched beyond its intended purpose?
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These are serious questions that need answers
because they pose a real threat to the relationship that
exists between manufacturers and operators.
As a trade publication for this industry, we don 't
like to see operators pitted against manufacturers, or
battling with any other segment of the industry for
that matter. One of our main goals has been to draw
this industry into closer harmony and bridge the gaps
that exist between the various levels of the industry. A
lot of progress has been made in that direction and we
don't want to see that trend reverse itself. We have
everything to gain by working together and every-
thing to lose by working against each other.
We respect the rights of manufacturers to protect
their games from copiers and, at the same time, the
rights of operators to maximize their profits on the
investments they make in video games. Our loyalty is
to no one level of the industry, but to the industry as a
whole. And , therefore, our position will be to tell the
stories from all industry levels with responsibility . We
will continue to present both sides of the various
issues and report the story as it unfolds.
When the fallout from the enhancement kit
struggle settles, there will , most likely, be no clear cut
winner. We only hope that, in the process we don 't
destroy the things we need most-mutual respect,
open communication , and industry unity.
.@+-----
Editor and Publisher
PLAY METER,.July 1, 1982