COMMENTOFTHEMUSEUMOFARTANDDIGITALENTERTAINMENT

ItemA.CommenterInformation

MuseumofArtandDigitalEntertainmentAlexHandy3400BroadwayOakland,CA94611(510)282-4840alex@themade.org

RepresentedbySamuelsonLaw,Technology&PublicPolicyClinicUniv.ofCaliforniaBerkeleySchoolofLawRobWalker334BoaltHall,NorthAdditionBerkeley,CA94720(510)664-4875rwalker@clinical.law.berkeley.edu

TheMuseumofArtandDigitalEntertainment(the“MADE”)isa501(c)(3)non-profitorganiza-tioninOakland,Californiadedicatedtothepreservationofvideogamehistory.TheMADEsup-ports the technical preservation of video games, presents exhibitions concerning historically-significantgames,andhostslectures,tournaments,andcommunityevents.TheMADEhasper-sonal knowledge and experience regarding this exemption through past participation in thesixthtriennialrulemakingrelatingtoaccesscontrolsonvideogames.

TheMADEisrepresentedbytheSamuelsonLaw,Technology&PublicPolicyClinicattheUni-versityofCalifornia,Berkeley,SchoolofLaw(“SamuelsonClinic”).TheSamuelsonClinicistheleading clinical program in technology and public interest law, dedicated to training law andgraduatestudentsinpublicinterestworkonemergingtechnologies,privacy,intellectualprop-erty,freespeech,andotherinformationpolicyissues.ITEMB.PROPOSEDCLASSADDRESSED

ProposedClass8:ComputerPrograms—VideoGamePreservation

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ITEMC.OVERVIEW

1.Introduction

For futurehistorians,videogames likeMinecraftandSecondLifewillsayasmuchabout21stcentury America as Dicken’sOliver Twist does about 19th-century Britain.1 That is, if thesegamesactuallysurviveintothefuture.Unfortunately,videogamepreservationlagsfarbehindothermediaandis impairedbytechnologicalchallenges2andlegal limitations.3TheCopyrightOfficehasrecognizedthisproblem,andtookstepstosupportvideogamepreservationintheprevious rulemaking.4Unfortunately, online videogameswerenot covered. So,despite theirever-growingculturalimportance,onlinevideogamescontinuetoturnintodigitaldust5whentheircopyrightownersceasetoprovideaccesstoanexternalservernecessaryforthegametofunction—i.e.,whenthesegamesare“abandoned.”Toavoidthisoutcome,weasktheRegisterofCopyrightstorecommendamodestexpansionofthevideogameexemptionadoptedduringthe lastrulemaking(the“CurrentExemption”)6toallowforthepreservationofabandonedvideogamesthatdependonexternalserverstofunc-tion (“online games” or “online video games”). This proposal is being made on behalf ofpreservationistswhowishtopreserveabandonedonlinevideogamesinplayableformandwhodonot seek toexpand theportionsof theCurrentExemption concerningpersonal gameplaybeyondtheircurrentbounds.Therefore,weask:(a)forrenewaloftheportionsoftheCurrentExemption that allow circumvention for thepurposeof restoring access to videogames thatrequireserverauthenticationforpersonallocalorLAN-connectedgameplay;7and(b)forslight 1 See Mike Ashenfelder, “Saving Mementos from Digital Worlds,” The Signal (Feb. 6, 2014), available athttps://web.archive.org/web/20171004021728/https://blogs.loc.gov/thesignal/2014/02/saving-digital-mementos-from-virtual-worlds/(archivedOctober3,2017)(describingMinecraft).2SeeDevinMonnensetal.,“Beforeit’sTooLate:ADigitalGamePreservationWhitePaper,”2AmericanJournalofPlay 139, 140-143 (2009), available at http://web.archive.org/web/20171129073552/http://www.journalofplay.org/sites/www.journalofplay.org/files/pdf-articles/2-2-special-feature-digital-game-preservation-white-paper.pdf(archivedNov.29,2017)(discussingtheimminentneedtopreservevideogamesduetotheir“shockinglyshortlifespanduetothenaturaldecayoftheoriginalmaterialsandtherapidobsolescenceofoldermediaforms.”)3SeeAllisonM.Hudgins,“PreservationoftheVideoGame,”29Provenance,JournaloftheSocietyofGeorgiaAr-chivists 32, 37-38 (2011), available at http://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1032&context=provenance(discussinglegalobstaclestovideogamepreservation).4U.S.CopyrightOffice,Section1201Rulemaking:SixthTriennialProceedingtoDetermineExemptionstothePro-hibitiononCircumvention,RecommendationoftheRegisterofCopyrights350–352(2015)[hereinafter“Register’sRecommendation2015”](recommendingCurrentExemptionforthepreservationofabandonedvideogames).5 See Jerome McDonough, et al., “Preserving Virtual Worlds Final Report,” at 6 (2010), available athttps://web.archive.org/web/20171107162212/https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/handle/2142/17097 (archivedNov.72017)(discussingtechnicalandlegalchallengestopreservationofonlinevideogames);ClayRisen,“PacRat:Thefighttopreserveoldvideogamesfrombitrot,obsolescence,andculturaloblivion,”TheAtlantic(Mar.2010),available at https://web.archive.org/web/20171003233405/https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/03/pac-rat/307911/(archivedOct.3,2017)(discussingtheproblemof“bitrot”thateffectssoftwarestoragemedia);PartialListofAbandonedMMOs,infraatA-16[hereinafter“AbandonedMMOs”](providingpartiallistofMMOsthathavebeenabandonedbytheirpublishers).6See37C.F.R.§201.40(b)(8).7Seeid.at(i)(A).

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modificationstotheCurrentExemptiontoallowcircumventionofTPMsforthepurposeofpre-servingabandonedonlinevideogamesbylibraries,archives,museums,andindividualswhoareengaged in lawful game-preservation activities under the supervision of eligible libraries, ar-chives,ormuseums(the“ProposedExemption”).ProponentsrespectfullyrequestthattheReg-isterofCopyrightsrecommendtotheLibrarianofCongressthenewexemptionlanguagepro-videdinItemC-2below.ThisproposalnaturallyextendstheCurrentExemptiontoaddresstechnologicalchange.Preser-vation of networkedmultiplayer gameswas contemplated by the Current Exemption,whichallowsforpreservationofmultiplayergamesthatmaybeplayedthroughalocal-areanetwork.8Atthetime,theRegisterofCopyrightsnotedthat“continuedaccessanduseofvideogames,includingmultiplayerplay, is still possibleusing locally connecteddevices.”9 Today,however,local multiplayer options are increasingly rare,10 and many games no longer support LAN-connected multiplayer capability.11 Instead, “[y]ou can’t really find games that offer LANmodes,since[nearly]everymultiplayergameonthemarket…requiresaconstantconnectiontothehomeservers.”12Thismeansthat“evenifyougettogetherinthesameroomtoplay,youneed to loop in [the game’s] servers andmatchmaking services...”13 In otherwords, even ifgameclientsareconnectedtothesamelocalnetwork,theywillstillneedtoconnecttoexter-nal servers to function.14More troubling still to archivists,many video games rely on serverconnectivity to function in single-player mode and become unplayable when servers shutdown.15 “Somegames requireaconnection toanexternal server—sometimesonanongoingbasis—foralltypesofplay,includingsingle-playerplay.”16AlthoughtheCurrentExemptiondoesnotcoverit,preservationofonlinevideogamesisnowcritical.Onlinegameshavebecomeubiquitousandareonlygrowinginpopularity.Forexample,anestimated fifty-threepercentofgamersplaymultiplayergamesat leastonceaweek,and

8See37C.F.R.§201.40(b)(8)(iii)(C)(defining“localgameplay”tomean“gameplayconductedonapersonalcom-puter or video game console, or locally connected personal computers or consoles, and not through anonlineserviceorfacility.”).9Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at351.10 See The Death of Local Multiplayer: Gaming’s Worst Trend,” All You Can Geek, available athttps://web.archive.org/web/20170127221136/http://allyoucangeek.net/death-of-local-multiplayer/ (archivedJan.27,2017)(discussingthereductioningameswithlocalmultiplayerfeatures).11 See Ben Kuchera, “Gaming has left the LAN party behind,” Polygon (Jan. 29, 2015), available athttps://web.archive.org/web/20171129060417/https://www.polygon.com/2015/1/29/7944755/lan-party-gaming-call-of-duty(archivedNov.282017).12Id.13Id.14Seeid.15SeeStatementofHenryLowood,infraatA-6[hereinafter“LowoodStatement”](“Ifagameserverisshutdownwithoutprovisionsbeingmade for access to theoriginal software, preservation is impossible.”).SeealsoAban-donedMMOs,supranote5.16Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at345.

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spend, on average, six hours aweek playingwith others online.17Moreover, fifty percent ofgamers identify“onlinegameplaycapability”asa factor in theirgame-purchasingdecisions.18“FromHearthstone andOverwatch, toPlayerunknown’s Battleground andRocket League, toDota2andLeagueofLegends,toClashofClansandTomClancy’sRainbowSix:Siege,andonand on, the games getting themost player attention (andmoney) today tend to be never-endingonlinecompetitions.”19Therefore,tokeeppacewithchangingtechnologyandincreasedculturaldemand,theCurrentExemptionshouldbemodestlyexpandedtoallowpreservationofabandonedonlinevideogamesthatrelyonexternalserverstofunction.

Aspartofthisexpansion,theclassofpeoplewhomayusetheProposedExemptionshouldin-cludeeligiblelibraries,archives,museums,andaffiliatedindividualswhoareengagedinlawfulgamepreservationactivitiesunderthesupervisionoflibraries,archives,ormuseums(“AffiliateArchivists”). These individuals “maybeable to contribute tovaluablepreservationeffortsbylending their talentsandexpertise toqualified institutions,”20 suchas theMADE,21 theVideoGameHistoryFoundation,22theMuseumofModernArt,23theInternationalCenterfortheHis-tory of ElectronicGames at the StrongMuseumof Play (“ICHEG”),24 and the video gamear-chivesattheUniversityofTexas25andtheUniversityofMichigan.26Forexample,theMADE’srestorationofHabitat,theworld’sfirstmassively-multiplayeronlinegame(“MMO”),tookoverfouryearsandinvolved“thousandsofperson-hours,includingcountlesshoursprovidedbyvol-unteers.”27Onthatproject“[s]cheduling,high-level technical strategy (e.g., “dowerewrite itfromscratch,ortrytogettheoldserverrunning?”),andoverallprojectmanagementwasdonebytheMADE,butvolunteersundertheMADE’ssupervisionprovidedthebulkoftheday-to-day

17 See Electronic Software Association, Essential Facts about the Computer and Video Game Industry 4 (2017),available at https://web.archive.org/web/20170924222303/http://www.theesa.com/wp-content/themes/esa/assets/EF2017_Design_FinalDigital.pdf[hereinafter“ESAEssentialFacts”](archivedSeptember24,2017)18Seeid.at14.19 Kyle Orland, “Big-budget, Single-Player Gaming Isn’t Dead (yet),” Ars Technica, available athttps://web.archive.org/web/20171024235207/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/10/big-budget-single-player-gaming-isnt-dead-yet/(archivedonOct.24,2017).20Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at351.21“AboutUs,”TheMuseumofArtandDigitalEntertainment,availableathttps://www.themade.org/about/[here-inafter“AboutMADE”].22 “Who We Are,” The Video Game History Foundation, available at https://web.archive.org/web/20170827172939/https://gamehistory.org/who-we-are/(archivedAug.27,2017).23 “About MoMa,” Museum of Modern Art, available at https://web.archive.org/web/20160806082220/http://press.moma.org/intro/(archivedAug.6,2016).24 “About International Center for the History of Electronic Games,” The Strong Museum of Play, available athttps://web.archive.org/web/20171129073202/http://www.museumofplay.org/about/icheg (archives Nov. 29,2017)[hereinafter“AboutICHEG”].25 See “Mission,” The UT Videogame Archive, available at https://web.archive.org/web/20171005143633/http://www.cah.utexas.edu/projects/videogamearchive/index.php (archived Oct. 5, 2017) [hereinafter “AboutUT”].26 See “About the Computer and Video Game Archive,” University of Michigan Library, available athttps://web.archive.org/web/20170512121354/http://guides.lib.umich.edu/cvga(archivedMay12,2017)[herein-after“AboutMichiganCVGA”].27StatementoftheMuseumofArtandDigitalEntertainment,infraatA-1[hereinafter“MADEStatement”].

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technicalworkrequiredtobringthegamebacktolife.”28Similarly,AffiliateArchivistsmaybeneeded to help “document how [game] softwareworks,map the gameworlds, identify keycomponents of the software and how they operate, reveal hidden aspects of online games,etc.”29WithoutAffiliateArchivists’valuablecontributionsof“timeandexpertise[made]outoftheirloveforvideogames,”thegamepreservationworkundertakenbylibraries,archives,andmuseumswillbegreatlylimited.30Moreover,harnessingtheexpertiseofamateurexperts,un-der supervision, is in line with good preservation practice. Indeed, in 2008, the Section 108StudyGroup(anindependentbodysponsoredbytheCopyrightOffice)recommendedinvolvingoutsidepartiesinpreservationeffortsundertakenbylibrariesandarchivesforsimilarpreserva-tionofothermaterials.31Therefore, theclassofexemptionusers shouldbeexpanded toen-courageAffiliateArchiviststoparticipateingamepreservationprojects.Abandonedonlinevideogamesareworthyofpreservationinplayableform,anddoingsowillsupport future research, scholarship, teaching,criticism,andcommentaryaboutvideogamesandvideogameculture.Conversely,withouttheProposedExemption,futuregenerationswillnotbeabletolearnfromthetechnologicalachievements(andmissteps)oftheirpredecessorsortounderstandtheplaceofonlinevideogames incontemporarypopularculture.32Asare-sult,futurescholarswillendup“lookingbackatwesterncivilizationandwonderingwhatwentoninthebighollowspaceswhereknowledgeoughttobe.”33Toavoidlosingahugeportionofvideogamehistorytoadigitaldarkage,34 theRegisterofCopyrightscanhelppreservetheseculturallyvitalworksbyempoweringlibraries,archives,museums,andaffiliatedAffiliateArchi-viststopreserveabandonedonlinevideogames.In1998,CongressenactedtheDMCAanti-circumventionrulesoutofconcernthat,withouttheprotections affordedby technological protectionmeasures, copyrighted contentwould be athigh risk of rampant infringement.35 Yet, Congress also credited the views of thosewho ex-

28Id.29Id.30LowoodStatement.31SeeSection108StudyGroup,TheSection108StudyGroupReport,ati(2008),availableathttps://web.archive.org/web/20171207124042/http://www.section108.gov/docs/Sec108StudyGroupReport.pdf (archived Dec. 7,2017)[hereinafter“Section108Study”](“Section108shouldbeamendedtoallowalibraryorarchivestoauthor-izeoutsidecontractorstoperformatleastsomeactivitiespermittedundersection108onitsbehalf.”).32See, e.g.,MeredithRose, “Erasing thePast:When (andHow) aGroundbreakingGameDisappears forGood,”Medium, available at http://web.archive.org/web/20170114150229/https://medium.com/@PublicKnowledge/erasing-the-past-when-and-how-a-groundbreaking-game-disappears-for-good-9ea089a703cb (analogizing theshutdownofanmultiplayeronlinegameto“bulldozingamuseum.”).33PhilHartup,“WhyIt’sDowntothisGenerationtoBeginPreservingVideoGameHistory,”NewStatesman(Apr.2015), available at https://www.newstatesman.com/killing-time/2015/04/why-its-down-generation-begin-preserving-video-game-history.34SeeMonnens,supranote2,at140.35SeeU.S.CopyrightOffice,Section1201ofTitle17:AReportoftheRegisterofCopyrights,ati(1998),availableathttp://web.archive.org/web/20171029040623/https://www.copyright.gov/policy/1201/section-1201-full-report.pdf (archivedOct.29,2017) (“Congressrecognizedthatthesamefeaturesthatmakedigital technologyavaluabledeliverymechanism—theability toquicklycreateanddistributenear-perfectcopiesofworksonavastscale0-alsocarrythepotentialtoenablepiracy…”).

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pressedconcernthattheuseofTPMsmightinterferewithlawfuluses.36Thisrulemakingpro-cedurewascreated toenable thosewhohavebeen thwarted inmaking lawfulusesofTPM-controlledworkstoapplyforandmakeashowingthattheyhadbeenharmedorchilledfrommakingsuchuses.37BecausetheProposedExemptionposesnoriskoffacilitatingrampant in-fringementandwouldhavepositiveconsequencesinpreservinganimportantpartofourcul-turalheritage,itshouldbegranted.AsdirectedbytheRegisterofCopyrights,thisCommentfocusesonthe“legalandevidentiarybasesformodifyingtheexemption,ratherthantheunderlyingexemption,”and,therefore,willexclusivelydiscusswhymodifyingtheCurrentExemptiontoenablepreservationofabandonedonlinevideogamesisnecessary.38ItemC-2detailsourProposedExemptionlanguage,andItemC-3providesdefinitionsoftermsusedthroughoutthisComment.ItemD-1describesthearchi-tectureofonlinevideogames,andItemD-2detailsthetechnologicalprotectionmeasuresandmethodsofcircumventionapplicabletoabandonedonlinevideogames.ItemE-1discusseswhythepreservationofabandonedonlinegamesisconsistentwithCongress’ intentregardingthenature and scopeof legitimate preservation activities. ItemE-2 provides legal arguments forwhypreservationofabandonedonlinevideogames isanon-infringing fairuse. ItemE-3pro-videsevidenceshowingthattheprohibitiononcircumventioniscausinganadverseimpactonthisnon-infringinguse.ItemE-4discusses§1201(a)(1)(C)’sfivestatutoryfactors,andanswersthespecificquestionstheCopyrightOfficeaskedconcerningtheProposedExemption.39ItemE-5concludes.Anappendixofdocumentaryevidenceisattached.2. The Proposed Exemption modifies the Current Exemption to allow for preservation ofabandonedonlinevideogamesthatdependonexternalserverstofunction.

The Proposed Exemption below modifies the Current Exemption (codified at 37 C.F.R.§201.40(b)(8))toallowforthepreservationofabandonedonlinevideogamesbylibraries,ar-chives,museums,andAffiliateArchivists. Inthissuggested language,boldtext indicatesaddi-tionstotheCurrentExemptionandstrikethroughtextindicatesdeletions:

(i)Videogamesintheformofcomputerprogramsembodiedinphysicalordownloadedformatsthathavebeenlawfullyacquiredascompletegames,whenthecopyrightowneror itsauthorizedrepresentativehasceasedtoprovideaccesstoanexternalcomputerservernecessarytoeitherfacilitateanauthenticationprocesstoenablelocalgameplayortoconductonlinegameplay,solelyforthepurposeof:

36Seeid.37Seeid.at22(discussinglegislativehistoryof§1201rulemaking).38SeeCopyrightOffice, Exemptions to Permit CircumventionofAccess Controls onCopyrightedWorks, 82 Fed.Reg.49550,49558(Oct.28,2017)(“Incaseswhereaclassproposestoexpandanexistingexemption,commentersshouldfocustheircommentsonthelegalandevidentiarybasesformodifyingtheexemption,ratherthantheun-derlyingexemption.”).39Seeid.at49561–62.

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(A)Permittingaccesstothevideogametoallowcopyingandmodificationofthecomputerprogramtorestoreaccesstothegameforpersonal,localgameplayonapersonalcomputerorvideogameconsole;or

(B)Permittingaccesstothevideogametoallowcopyingandmodificationofthecomputerprogramtorestoreaccesstothegameonapersonalcomputerorvid-eogameconsolewhennecessarytoallowpreservationofthegameinaplayableformbyaneligiblelibrary,archivesormuseum,oraneligiblelibrary,archivesormuseum’s eligible affiliate, where such activities are carried out without anypurposeofdirector indirect commercial advantageand thevideogame isnotdistributedormadeavailable to thepublicoutsideof thephysicalpremisesoftheeligiblelibrary,archivesormuseum.

(ii)Computerprogramsusedtooperatevideogameconsolessolelytotheextentneces-saryforaneligiblelibrary,archivesormuseum,oraneligiblelibrary,archivesormuse-um’s eligible affiliate, to engage in the preservation activities described in paragraph(i)(B).

(iii)Forpurposesof theexemptions inparagraphs (i)and (ii), the followingdefinitionsshallapply:

(A)“Completegames”meansvideogamesthatcanbeplayedbyuserswithoutaccessing or reproducing copyrightable content stored or previously stored onan external computer server, or video games that can be played by usersthroughlawfulaccessofgamecontentstoredorpreviouslystoredonanexter-nalcomputerserver.

(B)“Ceasedtoprovideaccess”meansthatthecopyrightowneroritsauthorizedrepresentativehaseither issuedanaffirmativestatement indicatingthatexter-nalserversupportforthevideogamehasendedandsuchsupportisinfactnolongeravailableor,alternatively,serversupporthasbeendiscontinuedforape-riodofatleastsixmonths;provided,however,thatserversupporthasnotsincebeenrestored.

(C) “Local gameplay” means gameplay conducted on a personal computer orvideogameconsole,or locally connectedpersonal computersor consoles,andnotthroughanonlineserviceorfacility.

(D)“Onlinegameplay”meansgameplayconductedonapersonalcomputerorvideogameconsoleusinganexternalcomputerserver.

(DE)Alibrary,archivesormuseumisconsidered“eligible”whenthecollectionsof the library,archivesormuseumareopen to thepublicand/orare routinely

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madeavailabletoresearcherswhoarenotaffiliatedwiththelibrary,archivesormuseum.

(F)Anaffiliateofalibrary,archives,ormuseumisconsidered“eligible”whenengagedinthelawfulpreservationofvideogamesunderthesupervisionofaneligiblelibrary,archives,ormuseum.

3.DefinedtermsusedinthisCommentIn addition to the terms defined in the Proposed Exemption above, the following technicaltermsareusedthroughoutthisComment:

“Abandoned”meansthatthecopyrightownerofavideogame,or itsauthorizedrepresenta-tive,has ceased toprovideaccess toanexternal computer servernecessary for thegame tofunction.“AffiliateArchivists”meanspersonswhoengage in lawfulgamepreservationactivitiesunderthesupervisionofaneligiblelibrary,archives,ormuseum.“CurrentExemption”meanstheDMCAexemptionadoptedduringthesixthtriennialrulemak-ing,ascurrentlycodifiedat37C.F.R.§201.40(b)(8).“Game architecture”means the various software components of a video game, such as thegame’s client, protocol, andexternal servers, andanyother softwareor copyrighted contentrequiredforavideogametofunction.“ICHEG”meanstheInternationalCenterfortheHistoryofElectronicGamesattheStrongMu-seumofPlay.

“MMO(s)”meansmassively-multiplayeronlinegamesthatrequireapersistentexternalserverconnectiontooperate.40“Online games” or “online video games”means video game software designed for personalcomputersorvideogameconsolesthatdependonanexternalcomputerservertofunction.“Playableform”meansthatavideogame’ssoftwareisfullyoperationalandcanbeplayedinthemannerintendedbythegame’sdeveloperorpublisherwhenthegamewasfirstdistribut-ed.

40See,e.g.,HyunChu,“BuildingasimpleyetpowerfulMMOgamearchitecture,”IBMdeveloperWorks,availableathttp://web.archive.org/web/20160721164625/https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/library/ar-powerup1/ (ar-chivedJuly21,2016)(describingcommonarchitectureofanMMO).

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“Preservation,”“Preserve,”or“Preserving”meanstherepair,modification,replication,orre-placementofthegamearchitectureofanabandonedvideogametorestoreittoplayableform,including,butnotlimitedto,thecreationofnew,interoperableprotocolsandservers.

“Preservationists”or“archivists”meanseligiblelibraries,archives,museums,andAffiliateAr-chivists.“ProposedExemption”meanstheproponent’sproposedmodificationstotheCurrentExemp-tion toallowcircumvention for thepurposeofpreservingabandonedonlinevideogames,asindicatedinItemC-2.ITEMD.TECHNOLOGICALPROTECTIONMEASURESANDMETHODSOFCIRCUMVENTION

1.Effectivepreservationofanabandonedonlinevideogamerequirescopyingormodifyingallcomponentsofthegame’sarchitecture.Mostmodernonline gamesuse the samebasic architecture,which has threemain softwarecomponents:gameclient,protocol,andexternalservers.41Alloftheseelementsmustbepre-servedforanonlinevideogametobefullyfunctional.Theclient:Inatypicalonlinegame,theclientprogramissoldonagamediscorisdownloadedontoauser’scomputerwhenpurchased.Theclientcontainsmuchofthegame’scopyrightablematerial,suchasgraphics,music,andexpressivesoftwarecode.Thisisdoneforperformancereasons,asitisfastertostoreandretrievethisdatalocallyratherthantostreamitoveranet-work.42WhilebroadbandInternetmakesstreamingdata-intensivegamecontentmorefeasible,nearlyallmodernonlinegamesstill requireaclient,duetotheirever-increasinggraphical in-tensityandlimitsonnetworkdatausage.43

Theprotocol:Thegameprotocolactsasthemiddlemanbetweentheclientandtheserveranddefinetherulesofcommunication.44Theprotocolistypicallybundledwiththeclientsoftware

41Seeid.In2015,theproponentsoftheCurrentExemptionmadeatechnologicaldistinctionbetweengamesthatutilizeonlinematchmaking servicesandgames that requirepersistent server connections, likeMMOs.SeeSixthTriennialSection1201Rulemaking:InitialCommentsoftheElectronicFrontierFoundation,Class23,at2,4(2015)[hereinafter“EFFInitialComments2015”].However,becausetheunderlyingtechnologiesatissuearenearlyiden-ticalandinvolvesimilarTPMs,thisdistinctionislikelyunnecessary.SeeSixthTriennialSection12012Rulemaking:OppositionCommentsoftheEntertainmentSoftwareAssociation,Class23,at7(2015).42 See Gabriel Gambetta, “Fast-paced Multiplayer (Part I): Client-Server Game Architecture,” available athttp://web.archive.org/web/20171031130651/http://www.gabrielgambetta.com/client-server-game-architecture.html(discussingperformanceissuesinclient-serverarchitecture).43Cf.GlennFiedler,“WhatEveryProgrammerNeedstoKnowaboutGameNetworking,”,GafferonGames,availa-ble at http://web.archive.org/web/20170810080053/https://gafferongames.com/post/what_every_programmer_needs_to_know_about_game_networking/(discussingnetworklatencyissuesassociatedwithgamearchitec-ture).44SeeBradleyMitchell,“NetworkProtocols:Abriefexplanationofcomputernetworkprotocols,”LifeWire(Nov.2,2017), available at https://web.archive.org/web/20171120054427/https://www.lifewire.com/definition-of-

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onagamediscor isdownloadedontoauser’s computerat the timeofpurchase.Whenen-gaged in online play, game players’ actions are transmitted from the client to the serverthroughtheprotocol.Becausetheinformationbeingtransferredthroughtheprotocolisspecif-ically tailored to the game being played (e.g., the data needed to conduct an online soccermatchinFIFA2018isdifferentfromthedataneededtoplayFarmville),mostonlinegamesusecustom-builtprotocols.45Thisisdue,inpart,toperformancerequirements:manystandardpro-tocols (likeTCP)senddatapackets inways thatcausevideogamesto functionpoorly.46Asaresult,gamedevelopers typically implementmodifiedprotocols thatarebuiltaroundspecificgamerequirements.47Thisincreasesgameplayperformance,butitalsomakesdifferentgame’sprotocolsincompatiblewitheachother.48Theserver:Theserveractsastherefereebetweengameplayers,receivinginputsfromindivid-ual clientsand relaying consolidated informationback.Whenplayeractionsoccur simultane-ouslyinagame,theserverdecideshowtheseactionswillaffectthegameoverallandinwhatordertheywilloccur.Say,forinstance,PlayerOneattemptstohitPlayerTwoandPlayerTwosimultaneouslyblocks;theserver,basedonitsinternalrulesetandgamelogic,decideswhichoneoftheseactionsprevails.Theserverthenrelaysitsdecisionbacktotheindividualgamecli-entsviatheprotocol.49Uponreceivingthisdata,eachgameclientrenderstheaudio-visualel-ementsthatcorrespondtotheserver’soutput(e.g.,PlayerTwo’sblockissuccessful),andtheplayersrespondaccordingly,beginningtheprocessanew.Inthisway,withjustaslightlatencyperiod,playeractionsappeartooccurinstantaneously.Ifanyof these threearchitecturalcomponents (client,protocol,or server)are inoperable,anonline game cannot be preserved in playable form.50 For instance, nearly “everymultiplayergameonthemarket…requiresaconstantconnectiontothehomeservers”formultiplayerfea-turestowork,evenifgameclientsarelocallyconnectedthroughaLAN.51Worsestill,“[s]omegames require a connection to an external server—sometimes on an ongoing basis—for alltypesofplay,includingsingle-playerplay,”52whichmeansthesegamesbecomecompletelyun-

protocol-network-817949 (archivedNov.20,2017) (“Anetworkprotocoldefines rulesandconventions forcom-municationbetweennetworkdevices.”);Cf.GlennFielder,“UDPvs.TCP:WhichProtocolisBestforGames?,”Gaf-fer on Games, available at https://web.archive.org/web/20171021194123/https://gafferongames.com/post/udp_vs_tcp/(archivedOct.21,2017)(statingthatthe“mostbasicaspectofnetworkprogramming[is]send-ingandreceivingdataoverthenetwork.”).45StatementofRussellSpitzer,infraatA-5[hereinafter“SpitzerStatement”](“[T]herestillarenotrueunifiedpro-tocolsforbuilding[onlinegames].”).46 See Glenn Fielder, Gaffer on Games, “UDP vs. TCP: Which Protocol is Best for Games?,” available athttps://web.archive.org/web/20171021194123/https://gafferongames.com/post/udp_vs_tcp/ (archived Oct. 21,2017)(“UsingTCPistheworstpossiblemistakeyoucanmakewhendevelopingamultiplayergame”).47Seeid.48SeeSpitzerStatement(“Differentprogrammersallhaddifferenttakesonhowtheclient-servermodelshouldbeimplementedandalmostnoneoftheseapproacheswerecompatible.”).49Cf.Fielder,supranote43.50SeeLowoodStatement.51Kuchera,supranote11.52Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at345.

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playablewhenserversareshutdown.53Therefore,torestoreonlinegamestofullfunctionality,preservationists must create replacement servers and protocols that interoperate with agame’sclient.54Suchreverseengineeringtoachieveinteroperabilityisafavoredactivityundercopyrightlaw.552. Technological protectionmeasuresmustbe circumvented to preserveabandonedonlinevideogamesinplayableform.Varioustechnologicalprotectionmeasuresareusedtocontrolaccesstoabandonedonlinevid-eogamesoftware. For instance,onlinevideogamesoftwaremaybe controlledbyaCDkey,whichisastringofnumbersandlettersinputtedduringinstallation.56Alternatively,gamesmaybesubjecttoalimitedinstallactivation.Withthisaccesscontrol,clientsoftwareisverifiedbyanexternalserverpriortoinstallationandonlyalimitednumberofcopiesmaybeinstalled.57AnotherTPMcommontoabandonedonlinevideogamesisa“phonehome”serverauthentica-tion,wherethegameclientconnectstoanauthenticationserveratstart-upandtransmitsanactivationkeyforverification.58Iftheactivationkeyisincorrectortheauthenticationserverisinaccessible, game play is disabled.59 This type of TPMwas discussed extensively during thesixthtriennialrulemaking.60Lastly,somemodernvideogamesrequirepersistentonlineauthen-tication,whichmeansthatthegameclientmustremainconnectedtoanauthenticatingserveratalltimes.61Iftheconnectionisbroken,thegamewillstopfunctioning,eveninsingle-playermode.62SomegamesmayalsousemultipleTPMsconcurrently.63Similarly,copyingormodify-ing specific componentsofagame’sarchitecture (suchasaprotocol)maybeconsideredcir-

53SeeLowoodStatement(“Ifagameserverisshutdownwithoutprovisionsbeingmadeforaccesstotheoriginalsoftware,preservationisimpossible.”).54SeeMADEStatement.55SeeRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at336.56SeeDigitalRightsManagement,UniversityofNorthCarolinaSchoolofLaw,availableathttp://web.archive.org/web/20170321171357/http://drm.web.unc.edu/games/ (archivedMar. 21, 2017) (discussing digital rights man-agementsoftware).57Seeid.58SeeEFFInitialComments2015,supranote41,at4(discussing“phonehome”authentication);seealsoKuchera,supranote11.59Seeid.;seealsoStatementofJasonScott,infraatA-15[hereinafterScottStatement].60SeeRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at324(discussingserverauthenticationchecksandrelatedtechnologicalissues).61SeeDigitalRightsManagement,supranote56.62SeeRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at345;seealsoTomSenior,“Constantnetconnectionnolonger required for Ubisoft games,” PC Gamer (Dec. 31, 2010), available at http://web.archive.org/web/20170812172204/http://www.pcgamer.com/constant-net-connection-no-longer-required-for-ubisoft-games/ (ar-chivedAug.12,2017)(discussinggameswithpersistentonlineauthentication).63See,e.g., “Bioshock2PChasThreeTypesofDRM,”Spong (Feb.8,2010),availableathttp://web.archive.org/web/20160407081908/http://spong.com/article/20530/BioShock-2-PC-has-Three-Types-of-DRM (archives Apr. 7,2016)(describingavideogamethatcontainsthreedifferenttypesofaccesscontrols).

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cumventionofaTPM.64“Because replicatinga serverprotocol requiresapplyingsecret infor-mationinordertoaccessgamefunctionality,orbypassingorremovingcryptographicverifica-tion,serverprotocolsmaybetechnicalmeasuresthateffectivelycontrolaccesstothework.”65Aspartofthepreservationprocessformostabandonedonlinegames,itwillbenecessaryforpreservationists to circumventoneormoreTPMs to implementnew, interoperable softwarecomponents as part of the game’s architecture.66 For example, an abandonedonline game’sclientmay includea serverauthentication step thatmustbe circumvented to load thegameand enable play.67Without TPM circumvention, “processes such as authenticationwill blockaccess[tothegamefor]researchers,andtheywillbeunabletoactivatethesoftware.”68Like-wise,cryptographicverifications(suchasSSLcertificates)thatarepartofanabandonedonlinegame’s protocol may operate effectively as TPMs and will need to be circumvented duringpreservation.69 “Sinceentry intomost server-basedgamesandvirtualworlds requiresanau-thenticationproceduresuchasalogin,afteraservershutsdown,theauthenticationprocedurebuiltintothesoftwarewillbeanobstacleforpreservationorresearchactivities.”70Therefore,TPMspresentsignificanttechnicalhurdlesforabandonedonlinegamepreservation.Forexample,whentheMADEpreservedtheworld’sfirstMMO,Habitat,theyhadworkingcop-iesofboththegameclientsoftwareandtheserver.71(Theyreceivedthiscodefromthegame’scopyrightowners,whoauthorizedtheproject.)However,theMADEdidn’thavethe“layerbe-tweenthe[clientandserver]whichhandledbillingandsign-on”andfunctionedasa“primitiveDRM.”72ThispieceofsoftwarehadtobecircumventedinorderfortheoriginalHabitatclientandserversoftwaretointeroperateandforthegametoberestoredtoplayableform—apro-cessthattookfouryearstocomplete.73Thus,archivistsneedtobeabletocircumventTPMsinordertopreserveabandonedonlinevid-eogamesinplayableform.

64See,e.g.,MDYIndus.,LLCv.BlizzardEntm’t,Inc.,629F.3d928,954(9thCir.2010)(findingthatagameserverprotocolthatrequiredclientsoftwaretoreportonthecontentsofthecomputer’smemorywasaTPMbecauseitrequiredtheapplicationofinformationtogainaccesstothework).65EFFInitialComments2015,supranote41,at4.66 See, e.g.,MADE Statement (discussing need to circumvent “primitiveDRM” as part of restoration ofHabitatgame).67SeeRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at324 (“According toproponents, requiring thatavideogamecommunicatewithathird-partyserverbeforeenablingplay…canconstituteTPMssubjecttosection1201’sprohibitiononcircumvention.”);seealsoScottStatement.68LowoodStatement.69 SeeRegister’s Recommendation 2015, supranote 4, at 324 (“…the specific server protocols or cryptographicverificationused…canconstitutedTPMssubjecttosection1201’sprohibitiononcircumvention.”).70LowoodStatement.71MADEStatement.72Seeid.73Seeid.

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ITEME.ASSERTEDADVERSEEFFECTSONNON-INFRINGINGUSES

Foraparticularclassofworkstobeexemptedunder17U.S.C.§1201(a)(1),proponentsmustshowthatthe“usesaffectedbytheprohibitiononcircumventionareorare likelytobenon-infringing.”74Here,thepreservationoflegallyacquired,abandonedonlinevideogamesislikelytobeanon-infringingusefortworeasons:(1)itiswithinthescopeoflegitimatepreservationactivitiescontemplatedby17U.S.C.§108(whichprovideslimitedreproductionrightstolibrar-iesandarchives);and(2)itisafairuse.1.Thepreservationofonlinevideogamesiswithinthescopeoflegitimatepreservationac-

tivitiescontemplatedby§108.AccordingtotheRegisterofCopyrights, libraries,archives,andmuseumsengage in“valuablepreservationactivitieswith respect tovideogames.”75TheCopyrightActexplicitly recognizestheimportanceofsuchpreservationactivitiesbyprovidinglibrariesandarchives76witha lim-itedrighttoreproducecopyrightedworksforthepurposeofpreservation.77“Incopyrightlaw,preservationusesaretreateddifferentlyfromgeneral,all-purposeuses.”78Thisright,providedin§108,allowsforthelimitedreproductionofcopyrightedworksbylibrariesandarchives“forpurposesofpreservationand replacement, andwhena formathasbecomeobsolete.”79Thisright “highlight[s] Congress’s recognition of preservation as an important social activity.”80However,§108issilentastowhethercircumventionofaccesscontrolsforpurposesofpreser-vation isallowable,81andso,on itsown,§108“appear[s] inadequatetoaddress institutionalneeds in relation to digital works.”82 Nevertheless, according to the Register of Copyrights,§108providesusefulguidanceto“Congress’s intentregardingthenatureandscopeof legiti-matepreservationactivities,andhencethetypesofusesthataremostlikelytoqualifyasfairinthisarea.”83During theprevious rulemaking, theRegisterofCopyrightsapplied§108’s “guidance” to thequestionofwhetherpreservingabandonedvideogameswasfairuse.84Indoingso,theRegister 7417U.S.C.§1201(a)(1)(B).SeealsoRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at15(2015).75Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at351.76Inthecontextofvideogamepreservation,theRegisterofCopyrightfoundthattherewas“noreasontoexcludemuseumsfromthereachoftheproposedexemption”because“museumengageinsimilareffortstopreservevid-eogames.”Register’sRecommendation2015, supranote4, at342. Therefore,nodistinctionbetween libraries,archives,andmuseumswillbedrawnhere.77See17U.S.C. §108 (providing libraries andarchiveswitha limited right to reproduceworks forpreservationpurposes).78Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at341.79Id.80Id.81See17U.S.C.§108;seealsoRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at341 (noting that section108doesnotaddressthefullrangeofpreservation-relatedactivitiesadvocatedbythe2015abandonedvideogamesexemptionproponents).82SeeRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at3(discussingproposalforCurrentExemption).83Id.at342.84Id.at341–42.

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noted that there are five indicative markers of a fair use in this context. First, video gamepreservationactivitiesshouldbecarriedoutbya“preservation-orientedinstitution,”suchasalibrary,archives,ormuseum.85Second,thecollectionsoftheseinstitutionsshouldbeopentothe public and/or routinelymade available to researcherswho are not affiliatedwith the li-brary, archives, or museum.86 Third, preservation must not be done for “direct or indirectcommercialgain.”87Fourth,preservedvideogamesshouldnotbemadeavailabletothepublicindigitalformats“outsidethepremises”ofthelibrary,archives,ormuseum.88However,§108“permitslimiteddistributionofcopiestootherlibrariesandarchives.”89Fifth,andfinally,§108only applies to the rightof reproductionanddistribution in the contextofpreservation, anddoesnotauthorizepublicperformanceordisplayofcopyrightedworks.90Here,theProposedExemptionbearallfivemarkers.First,preservationofonlinevideogameswouldbecarriedoutby“preservation-oriented”groups,namely libraries,archives,museumsandAffiliateArchivists.91Second,toqualify,libraries,archives,andmuseumsmustmaketheircollections“opentothepublicand/orroutinely[]availabletoresearcherswhoarenotaffiliat-edwiththelibrary,archivesormuseum.”92Third,gamepreservationactivitiescarriedoutun-dertheProposedExemptionmustbedone“withoutanypurposeofdirectorindirectcommer-cialadvantage.”93Fourth,theProposedExemptiondisallowsdistributionofpreservedgamestothegeneralpublic“outsideof thephysicalpremisesof theeligible library,archives,ormuse-um.”94 Fifth, the Proposed Exemption only permits copying andmodification of video gamesoftware to“allowpreservationof thegame inaplayable form,”anddoesnotauthorize thepublicperformanceordisplayofpreservedonlinegames.95Therefore,theProposedExemptionisconsistentwiththe§108markersidentifiedbytheRegisterofCopyrights,andpreservationconductedunderitislikelytobefair.96

85Id.at342.86Id.at341.87Id.at342.88Id.at341.89Id.Seealso17U.S.C.§108(b)-(c).90Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at341–42.91SeeItemC-2supra.92Id.93Id.94Id.95 Id.;seealsoRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at342(“Theperformanceanddisplayofavideogameforvisitorsinapublicspaceisamarkedlydifferentactivitythaneffortstopreserveorstudythegameinadedicatedarchivalorresearchsetting.”).96SeeRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at342.

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2. Copyingandmodifying softwareelementsof anabandonedonlinevideogame for thepurposeofpreservationisafairuse.

Videogames,likemostcomputerprograms,containbothfunctionalandexpressiveelements.97Functionalelementsofavideogame—suchthosethatare“dictatedbythefunctiontobeper-formed, by considerations of efficiency, or by external factors such as compatibility require-ments and industry demands”—are not copyrightable.98 Moreover, copying functional ele-mentsofcopyrightedsoftwaretoachieveinteroperabilityisafavoredactivityundercopyrightlaw.99Conversely,expressiveelementsofvideogamesareprotectedbycopyright.100Here, preservation of abandoned online video games requires copying and modifying bothfunctional and expressive elements contained in a game’s architecture.101 This is likely to benon-infringing usebecause copying the functional elements of an abandonedonline game isallowedunder§102(b),102andcopyingtheexpressiveelementsofanabandonedonlinegameforthepurposeofpreservationislikelyfairuse.103Under17U.S.C.§107,courtsmustconsiderfournon-exhaustivefactorstodeterminewhetheracertainuseofacopyrightedworkisafairuse.Thesefactorsare:“(1)thepurposeandcharac-teroftheuse,includingwhethersuchuseisofacommercialnatureorisfornonprofiteduca-tionalpurposes; (2) thenatureof thecopyrightedwork; (3) theamountandsubstantialityoftheportionusedinrelationtothecopyrightedworkasawhole;and(4)theeffectoftheuseuponthepotentialmarketfororvalueofthecopyrightedwork.”104Takeasawhole,thesefourfactors support a finding that copying andmodifying abandoned online video games for thepurposeifpreservationisfairuse.

97SeeSonyComputerEntm’t,Inc.v.ConnectixCorp.,203F.3d596,599(9thCir.2000)(“Copyrightedsoftwareor-dinarilycontainsbothcopyrightedandunprotectedorfunctionalelements.”).98See17U.S.C.§102(b);seealsoSegaEnterprisesLtd.v.Accolade,Inc.,977F.2d1510,1524(9thCir.1992)(“TheprotectionestablishedbytheCopyrightActfororiginalworksofauthorshipdoesnotextendtotheideasunderly-ingaworkortothefunctionalorfactualaspectsofthework.”);ComputerAssocs.Int’l,Inc.v.Altai,Inc.,982F.2d693,714(2dCir.1992)(“functionalelements…donotqualifyforcopyrightprotection”).99SeeRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at336(notingthatitis“Congress’sunderstandingthatre-verseengineeringandthepursuitofinteroperabilityarefavoredactivitiesunderthelaw.”);seealsoid.at368n.2481 (“Congress recognized the importanceofcompatibility in theDMCAby includinga statutoryexemption totheprohibitiononcircumventionforcertainreverseengineeringactivities.”).Unfortunately,thisstatutoryexemp-tion(§1201(f))doesnotapplytopreservationactivitieshere,soatemporaryexemptionisneeded.Seeid.at368n.2481.100See17U.S.C.§102(a).101See,e.g.,MADEStatement(discussingcomponentsthatweremodifiedtopreservetheabandonedvideogameHabitat).102SeeSegaEnterprises,977F.2dat1524(citingBakerv.Selden,101U.S.99,102–04(1879)(“Totheextentthataworkisfunctionalorfactual,itmaybecopied”).103 See Register’s Recommendation 2015, supra note 4, at 343 (“the purpose and character of the use—preservationofavideogameinplayableformforresearchandstudy—arefavoredpurposesundersection107”).10417U.S.C.§107.

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a) Thefirstfactorweighsinfavoroffairusebecausepreservationofanabandonedonlinevideogameinplayableformforresearchandstudy isconsistentwiththestatutory examples provided by § 107, is a transformative use, and is a non-commercialactivityprovidingsubstantialpublicbenefits.

Under the first factor, courtsmust consider“thepurposeandcharacterof theuse, includingwhethersuchuseisofacommercialnatureorisfornonprofiteducationalpurposes.”105Indo-ingso,courtsask,amongotherthings,whether:(i)thepurposeoftheuseisconsistentwiththeexamplesgiveninthepreambleto§107;(ii)whethertheuseistransformative(meaningthattheuse“addssomethingnew,withafurtherpurposeordifferentcharacter,alteringthe[copy-rightwork]withnewexpression,meaning,ormessage”);and(iii)whethertheuseoftheworkisofacommercialornon-commercialnature.106

(i) The“purposeandcharacter”oftheintendeduse(i.e.,preservinganabandonedonlinegameinplayableformforresearchandstudy)isconsistentwiththestatu-toryexamplesprovidedin§107.

AccordingtotheSupremeCourt,inassessingthefirstfactor,courtsmaybe“guidedbytheex-amplesgiveninthepreambleto§107.”107Thispreambleprovidesthatusesfor“purposessuchascriticism,comment,newsreporting,teaching…scholarship,orresearch, isnotaninfringe-mentofcopyright.”108Subsequentcourtshavefurthernoted“astrongpresumptionthatfactoronefavorsthedefendantiftheallegedlyinfringingworkfitsthedescriptionofusesdescribedinsection107,”109andthatwhenausefallsintooneofthesestatutorycategories,“assessmentofthe first fair use factor should be at an end.”110 Furthermore, theRegister of Copyrights haspreviouslynotedthat“thepurposeandcharacteroftheuse—thepreservationofavideogameinplayableformforresearchandstudy—arefavoredpurposesundersection107,”111andthatCongressregardspreservationasan“importantsocialactivity.”112

Here,thepurposebehindthepreservationofabandonedonlinevideogamesfitscomfortablywithinallofthe§107categoriesexceptfor“newsreporting.”113Thepreservationworkbeing 105Id.106Campbellv.Acuff-RoseMusic,Inc.,510U.S.569,578–79(1994).107Id.at578.10817U.S.C.§107.109Wrightv.WarnerBooks,Inc.,953F.2d731,736(2dCir.1991);seealsoNXIVMCorp.v.RossInst.,364F.3d471,477(2dCir.2004)(notingsame).110NewEraPublicationsInt’l,ApSv.CarolPublishingGroup,904F.2d152,156(2dCir.1990).111Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at343.112Id.at341.113AsimilarconclusionwasreachedbyboththeRegisterofCopyrightsandtheNTIAduringthelastrulemaking.SeeRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at343(“thepurposeandcharacteroftheuse—preservationofavideogameinplayableformforresearchandstudy—arefavoredpurposesundersection107”);SixthTriennialSection1201Rulemaking:RecommendationsoftheNationalTelecommunicationsandInformationAdministrationtotheRegisterofCopyrights66(2015)[hereinafter“NTIA2015”](“researchandscholarshiparefavoredusesun-derthefairuseanalysis”).

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doneby theMADEandsimilarorganizations isexplicitly intended topromotecriticism,com-ment,teaching,scholarship,andresearchoftheabandonedonlinegamesbeingpreserved.114Forinstance,thepurposeoftheVideoGameHistoryFoundationisto“provideresearchersac-cesstorarematerials,encouragetheirstudythroughresearchgrants,andeducatethepublicon… the 21st century’s primary form of entertainment and expression”;115 the ICHEG “con-ductsandencouragesresearchandwritingaboutthehistoricalandculturalsignificanceofvid-eogames”;116andtheUniversityofMichigan“collectsmaterialsrelatingtogamesforthepur-pose of academic inquiry.”117 As such, the preservation of abandoned online video gamesserves critical, educational, and scholarly purposes consistentwith the examples provided in§107.Therefore,thefirstfactorweighstowardsfairuse.118

(ii) Preservationof abandonedonline videogames is a transformativeuse, as thepurposeofpreservinganabandonedonlinegame isdifferent from theoriginalpurposeofthegame’screation.

Inadditiontobeingconsistentwiththe§107examples,119preservationofabandonedonlinegamesisalsoatransformativeuse,asthepurposeofpreservinganabandonedonlinegameisdifferentfromtheoriginalpurposeofthegame’screation.

Inaddressing the first factor, courts consider “whether thenewworkmerely supersedes theobjectsoftheoriginalcreationorwhetherandtowhatextentitis‘transformative,’alteringtheoriginalwithnewexpression,meaning,ormessage.”120Indoingso,courtsaskwhethertheuseinquestionhasapurpose that is“separateanddistinct” fromtheoriginalpurpose forwhichtheworkwascreated.121Althoughtransformativeuseisnotnecessaryforafairusefinding,122

114SeeMADEStatement;LowoodStatement;StatementofFrankCifaldi, infraatA-11[hereinafter“CifaldiState-ment”];StatementofStevenLavoie,infraatA-12[hereinafter“LavoieStatement”].115CifaldiStatement.116AboutICHEG,supranote24.117AboutMichiganCVGA,supranote26.118 See Register’s Recommendation 2015, supra note 4, at 343 (“the purpose and character of the use—preservationofavideogameinplayableformforresearchandstudy—arefavoredpurposesundersection107”);seealsoWright,953F.2dat736(whereausefalls intooneofthestatutorycategoriesunder§107,“theassess-mentof the first fairuse factor shouldbeat anend.”); seealsoNewEraPublications Int’l, 904F.2dat156.Cf.Campbell,510U.S.at578–79.119SeeRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at343.120Campbell,510U.S.at579.121SeeBillGrahamArchivesv.DorlingKindersleyLtd.,448F.3d605,610(2dCir.2006)(concludingthatdefendant’s“transformativepurposeofenhancingthebiographicalinformationin[theworkatissuewas]apurposeseparateanddistinctfromtheoriginalartisticandpromotionalpurposeforwhichtheimageswerecreated.”);seealsoAu-thorsGuild,Inc.v.HathiTrust,755F.3d87,97(2dCir.2014)(copyingofbookstocreateafull-textsearchabledata-base“addstotheoriginalsomethingnewwithadifferentpurposeandadifferentcharacter,”andthustheusewastransformative).122SeeRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at338(“Ausedneednotbetransformative…tobefairuse.”).

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themoretransformativeauseis,thelesssignificantotherfactorswillbe.123Inaddition,copy-ingtheentiretyofaworkdoesnotnecessarilyweighagainstfindingausetobetransformative,solongastheuse“servesadifferentfunctionthantheoriginalwork.”124

Here, the intended use—preservation of abandoned online games—is highly transformative.Thepurposeofpreservinganabandonedonlinevideogameistoenableresearch,study,edu-cation,andcriticalcommentaryaboutthepreservedgame,125whereastheoriginalpurposebe-hind the game’s creation was to entertain consumers and to generate revenue from gamesales.126Forexample,preservedonlinegamesmaybeused inavarietyofacademicresearchprojects,127 such as anthropological studies of online player communities128 or psychologicalexperimentsthat“wouldbeimpossibletoachieveintheconfinesofauniversitylab.”129Simi-larly,forfuturegenerationsofdesignstudents,havingthe“abilitytoexploreoldgames”andtoseehowolder “multiplayer function[s] actuallyworked, is an incredibly valuablepedagogicaltool.”130Moreover,“[s]cholarsandotherswhoseektounderstandtheculturalanddesignas-pects of video games—aswell as their research efforts and commentary—will benefit if thegames remain available in playable form.”131 Thus, the purpose of preserving an abandonedonlinegame—i.e.,toenableresearch,study,education,andteaching—isofawhollydifferentcharacterthanthepurposeoriginallyintendedbythegame’screator.

123SeeCampbell,510U.S.at579(“themoretransformativethenewwork,thelesswillbethesignificanceofotherfactors,likecommercialism,thatmayweighagainstafindingoffairuse.”).124Kellyv.ArribaSoftCorp.,336F.3d811,819(9thCir.2003)(“Arriba’suseoftheimagesservesadifferentfunc-tionthanKelly’suse—improvingaccessto informationonthe internetversusartisticexpression…BecauseArri-ba’suse isnot supersedingKelly’susebut, rather,hasadifferentpurpose for the images,Arriba’suse is trans-formative.”). See also Perfect 10, Inc. v. Amazon.com, Inc., 508 F.3d 1146, 1165 (9th Cir. 2007) (“The fact thatGoogle incorporatestheentirePerfect10 imageintosearchengineresultsdoesnotdiminishthetransformativenatureofGoogle’suse.”).125 See Cifaldi Statement (“We provide researchers access to rarematerials, encourage their study through re-searchgrants,andeducatethepubliconhowtheytoo,canstudythehistoryofwhatwebelievewillcometobethe21stcentury’sprimaryformofentertainmentandexpression”);AboutMADE,supranote21(theMADEpre-servesgamesinorderto“educat[e]thepubliconhowvideogamesarecreated.”).126See,e.g.,2016AnnualReport,EntertainmentSoftwareAssociation(2016),availableathttp://web.archive.org/web/20171216234446/http://www.theesa.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/ESA-AnnualReport-Digital-91917.pdf(archivedDec.16,2017)(videogameindustrygeneratesover$30billioninannualrevenue).127SeeAboutUT,supranote25(notingthattheUniversityofTexaspreservesvideogames“forusebyawidearrayof researchers”);About ICHEG,supranote24( the ICHEGmaintainsacollectionofover60,000 itemsrelatedtovideogamehistorythatareavailabletoresearchers).128SeegenerallyBonnieA.Nardi,MyLifeasaNightElfPriest:AnAnthropologicalAccountofWorldofWarcraft(2010) (compiling three years of participatory research intoWorld ofWarcraft play and culture); Celia Pearce,CommunitiesofPlay:EmergentCulturesinMultiplayerGamesandVirtualWorlds(2009)(discussingfanculturesinnetworkeddigitalworlds).129 Jeremy Hsu, “Inside the Largest Virtual Psychology Lab in the World,” Wired (Jan. 27, 2015), available athttp://web.archive.org/web/20171216235809/https://www.wired.com/2015/01/inside-the-largest-virtual-psychology-lab-in-the-world/(describingthe“newpsychologicalinsights”gainedfromusinganonlinevideogameas“avirtuallabcapableofrunningexperimentswiththousandsorevenmillionsofhumanplayers.”).130StatementofT.L.Taylor,infraatA-13[hereinafter“TaylorStatement”].131Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at348.

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Therefore, the intended use here is transformative, and the first factor weighs toward fairuse.132

(iii)Fairuseisfavoredbecausethepreservationofabandonedonlinevideogamesisanoncommercialactivitythatprovidessubstantialpublicbenefits.

Lastly,aspartofthefirstfactoranalysis,courtsmustconsiderwhether“theuseinquestionisofacommercialnatureorisfornonprofiteducationalpurposes,”133andoftenconsiderwheth-ertheuseresultsinpublicbenefits.134

Here,toensurethatonlinegamepreservationisdonefor“nonprofiteducationalpurposes”on-ly,theProposedExemptionexplicitlyrequiresthatthepreservationofabandonedonlinegamesbe“carriedoutwithoutanypurposeofdirectorindirectcommercialadvantage”bymuseums,archives, libraries,andaffiliatedAffiliateArchivists,and that thecollectionsof suchorganiza-tionsmustbe“opentothepublicand/orroutinelymadeavailabletoresearcherswhoarenotaffiliatedwiththelibrary,archivesormuseum.”135Thus,thepreservationofabandonedonlinevideogameswillserveanoncommercial,educationalmission.Additionally,preservationhasbeenrecognized“importantsocialactivity,”136andthepreserva-tionofabandonedonlinegameswillhavedemonstrablepublicbenefits.Bymakingtheircollec-tionsavailabletothepublicandtootherresearchers,preservationistswillbolsterscholarlyen-gagementwithvideogamehistoryandculture.137“Scholarsandotherswhoseektounderstandtheculturalanddesignaspectsofvideogames—aswellastheirresearcheffortsandcommen-tary—willbenefitifthegamesremainavailableinplayableform.”138Thus,thepreservationofabandonedonlinevideogamesprovidessubstantialpublicbenefits.

Therefore,giventhatthepreservationofabandonedonlinevideogamesisdoneforpurposesfavoredunder§107,thatthesepurposesarelikewisetransformative,andthisactivityisnon-commercialandprovidesubstantialpublicbenefits,thefirstfactorstronglyweighsinfavoroffairuse.

132 SeeCampbell, 510U.S. at 579; see also Bill GrahamArchives, 448 F.3d at 610 (concluding that defendant’s“transformativepurposeofenhancingthebiographicalinformationin[theworkatissuewas]apurposeseparateanddistinctfromtheoriginalartisticandpromotionalpurposeforwhichtheimageswerecreated.”).13317U.S.C.§107.134SeeSegaEnterprises,977F.2dat1523 (noting that thecourt is“free toconsider thepublicbenefit resultingfromaparticularusenotwithstandingthefactthattheallegedinfringermaygaincommercially”).135SeeItemC-2supra.136Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at341.137SeeTaylorStatement.Cf.LowoodStatement(“Critical-historicalresearchaboutgameworlds isgreatlyhandi-cappedwhenaccesstotheseworldsends.Thecost isnot just lostgamehistory,but lostcultural, technicalandsocialhistoryofthelate-20thandearly-21stcenturies.”).138Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at348.

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b) Preservation of abandoned online video games focuses on repairing and re-implementingthefunctionalaspectsofagame’sarchitecture.

Thesecondfairusefactor—”thenatureofthecopyrightedwork”—recognizesthatsomeworksare“closertotheintendedcoreofcopyrightprotectionthanothers.”139Highlycreativeexpres-siveworksfallwithinthecoreofcopyrightprotection,whereaspurelyfunctionalworksareun-protectedbecause, amongother things, they are “dictatedby considerationsof efficiencyorotherexternalfactors.”140Whenacopyrightedworkcontainsbothexpressiveandpurelyfunc-tionalelements(ascomputerprogramsdo),andwhere“itisnecessarytocopytheexpressiveelementsinordertoperformthosefunctions,”thesecondfactor“arguablysupportsafindingthattheuseisfair.”141Furthermore,thesecondfactorcarrieslimitedweightincaseswheretheuseofexpressiveelementsisconsistentwithatransformativepurpose.142Lastrulemaking,theRegisterofCopyrightsnotedthatwhilevideogamesarehighlyexpressiveworks,143thesecondfactorwouldnotweighheavilyagainst fairuse if the“focusofthecopying”wasonagame’s“functionalaspects.”144Here, to successfully preserve an abandoned online game in playable form, preservationistsmustcopyormodifypartsofthegame’ssoftwaretorebuildtheclient–protocol–serverarchi-tecture.145Thisprocessprimarily involvescopyingandmodifyingfunctionalelementstomakegameclientsandserversinteroperate.146Aspartofthiswork,itmayalsobenecessarytocopyormodifyexpressiveelementsthatareintertwinedwithagame’sfunctionality—e.g.,modifyinggraphicsthatwereoncestoredontheoriginalgameserver.Assuch,evenifexpressivecontentiscopiedduringpreservation,thefocusremainsonmodifyingfunctionalaspectsofthegametorestoreplayability.147Moreover,thiscopyingisdoneinpursuitofatransformativepurpose—preservationofabandonedonlinegamestoenablecriticism,comment, teaching,scholarship,andresearch—whichsupportsfairuse.148

139Campbell,510U.S.at586.140OracleAmericaInc.v.Google,Inc.,750F.3d1339,1375(Fed.Cir.2014);seealso17U.S.C.§102(b);Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at338.141Oracle,750F.3dat1375;seealsoRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at338,343.142SeeBillGrahamArchives,448F.3dat612(indicatingthatthesecondfairusefactor“maybeoflimiteduseful-nesswherethecreativeworkofartisbeingusedforatransformativepurpose.”).143Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at338(“videogamesarehighlyexpressiveandthusatthecoreofcopyright’sprotectivepurposes.”).144Id.at343.145SeeMadeStatement.146Seeid.147SeeRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at343(“Forthesecondfactor…theworksatissueincludehighlyexpressiveelements,butthefocusofthecopyingisonfunctionalaspectsofthoseworks…[therefore]thisfactordoesnotweightheavilyagainstfairuse.”).148SeeCampbell,510U.S.at586;BillGrahamArchives,448F.3dat612(indicatingthatthesecondfairusefactor“maybeoflimitedusefulnesswherethecreativeworkofartisbeingusedforatransformativepurpose.”);seealsoRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at341(“Incopyrightlaw,preservationusesaretreateddifferentlyfromgeneral,all-purposeuses.”).

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Therefore,thesecondfactordoesnotweighagainstfairuse.

c) Theamountandsubstantialityofabandonedonlinevideogamesoftwarecopiedby archivists will not be excessive and will be consistent with the purpose ofpreservation.

Thethirdfairusefactoraskswhether“theamountandsubstantialityoftheportionusedinre-lationtothecopyrightedworkasawhole…arereasonable inrelationtothepurposeof thecopying.”149 This involvesboth aquantitative andqualitative review:howmuchof the copy-rightedworkwasused,andwhether theportionusedwasanessentialelementof thecopy-rightedwork.150Quantitatively,thethirdfactor“askswhetherthesecondaryuseemploysmoreofthecopyrightedworkthanisnecessary,andwhetherthecopyingwasexcessiveinrelationtoanyvalidpurposesassertedunderthefirst factor.”151Courtshaveheldthat if thepurposeoftheuse isvalid,andtheuser“onlycopiesasmuchasnecessaryforhisorher intendeduse,”thenthethirdfactorwillnotweighagainstfairuse.152Furthermore,forsomepurposes,“itmaybenecessarytocopytheentirecopyrightedwork.”153Likewise,qualitatively,itmaybefairusetocopythe“heart”ofacopyrightedwork ifthiscopying isconsistentwithapermissiblepur-pose.154

Here,a substantialportion—insomecases,all—ofagame’sarchitectureaswellas someex-pressiveelementswillneedtobecopiedandmodifiedinorderforanabandonedonlinegametobepreserved.Whilesubstantial,thiscopyingisnot“excessive”becauseitisnecessarytothetransformativeandsociallybeneficialpurpose155ofpreserving thework.156 “Even though theentireworkmaybecopiedandusedinmodifiedform,becausetheseusesareaimedatfunc-tionalratherthanexpressiveaspectsofthework,thisfactorcarrieslittleweight.”157Thus,thequantityofmaterialusedshouldnotweighagainstfairuse.158Qualitatively,whiletheportioncopiedmaycontain the“heart”of thegame, thisdoesnotprecludea findingof fairuse,be-causepreservationistsmustcopytheheartofthegametopreserveit.159Assuch,copyingthe

149Campbell,510U.S.at586(citing17U.S.C.§107).150See,e.g.,Marcusv.Rowley,695F.2d1171,1176(9thCir.1983)(holdingthatthethirdfactor“requiresanalysisofboththequantityandqualityoftheallegedinfringement.”).151AuthorsGuild,Inc.v.HathiTrust,755F.3d87,96(2dCir.2014)(citingCampbell,510U.S.at586).152Kelly,336F.3dat820–21.153AuthorsGuild,755F.3dat98(citingBillGrahamArchives,448F.3dat613);seealsoSeeRegister’sRecommen-dation2015,supranote4,at344.154SeeCampbell,510U.S.at588-89.155Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at341(notingthatCongresshasrecognizedpreservationasan“importantsocialactivity.”).156SeealsoAuthorsGuild,755F.3dat86(citingCampbell,510U.S.at586);seealsoBillGrahamArchives,488F.3dat613.157Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at344.158Seeid.159SeeCampbell,510U.S.at588;seealsoRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at341(“Incopyrightlaw,preservationusesaretreateddifferentlyfromgeneral,all-purposeuses.”).

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“heart”ofthegameisconsistentwithapermissiblepurpose—preservation.160Thus,thequali-tativereviewofthematerialcopiedshouldnotweighagainstfairuse.161Therefore,becausetheamountandsubstantialityofthecopyrightedworksusedarenomorethannecessaryandareconsistentwith the transformativepurposeofpreservation, the thirdfactordoesnotweighagainstfairuse.

d) Preservation will not negatively impact themarket for, or value of, abandonedvideogames,andwillpositivelybenefitcopyrightholdersandthepublic.

Under the fourth factor (“theeffectof theuseuponthepotentialmarket fororvalueof thecopyrightedwork),”162theinquiryiswhether,iftheuseatissueshouldbecomewidespread,“itwouldadverselyaffectthepotentialmarketforthecopyrightedwork,bydiminishingpotentialsales,interferingwithmarketability,orusurpingthemarket.”163Courtshavegenerallyheldthata use that does notmaterially impair themarketability of a copyrightedwork is fair.164 Fur-thermore,whenaworkisnolongeravailableforpurchasethroughnormalchannels,thatfactsupportsfairuse.165TheSecondCircuithasnotedthat“akey,thoughnotnecessarilydetermi-native,factorinfairuseiswhetherornottheworkisavailabletothepotentialuser.Iftheworkis‘outofprint’andunavailableforpurchasethroughnormalchannels,theusermayhavemorejustificationforreproducingitthanintheordinarycase.”166Here,theonlinevideogamesbeingpreservedarenolongersoldorsupportedbytheirpublish-ers—thesegamesareabandonedand“outofprint.”167Assuch,thereislittle-to-nomarketforthesetitles,asthemarket“hasbeenessentiallyvacatedbycopyrightowners.”168Further,thereis littlepossibilityofmarketdemandinthefutureshouldthesegamesremaininoperableand

160SeeCampbell,510U.S.at588.161SeeAuthorsGuild,755F.3dat96.16217U.S.C.§107.163SegaEnterprises,977F.2dat1523.164SeeHarper&RowPublishers,Inc.v.NationEnterprises,471U.S.539,566–67(1985)(“Fairuse,whenproperlyapplied, is limited to copyingbyotherswhichdoesnotmaterially impair themarketabilityof theworkwhich iscopied.”);seealsoSonyCorp.ofAm.v.UniversalCityStudios,Inc.,464U.S.417,450–51(1984)(“[A]usethathasnodemonstrableeffectuponthepotentialmarketfor,orthevalueof,thecopyrightedworkneednotbeprohibit-edinordertoprotecttheauthor’sincentivetocreate.”).165SeeMaxtone-Grahamv.Burtchaell,803F.2d1253,1264n.8(2dCir.1986) (quoting legislativehistoryforthepropositionthata“key,thoughnotnecessarilydeterminativefactorinfairuseiswhetherornottheworkisavail-abletothepotentialuser. If thework isoutofprintandunavailableforpurchasethroughnormalchannels, theusermayhavemorejustificationforreproducingit.”);cf.Harper&RowPublishers,471U.S.at563–64(citingsamelegislativehistory,thoughfindingnofairuse).166SeeMaxton-Graham,803F.2dat1264n.8.167SeeMADEStatement;AbandonedMMOs,supranote5.168 Register’s Recommendation 2015, supra note 4, at 338–39 (discussing the potential market for abandonedgamesandnotingthatevidenceprovidedinthe2015rulemaking“concerningpotentialmarketsfordiscontinuedversionsofgameswasscant”andsoopponents“failedtodemonstratethatthemarketforreissuedgameswouldbemateriallyimpactedby[the2015exemption].”).

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unsupported.169Thisfactfavorsfairuse.170Furthermore,preservationactivitiesdoneundertheProposedExemptionmustbeexplicitlynoncommercial—i.e.,theymaynotbe“fordirectorin-direct commercial advantage”171—and preserved online games may not be “distributed ormadeavailableoutsideofthephysicalpremisesoftheeligiblelibrary,archivesormuseum.”172Assuch,duringthe lastrulemakingtheRegisterofCopyrightsfoundthat:“circumventingdis-continuedconsole-basedvideogamesthemselves,aswellasPCgames,isunlikelytoharmthemarketfororvalueofthosecopyrightedworks.”173Further, preservation may have a salutary effect on the market value of abandoned onlinegames.Bymakingabandonedonlinegamesplayableonceagain,preservationistswillsubstan-tiallyincreasethevalueofthesegamestoresearchersandscholars,thusincreasingacademicdemand for these titles. Furthermore, scholarly research intoabandonedonlinevideogamesmaypromoteinterestinthesegamesgenerally,whichwouldbenefitcopyrightownersshouldtheychoose to re-releaseor remake them in the future.Forexample,Nintendohashad tre-mendoussuccessinrecentyearsresellingoldgamesfornewandimprovedhardware,suchas2016’sNESClassic174and thisyear’sSNESClassic.175ShouldNintendo (oranyothercopyrightowner)wish,itcouldre-releaseitscurrentlyabandonedtitlesinthefuture,andpriorpreserva-tionofthesegameswouldonlyaddtodemandforthereissuedversions.Assuch,preservationofabandonedonlinevideogameshasthepotentialtodramaticallyimprovethemarketvalueofthesetitlesoverall.176Therefore,giventhatthenoncommercialpreservationofabandonedonlinegamesisunlikelytoharmthemarketforsuchgamesandmaywellhaveabeneficialeffect,thefourthfactorsup-portsfairuse.

169See id.at339(“Notall [abandoned]gameswillbereintroduced,and inthefewexamplesprovidedbyoppo-nents, the gameswere remastered and did not always include the same functionality as the discontinued ver-sions.”).170SeeMaxtone-Graham,803F.2dat1264n.8.171SeeItemC-3supra.172Id.173Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at339.174 Matt Peckham, “Nintendo Says it Sold Over 2 Million NES Classics,” Time (Apr. 28, 2017), available athttps://web.archive.org/web/20171115082702/http://time.com/4759594/nes-classic-millions-sales/ (archivedNov.15,2017).175 Mike Williams, “SNES Classic sells 2 Million worldwide,” US Gamer (Oct. 31, 2017), available athttps://web.archive.org/web/20171107055556/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/snes-classic-sells-2-million-worldwide-will-continue-shipping-moving-forward(archivedNov.7,2017).176 Register’s Recommendation2015, supranote4, at 339 (“TheRegister finds that circumventingdiscontinuedconsole-basedvideogamesthemselves,aswellasPCgames,isunlikelytoharmthemarketfororvalueofthosecopyrightedworks.”).

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Insum,giventhattheProposedExemptionconformstothe“guidance”providedby§108,177andanalysisofthefour§107factorsgenerallysupportsfairuse,thepreservationactivitiesen-abled by the Proposed Exemption are likely to be non-infringing uses, as required under§1201(a).3. Adverseeffects: thepreservationofabandonedonlinegames isnotpossiblewithouta

properlytailoredexemption,andalternativestocircumventionarenotadequate.

In addition to showing that a proposeduse is non-infringing, proponents of a temporary ex-emptionmustalsodemonstratethat“asaresultofatechnologicalmeasurecontrollingaccesstoacopyrightedwork,theprohibitioniscausing,orinthenextthreeyearsislikelytocause,anadverseimpactonthoseuses.”178Here, an abandonedonline game’s complete client–protocol–server architecturemustbe re-stored(orrebuilt)forthegametobepreserved.179Thisprocesswill,inmostcases,alsorequirecircumvention of technological protection measures.180 “Since entry into most server-basedgamesandvirtualworldsrequiresanauthenticationproceduresuchasa login,afteraservershutsdown,theauthenticationprocedurebuiltintothesoftwarewillbeanobstacleforpreser-vation.”181Therefore,theCurrentExemptionneedstobemodestlyexpandedtoallowforthecircumvention of TPMs embedded in abandoned online games so that these gamesmay bepreserved.182Inaddition,AffiliateArchivists—personswho“maybeabletocontributetovaluablepreserva-tioneffortsbylendingtheirtalentsandexpertisetoqualifiedinstitutions”—needtobeaddedtotheclassofexemptionusers.183Harnessingtheexpertiseofamateurexperts,undersupervi-sion,isinlinewithgoodpreservationpractice.Indeed,in2008theSection108StudyGroup(anindependentbodysponsoredbytheCopyrightOffice)recommendedinvolvingoutsidepartiesin preservation efforts undertaken by libraries and archives for similar preservation of othermaterials.184TheclassofexemptionusersshouldbesimilarlyexpandedtoallowAffiliateArchi-viststoparticipateinabandonedonlinegamepreservation.

177See id. at342 (“TheRegister finds that section108providesuseful and importantguidanceas toCongress’sintentregardingthenatureandscopeof legitimatepreservationactivities,andhencethetypesofusesthataremostlikelytoqualifyasfairinthisarea.”).178Id.at15(restating17U.S.C.§1201(a)(1)(B)).179See,e.g.,MADEStatement(detailingtheprocessinvolvedinrestoringtheMMOHabitat).180See,e.g.,id.(discussingcircumventionof“primitiveDRM”).181LowoodStatement.182SeeRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at343(indicatingthat“thepurposeandcharacteroftheuse—preservationofavideogameinplayableformforresearchandstudy—arefavoredpurposesundersection107”).183Id.at351.184Section108Study,supranote31,ati(“Section108shouldbeamendedtoallowalibraryorarchivestoauthor-izeoutsidecontractorstoperformatleastsomeactivitiespermittedundersection108onitsbehalf.”).

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Alternativestocircumvention—suchasvideorecordingsandstillimagesofgameplay—arein-adequate because they fail to preserve interactivity, which is the essential characteristic ofonlinevideogames.“Screencapture,whichmakesanaudiovisualrecordingofthegameinop-eration, is not adequate tomitigate the adverse effects on preservationists,”185 because “analternative that removes the interactivity froma fundamentally interactivemediumdoesnotseem to be a reasonable one.”186 Licensing as an alternative to circumvention is also inade-quate because, in many cases, it is impossible to determine who owns the copyright to anabandonedgameandtosecuretheirpermissiontopreserveit.187Therefore,withoutamodestexpansionoftheCurrentExemptiontoallowforthecircumven-tionofTPMsembeddedinanabandonedonlinegame’sarchitecturethatextendstoallpeopleinvolved inthepreservationprocess,preservationeffortswillbechilled,negatively impactingresearch,comment,criticism,teaching,scholarship,andstudyofthesetechnologically-delicateworks.

a) PreservationofabandonedonlinegamesisnotpossiblewithoutanexpansionoftheCurrentExemption.

Online video games are among the most culturally significant and socially important mediaformsinexistencetoday,yettheyarealsoamongthemostvulnerabletodestruction“throughmediadecay,obsolescence,andloss.”188Incomparisontobooksandfilmsthatcanlastfordec-adesevenwhenstoredinsub-optimalconditions,videogamesareconstantlyunderthreatof“bit rot.”189 Online games are particularly imperiled, given their “complex dependencies onplatform,operatingsystem,andnetworkenvironment.”190Thus, inmanycases,“waitinguntilthesegamesaredeemedoldenoughorculturallysignificantenoughtobeworthyofpreserva-tion”isnotafeasibleoptiontopreservesuchfragilemedia.191Rather,“activestepstopreservematerialsmaybe requiredearly in the lifeofadigitalworkdue to the inherent instabilityofmanydigitalmediaand formatsand the rapidobsolescenceof formatsandequipment…”192Becauseoftheirvulnerability,thepreservationofvideogames,particularlyonlinevideogames,isurgentandcritical.193ThissituationisunfortunatelynotalleviatedbytheCurrentExemption,becausegamesthatre-quire access to “copyrightable content stored or previously stored on an external computer 185Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at346.186NTIA2015,supranote113,at69.187SeeMcDonough,supranote5,at6(discussingorphanworksinthevideogameindustry).188Monnens,supranote2,at140.189Hudgins,supranote3,at38;Risen,supranote5.190McDonough,supranote5,at9.191Hudgins,supranote3,at38.192Section108Study,supranote31,at7.193SeeRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at346(“Totheextentthattheshutdownofanauthentica-tionserverbarsaccesstoavideogameentirely,therecorddemonstratesthateffortstopreservevideogameswilllikelybeimpededbytheprohibitiononcircumvention.”).

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server”arespecificallyexcluded.194AtthetimetheCurrentExemptionwasadopted,theRegis-terofCopyrightsnotedthat“continuedaccessanduseofvideogames, includingmultiplayerplay,isstillpossibleusinglocallyconnecteddevices,[makingit]areasonablealternativetocir-cumvention.”195 Today, however, local multiplayer options are increasingly rare, and manygamesnolongersupportLAN-connectedmultiplayercapability.196Instead,nearly“everymulti-playergameonthemarket…requiresaconstantconnectiontothehomeservers.”197Asare-sult,evenifgameclientsareconnectedtothesamelocalnetwork,theywillstillneedtocon-nect to online servers formany game features to work.198More troubling still to archivists,manyvideogamesrelyonserverconnectivitytofunctionandbecomeunplayable(eveninsin-gle-playermode)whenserversshutdown.199“Somegamesrequireaconnectiontoanexternalserver—sometimesonanongoingbasis—forall typesofplay, includingsingle-playerplay.”200Asaresult,theCurrentExemptionneedstobemodifiedtoallowforthepreservationofaban-donedonlinegamesthatcan“beplayedbyusersthroughlawfulaccessofgamecontentstoredorpreviouslystoredonanexternalcomputerserver.”201Withoutthischange,“manykindsofpreservationandresearchprojectseffectivelybecomeimpossible.”202This lacuna in theCurrentExemptionnotonlyaffectsgamepreservationefforts,butalso re-strainsscholarship,research,andteachingaboutonlinevideogames.Forexample,theabilityto studyplayer interactions in anonline game is vitally important to countless researchpro-jects,suchasanthropologicalstudiesofonlineplayercommunities203orpsychologicalexperi-mentsthat“wouldbeimpossibletoachieveintheconfinesofauniversitylab.”204Forscholarswhousevideogamesintheirwork,anonlinegameisonlymeaningfullypreservediftheyhavetheopportunityto“understandthecomplexityof[thegame’s]mechanicswhich,increasingly,meansunderstandingmultiplayercomponents.”205Withoutpreservation,“researcherscannolonger ‘get inside’ the software,which inhibitsefforts tounderstand thedevelopmentof thetechnology.”206Assuch,“theprohibitiononcircumventioninhibitsscholarsfromaccessingold-erworksandreplicating‘theexperienceoforiginallyplayingthegame’inordertostudygame

194See37C.F.R.§201.40(b)(8)(iii)(A)(definitionof“completegames”).195Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at351.196SeeKuchera,supranote11.197Id.198 See id.; see also “The Death of Local Multiplayer: Gaming’s Worst Trend,” All You Can Geek, available athttps://web.archive.org/web/20170127221136/http://allyoucangeek.net/death-of-local-multiplayer/ (archivedJan.27,2017)(discussingthereductioningameswithlocalmultiplayerfeatures).199SeeLowoodStatement(“Ifagameserverisshutdownwithoutprovisionsbeingmadeforaccesstotheoriginalsoftware,preservationisimpossible.”);AbandonedMMOs,supranote5.200Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at345.201SeeItemC-2supra.202LowoodStatement.203SeegenerallyNardi,supranote128(compilingthreeyearsofparticipatoryresearchintoWorldofWarcraftplayandculture);Pearce,supranote128(discussingfanculturesinnetworkeddigitalworlds).204Hsu,supranote129(describingthe“newpsychologicalinsights”thatmightbegainedfromusinganonlinevid-eogameas“avirtuallabcapableofrunningexperimentswiththousandsorevenmillionsofhumanplayers.”).205TaylorStatement.206LowoodStatement.

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designorconstruction.”207Similarly,studentsneedtobeabletostudyclassiconlinegamestounderstand how early game developers overcame technical limitations.208 For students, the“abilitytoexploreoldgames”andtoseehowolder“multiplayerfunction[s]actuallyworked,isan incredibly valuable pedagogical tool.”209 Therefore, for these pedagogical tools to remainavailable,abandonedonlinegamesmustbepreservedinplayableform,whichrequiresadop-tionoftheProposedExemption.

b)Preservationofabandonedvideogamesisbeingimpededbecausetheclassofus-ersfortheCurrentExemptiondoesnotextendtoAffiliateArchivists,whoarees-sentialtothepreservationprocess.

Under the Current Exemption, only libraries, museums, and archives may engage in gamepreservation activities.210Unfortunately, limiting eligibility in thisway adversely effects videogamepreservationeffortsbecausenecessaryparticipants—AffiliateArchivists—arenotinclud-ed in the user class. Affiliate Archivists are individuals that wish to engage in lawful gamepreservationactivitiesunderthesupervisionoflibraries,archives,ormuseumsinorderto“con-tributetovaluablepreservationeffortsbylendingtheirtalentsandexpertisetoqualifiedinsti-tutions.”211AffiliateArchivistsprovidecrucialassistancetoprofessionalvideogamearchivists,and“[e]veryculturalinstitutionthatcollectssoftwareorgame-relatedcollectionsowesahugedebttothenon-professionalgamescommunity.”212Forinstance,theMADE’srestorationoftheworld’sfirstMMO,Habitat,tookoverfouryearsandinvolved“thousandsofperson-hours,in-cluding countless hours provided by volunteers.”213 On that project, “[s]cheduling, high-leveltechnicalstrategy(e.g., ‘dowerewrite it fromscratch,ortrytogettheoldserverrunning?’),andoverallprojectmanagementwasdonebytheMADE,butvolunteersprovidedthebulkoftheday-to-daytechnicalworkrequiredtobringthegamebacktolife.”214Similarly,AffiliateAr-chivistscontributetogamepreservationprojectsbyoffering:“(1)personalsoftwarecollectionsthataretransferredtorepositories;(2)collectionsofdocumentation(screenshots,videos,de-veloper documents, etc.); (3) emulator development; [and] (4) documentation and reverse-engineeringofgametechnologies,withoutwhichtheunderstandingofgamehardware,on-linesystems,gamesoftware,andactualplaycontextswouldsuffergreatly.”215ThecontributionsofAffiliateArchivistsareparticularlycrucialtothepreservationofabandonedonlinegames,be-causedeveloperdocumentationisoftenunavailableordoesnotprovidesufficientdetail,andAffiliateArchivistsareneededtofillinthegaps.216 207Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at348.208Seeid.;seealsoRaifordGuins,GameAfter:ACulturalStudyofVideoGameAfterlife94–101(2014)(describingthebenefitsof“gamelabs”wherestudentshaveaccesstovintageconsoles).209TaylorStatement.210See37C.F.R.§201.40(b)(8)(iii)(D).211Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at351.212LowoodStatement;seealsoStatementofChristianCharlesDavid,infraatA-9[hereinafter“DavidStatement”].213MADEStatement.214LowoodStatement.215Id.216Seeid.;MADEStatement;DavidStatement.

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Therefore,becausetheinvolvementofAffiliateArchivistsisessentialtovideogamepreserva-tion,theclassofpeoplewhomayusetheProposedExemptionshouldincludeeligiblelibraries,archives,andmuseumsaswellasindividualsengagedinthelawfulpreservationofvideogamesunderthesupervisionofaneligiblelibrary,archives,ormuseum.Withoutthisexpansionoftheuserclass,onlinevideogamepreservationwillbehindered.217

c) Alternativestocircumventionare inadequatebecausetheyeitherdon’tmitigatetheadverseeffectsonpreservationistsorareimpractical.

(i) Videorecordingsandstillimagesofvideogamegraphicsareinadequatealterna-

tivestofullyrestoringabandonedonlinegames.Forresearchers,videorecordingsorstill imagesofgameplayare inadequatesubstitutionstocircumvention because they fail to preserve an abandoned online game’s interactivity, and“[s]cholarsneedtobeabletoemulateconditionsoforiginaluseasmuchaspossible.”218TheRegisterofCopyrightsmadeasimilarpointduringthepreviousrulemaking,notingthat“screencapture,whichmakes an audiovisual recordingof the game inoperation, is not adequate tomitigatetheadverseeffectsonpreservationists,whorightfullymayseektopreserveplayableversionsofgames.”219TheNationalTelecommunicationsandInformationAdministrationcon-curred,notingthat“[f]orresearchandpreservationpurposes,analternativethatremovestheinteractivity from a fundamentally interactive medium does not seem to be a reasonableone.”220Assuch,videorecordingsandstillimagesarenotacceptablealternativestocircumven-tionforthepurposeofabandonedonlinegamepreservation.

(ii) Licensingabandonedonlinegames fromcopyrightholders is an inadequateal-

ternativetocircumventionbecauseitisoftenimpossibletoidentifytheownersofanabandonedgame’scopyrights.

Insomefortuitouscases,preservationistshavebeenabletotrackdowncopyrightholdersandsecurepermissionfortheirprojects.221Forexample,theMADE’srestorationofthegameHabi-tatwasdonewithpermissionfromFujitsuandAmericaOnline,theownersofthegame’scopy-rights.222However, suchcircumstancesare rare,and it isoftenextremelydifficult—ifnot im-possible—todeterminewhoownsanabandonedworkand to securepermission topreserve 217Cf.SpitzerStatement(“Ifwedon’tactivelyletinstitutionsliketheMADEandtheiraffiliatesattempttorestoretheseMMOs,theywillsimplybelosttotimeandAmericawillbetheworseoffforit.”).218TaylorStatement;seealsoCifaldiStatement(“Whenitcomestovideogames,thereisnosourcemoreprimarythanthegameitself.”);DavidStatement(“ByextendingtheDMCAexemptiontoonlinetitles,youleavethedooropen…tofuturegenerationstobeabletointeractandunderstandpriorartinaformthatisclosertohowitmayhavebeenpresented.”).219Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at346.220NTIA2015,supranote113,at69.221SeeMADEStatement;LowoodStatement.222SeeMADEStatement.

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it.223“Whileobtainingthepermissionoftherightsownertomakeapreservationcopyoffersapotentialpatharound[theDMCA’sprohibitiononcircumvention],securingthesepermissionsiscomplicated by the existence of a large number of ‘orphan works’ in the field of computergames,andthegreatdifficultiesencounteredintryingtotrackintellectualpropertyrightsown-ershipinanindustryasvolatileasthegamesoftwareindustry.”224Becausegamedevelopmentcompanies are often short-lived and “copyrights are transferred or lost through acquisitionsand business failures,” it is often impossible for preservationists to locate current copyrightowners.225 Evenwhen they canbe trackeddown, there is often still “considerable confusionamongrights-holders”concerningthescopeoftheircopyrights,whichmaypreventarchivistsfromsecuringallnecessarypermissions.226Additionally, thepreservationofabandonedvideogames is likely fairuseanddoesnotrequirepermissionfromcopyrightholders.227Therefore,licensingisaninadequatealternativetocircumvention.Insum,§1201iscausing,orislikelytocauseinthenextthreeyears,anadverseimpactonthepreservationofabandonedonlinegames,whichisanon-infringinguse,andalternativestocir-cumventionareinadequate.Therefore,theRegisterofCopyrightsshouldrecommendthePro-posedExemptiontoallowforpreservationofabandonedonlinegames.4. TheProposedExemptionMeets1201(a)(1)(C)’sFiveStatutoryFactors

IndecidingwhetheraDMCAexemptionshouldbegranted,theLibrarianofCongressmustcon-siderthefollowingfactors:(i)“theavailabilityforuseofcopyrightedworks;(ii)theavailabilityforuseofworksfornonprofitarchival,preservation,andeducationalpurposes;(iii)theimpactthat the prohibition on the circumvention of technological measures applied to copyrightedworkshason criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research; (iv) theeffectof circumventionof technologicalmeasureson themarket foror valueof copyrightedworks;and(v)suchotherfactorsastheLibrarianconsidersappropriate.”228Analyzingthesefac-tors involves a consideration of the “benefits that the technologicalmeasure bringswith re-specttotheoverallcreationanddisseminationofworksinthemarketplace,inadditiontoanynegativeimpact.”229Here, the Proposed Exemption allows circumvention of TPMs for the purpose of preservingabandonedonlinevideogamesbylibraries,archives,museums,andAffiliateArchivists,andthe§1201(a)(1)(C)factorsapplytothisProposedExemptionasfollows.

223SeeLowoodStatement.224McDonough,supranote5,at6.225LowoodStatement.226Id.227SeeItemE-2supra.22817U.S.C.§1201(a)(1)(C).229Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at16.

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a) The Proposed Exemption will increase the availability for use of copyrightedworks,suchasabandonedonlinevideogamesandrelatedcopyrightedworks.

TheProposedExemptionwill significantly increase theavailabilityofabandonedonlinevideogames forusebyresearchersandscholars.Last rulemaking, theRegisterofCopyrights foundthatanexemptiontotheprohibitiononcircumventionwould“allowlibraries,archivesandmu-seums to restoreandmaintainaccess to videogames thatmightotherwisebe lost, thusen-hancingtheavailabilityofcopyrightedworks.”230Althoughthisstatementreferredtothemorenarrowly-focused Current Exemption, it is equally applicable here. Many online games, likeMMOs,231arerenderedunplayablewhentheirgameserversareshutdown,makingthemuna-vailable for use.232 Preservation enabled by the Proposed Exemption would counteract thisproblembymakingitpossibletorestoreabandonedonlinegamestofullfunctionality.Similar-ly,preservationofabandonedonlinegameswilllikely“stimulatenewcopyrightedworksoffer-ing commentary and analysis of video games,”233 thus increasing the number of copyrightedworksrelatedtoonlinevideogamesthatareavailablegenerally.Therefore,theProposedEx-emptionwillincreasetheavailabilityforuseofcopyrightedworks.

b) TheProposedExemptionwillincreasetheavailabilityforuseofabandonedonlinevideogamesfornonprofitarchival,preservation,andeducationalpurposes.

AstheRegisterofCopyrightsnotedin2015,“regardingthesecondfactor,whichconsiderstheavailabilityforuseofworksfornonprofitarchival,preservationandeducationalpurposes,therecord clearly favors granting the exemption [to allow circumvention for purposes of videogamepreservation].”234 This is equally true today.Atpresent, scholars andeducatorsdonothaveaccesstomostabandonedonlinevideogames.235“Whenaccesstoavirtualworldceaseswiththeendingofdevelopersupport,scholarlyaccess…endsalongwithit.”236Preservationofabandoned online video gameswould counteract this problembymaking abandoned onlinevideogamesavailable foreducationuses.237Therefore, theProposedExemptionwill increasetheavailabilityforuseofworksfornonprofitarchival,preservation,andeducationalpurposes.

230Id.at348.231SeeAbandonedMMOs,supranote5.232Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at345(“Somegamesrequireaconnectiontoanexternalserv-er—sometimesonanongoingbasis—foralltypesofplay,includingsingle-playerplay.”).233Id.at348.234Id.235SeeMcDonough,supranote5,at6;seealsoAbandonedMMOs,supranote5.236LowoodStatement.237SeeTaylorStatement(“Theabilitytoexploreoldgames,includingseeinghowamultiplayerfunctionactual-lyworked,isanincrediblyvaluablepedagogicaltool”).

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c) TheProposedExemptionwillhaveapositiveimpactoncriticism,comment,teach-ing,scholarship,andresearch.

Currently,§1201hasanegative impactoncriticism,comment,teaching,scholarship,andre-searchrelatedtoabandonedonlinevideogames.BecausearchivistscannotlegallycircumventTPMsembeddedintheirarchitecture,abandonedonlinegamescannotbeprotectedfromde-structionthrough“mediadecay,obsolescence,andloss.”238Thismakesthesegamesunavaila-ble for futureresearch,study,critique,commentary,andteaching.239Moreover,“researcherscannolonger‘getinside’thesoftware,whichinhibitseffortstounderstandthedevelopmentofthetechnology.”240Assuch,“theprohibitiononcircumventioninhibitsscholarsfromaccessingolderworks and replicating ‘the experience of originally playing the game’ in order to studygamedesignorconstruction.”241TheProposedExemptionwillhelpsolvethisproblembypre-venting“bitrot”242andpreservingabandonedonlinegamesforfuturecritical,educational,andscholarlyuse.243Thus, theProposedExemptionwillhaveapositive impactoncriticism,com-ment,teaching,scholarship,andresearch.

d) The Proposed Exemptionwill not negatively impact themarket for, or value of,abandonedonlinevideogamesoroldervideogamesgenerally,andmaypositivelybenefitcopyrightholders.

TheProposedExemptionwillnotnegatively impactthecurrentorpotentialmarket foraban-donedonlinevideogames.GamepreservationconductedundertheProposedExemptionmustbeexplicitlynoncommercial:itmaynotbedone“fordirectorindirectcommercialadvantage,”andpreservedonlinegamesmaynotbe“distributedormadeavailableoutsideofthephysicalpremisesoftheeligiblelibrary,archivesormuseum.”244Assuch,preservationactivitieswillnottakeawayfromthecommercialvalueofabandonedonlinegames.Moreover,astheRegisterofCopyrights foundduring theprevious rulemaking,“circumventingdiscontinuedconsole-basedvideogames themselves, aswell asPCgames, isunlikely toharm themarket foror valueofthosecopyrightedworks.”245This remainstruetoday,as there iscurrently little-to-nomarketdemandforabandonedonlinevideogames.246Thus,preservationactivitiesareunlikelytoim-pairthemarketvalueoftheabandonedonlinegamesbeingpreserved.247

238Monnens,supranote2,at140.239SeeLowoodStatement(“Ifagameserverisshutdownwithoutprovisionsbeingmadeforaccesstotheoriginalsoftware,preservationisimpossible”).240Id.241Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at348.242SeeRisen,supranote5.243SeeTaylorStatement(“Thefieldofdigitalgamedesignandstudyisstillverymuchemergingandoneofthekeycomponentstoitscontinuedgrowthismakingsurethenextgenerationofstudentsareabletobuildonthetremendousworkthathasalreadybeenundertakenbydevelopers.”).244SeeItemC-3supra.245Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at339.246See id.(notingthatevidenceprovidedinthe2015rulemaking“concerningpotentialmarketsfordiscontinuedversionsofgameswasscant”andsoopponents“failedtodemonstratethatthemarketforreissuedgameswould

32

Furthermore,preservationmayhaveasalutaryeffectonthemarketvalueofabandonedonlinegames.BycircumventingTPMs thatareembedded inanabandonedonlinegame inorder torebuild itsarchitectureandmake itplayableagain,preservationistswill substantially increasethevalueofthistitletoresearchersandscholars,thusraisingthegame’sacademicmarketval-ue.Similarly,preservingabandonedonlinegamesmayincreasedemandforrefurbishedvideogamehardware,aseducational institutionsthatwanttousepreservedgamesforresearchorteaching purposes will need to acquire functioning hardware to do so. The preservation ofabandonedonlinevideogamesmayalsostrengthenthegeneralmarketforoldervideogamesbyincreasinginterestinobscurefranchises.Assuch,preservationhasthepotentialtoimprovethemarketvalueofabandonedvideogamesthemselves,andthemarketforoldergamesandhardware generally. Thus, the preservation of abandonedonline video gamesmay positivelybenefitcopyrightholders.Therefore,theProposedExemptionwillnotnegativelyimpactthemarketfor,orvalueof,copy-rightedworks.Insum,thefirstfourfactorsof§1201(a)(1)(C)supportgrantingtheProposedExemption.

e) OtherfactorssupportgrantingtheProposedExemption.

IntheNoticeofProposedRulemaking,theRegisterofCopyrightsraisedthreequestionsregard-ingtheProposedExemption.248Specifically,wouldtheProposedExemption“impactthemarketfor video games: (1) by allowing users of unlawfully acquired video games to bypass similarserver checks; (2) by contributing to the circumvention of client-server protocols for non-abandonedvideogames;and(3)by impairingthemarketforoldergamesorfor licensedser-vicesorproductsfacilitatingbackwardscompatibilityforvideogames.249

(i) The Proposed Exemption would not allow users of unlawfully acquired videogamestosimilarlybypassserverchecks.

TheProposedExemptionwouldnotallowusersofillegalcopiesofvideogamestosimilarlyby-pass server checks. First, the Proposed Exemption only allows circumvention of abandonedonlinegamesbyeligiblelibraries,museums,archives,andAffiliateArchivistsforthepurposeofpreservation.250Therefore,itdoesnotalterthepotentialliabilityforindividualswhounlawfullycircumventvideogameTPMs.Second,preservedgamearchitecturewillnotbedistributedor

bemateriallyimpactedby[the2015exemption]”);seealsoid.at338(discussingpotentialmarketforabandonedgames).247SeeRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at339.248 Exemptions to Permit Circumvention of Access Controls on CopyrightedWorks, 82 Fed. Reg. 49,500, 49,562(Oct.26,2017)(tobecodifiedat37C.F.R.§201).249Id.250SeeItemC-2supra.

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madeavailabletothepublic“outsidethepremises”ofa library,archives,ormuseum.251Asaresult,becausepreservationenabledby theProposedExemptionwouldbe restricted to“on-siteactivitiesinacontrolledenvironment,”unlawfulcircumventionisprevented.252Third,asatechnical matter, restored game architecture will only function with a specific abandonedonlinegameandwillnotbegenerallyapplicabletoothergames.“Thereality is thataseverypieceofsoftwareiswrittendifferently,everyattemptatpreservationmustitselfbedifferent,sothereisnocategorical“masterkey”tounlockallonlinesoftwaretitles.”253Therefore,theProposedExemptionwouldnotallowusersofunlawfullyacquiredvideogamestosimilarlybypassserverchecks.

(ii) TheProposedExemptionwillnotcontributetothecircumventionofclient–serverprotocols for non-abandoned video games because each game protocol isunique.

TheProposedExemptionwillnotcontributetothecircumventionofclient-serverprotocolsfornon-abandoned video games. The Proposed Exemption only allows circumvention of client–serverprotocolsforthepurposeofpreservingabandonedonlinegames;254itdoesnotalterthepotential liability for individuals who unlawfully circumvent client-server protocols for otherreasons.Likewise,preservedgamearchitecture(includingprotocols)willnotbedistributedormadeavailable to thepublic “outside thepremises”of aneligible library, archives, ormuse-um.255Furthermore,even ifapreservedprotocolwereunlawfully removedfromthephysicalpremises of a library, archives, ormuseum, it would not contribute to the circumvention ofotherprotocols,256asnearlyallonlinegames(bothabandonedandnot)usecustom-builtpro-tocolstofacilitateclient–serverinteraction,andknowledgeofhowtocircumventoneis inap-plicabletoanother.257Therefore, theProposedExemptiondoesnotcontributetothecircumventionofclient-serverprotocolsfornon-abandonedvideogames. 251Seeid.;seealsoRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at341(discussingthelimitationonpreserva-tionindicatedby§108).252SeeRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at344(“[I]nthecaseofpreservationactivities, libraries,archivesandmuseumsareafarmoreconfinedclassthangamersatlarge,andtheproposeduseswouldbelimitedtoon-siteactivitiesinacontrolledenvironment.Theriskofpiracywouldthereforeappeartobegreatlydiminishedinthepreservationcontext.”).253DavidStatement;seealsoSpitzerStatement(“Becauseeachgameissouniquewearefacedwithanindividualchallengeforthesupportforeachgame.”).254SeeItemC-2supra.255Seeid.;seealsoRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at341(discussingthelimitationonpreserva-tionindicatedby§108).256 SeeDavid Statement (“The reality is that as every piece of software iswritten differently, every attempt atpreservationmustitselfbedifferent,sothereisnocategorical“masterkey”tounlockallonlinesoftwaretitlesforpreservation”).257SeeSpitzerStatement(“Therestillarenotrueunifiedprotocols forbuilding[onlinegames].Evenmodernat-temptsatunificationwithinthemajorconsoleshavefailed.”)Cf.GlennFielder,supranote46.

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(iii) TheProposedExemptionwillnotimpairthemarketforoldervideogamesorfor

licensed services or products facilitating the backward compatibility of videogames because these products and services are not offered for abandonedgames,whichhavelittle-to-nomarketvalue.

TheProposedExemptionwillnotimpairthemarketforoldergames.Currently,thereislittle-to-nomarketforunsupported,unplayabletitles,258sopreservationofthesegameswillnotnega-tivelyimpacttheirvalue.“TheRegister[previouslyfound]thatcircumventingdiscontinuedcon-sole-basedvideogamesthemselves,aswellasPCgames,[was]unlikelytoharmthemarketfororvalueof thosecopyrightedworks.”259As to thegeneralmarket foroldervideogames, thepreservationofabandonedonlinegamesislikelytohaveasalutaryeffect.Forexample,schol-arlyresearchintoabandonedonlinegames(enabledbypreservation)wouldlikelystokeinter-estinthesetitles,thusbenefitingcopyrightownersshouldtheychoosetore-releaseorremakeapreviously-abandonedgameinthefuture.Similarly,preservingabandonedonlinegamesmayincreasedemandfromacademicinstitutionsforrefurbishedvideogamehardwaretousewithpreservedgames.Regardless,evenifnopositivebenefitsarerealized,thepreservationactivi-tiesenabledbytheProposedExemptionwouldnotdetrimentallyimpactthemarketforoldergames,astheexemptionisnarrowlytailoredtocoveronlyabandonedgames,whichcurrentlyhavelittle-to-nocommercialvalue.260Similarly,theProposedExemptionwillnotimpairthemarketforlicensedservicesorproductsfacilitatingthebackwardscompatibilityofvideogames.TheProposedExemptiononlyappliestoabandonedonlinegames,whichbydefinitionaregameswhoseonlinefunctionalityislongersupportedbytheircopyrightowners.261So,iflicensedservicesorbackward-compatibilityprod-uctsexisttofacilitateonlineplayofagame,thenthisgamewouldnotbeabandonedandtheProposedExemptionwouldnotapply.Forexample,MicrosoftrecentlymadealimitednumberofitsolderXboxandXbox360titlesbackwards-compatibleandavailablefordigitaldownload,therebyreactivatingtheironlineplay.262Becauseserversupportforthesegameshasbeenre-stored,theywouldnotbeeligibleforpreservationundertheProposedExemption.“Therearetoomanygamesthathavebeentakenofflinefor[archivists]topossiblywastetimetopreservethingsthatarealreadybeingpreserved.Microsoft,forexamplehasbeguntobringitsoldXboxgamesbackintoitsonlinestore,re-enablingonlineplayforthem.Forthisreason,Xboxgamesarenowattheabsolutebottomof[archivists’]prioritylist.”263

258SeeRegister’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at339(notingthatevidenceprovidedinthe2015rulemak-ing “concerning potentialmarkets for discontinued versions of gameswas scant,” and so opponents “failed todemonstratethatthemarketforreissuedgameswouldbemateriallyimpactedby[the2015exemption]”).259Id.at339.260Id.at338.261SeeItemC-2,supra.262Microsoft, “XboxOne Backwards Compatibility,” available at https://web.archive.org/web/20171113042129/https://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-one/backward-compatibility(archivedNov.13,2017).263MADEStatement.

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Therefore,theProposedExemptionwillnotimpairthemarketforoldergamesorforlicensedservicesorproductsfacilitatingbackwardscompatibilityforvideogames.5.Conclusion

Tofacilitatethepreservationofabandonedonlinevideogames,theCurrentExemptionneedstobemodestlyexpanded.Specifically,weask: (a) for renewalof theportionsof theCurrentExemption that allow circumvention for thepurposeof restoring access to videogames thatrequire server authentication for personal local or LAN-connected gameplay;264 and (b) forslightmodifications to theCurrentExemption toallowcircumvention for thepurposeofpre-servingabandonedonlinevideogamesbyeligiblelibraries,archives,museums,andindividualswhoareengagedinlawfulgame-preservationactivitiesunderthesupervisionofeligiblelibrar-ies, archives, ormuseums.265Without this expansion, future generationswill not be able tolearn from the technological achievements (andmissteps) of their predecessorsor tounder-standtheplaceofvideogames in21stcenturypopularculture.266Asaresult, futurescholarswillendup“lookingbackatwesterncivilizationandwonderingwhatwentoninthebighollowspaces where knowledge ought to be.”267 Therefore, to help preserve these culturally vitalworks,andtoavoidlosingahugeportionofvideogamehistorytoadigitaldarkage,268were-spectfullyrequesttheRegisterofCopyrightsrecommendtheProposedExemption.

264See37C.F.R.§201.40(b)(8)(i)(A).265Register’sRecommendation2015,supranote4,at351(notingthatsuchindividualsmaybeableto“contributetovaluablepreservationeffortsbylendingtheirtalentsandexpertisetoqualifiedinstitutions.”).266See,e.g.,Rose,supranote32(analogizingtheshutdownofamultiplayeronlinegameto“bulldozingamuse-um.”).267SeeHartup,supranote33.268SeeMonnens,supranote2,at140.

A-1

DOCUMENTARYEVIDENCE

StatementofTheMuseumofArtandDigitalEntertainmentNovember9,2017

TheMuseumofArtandDigitalEntertainmentisa501(c)(3)non-profitvideogamemuseumlo-catedindowntownOakland,California.Wehostaplayableprivatelibraryofover5,000gamesacross30+systems,andofferfreeprogrammingclassesforkidstoteachthemSTEMskillsun-dertheguiseofmakinggames.Inoursix-yearhistory,ourvolunteershaveundertakenanum-berofpreservationefforts,fromsavinglosttelevisionshowsanddocumentaries,tointerview-ingindustryluminariesoncamera,torelaunchingtheworld’sfirstmassivelymultiplayeronlinegame,Habitat.BringingbackHabitatwasafour-yearprojectwhichtookthousandsofperson-hours,includingcountlesshoursprovidedbyvolunteers.Thesevolunteerscontributedtheirtimeandexpertiseoutoftheirloveforvideogames,andthisprojectcouldnothavebeencompletedwithouttheirassistance.Scheduling,high-leveltechnicalstrategy(e.g.,“dowerewriteitfromscratch,ortrytogettheoldserverrunning?”),andoverallprojectmanagementwasdonebytheMADE,butvolunteersprovidedthebulkoftheday-to-daytechnicalworkrequiredtobringthegamebacktolife.Asofnow,neohabitat.orgislive,andhostingafreeHabitatserverforplayersaroundtheglobe.Habitatwascreatedin1984,andfirstbetatestedin1986.ItwasthecreationofthecompanythatwouldgoontobeAmericaOnline,andLucasFilmGames,asubdivisionofGeorgeLucas’productioncompany.Bothofthesecompanieshavesincebeenacquiredbylargerentities:Ver-izonandDisney,respectively.In 1986, Habitat laid out the framework for every subsequent massively multiplayer gamesince.Itcoinedtheterm“Avatar”torefertotheplayer’scharacter.Thegamewasalsothefirstto offer in-game currency, player-owned housing, and collaborative games. Today, these arethefundamentalbuildingblocksofonlinegames.Wehadthegreatbenefit,inthisuniqueendeavortopreserveasupremelyimportantpieceofAmericanculture,ofworkingwiththetwooriginalauthorsofthegame,RandallF.FarmerandChipMorningstar. Theywere able to supply uswithmost of the original source code to thegameserver, theoriginalsourcecodetotheclient,andtheirowndepthofknowledgeabouttheplatform.WeworkedwithFujitsuandAmericaOnlinetosecuretherightsneededtobringHabitatbackonline,andwealsohadthehelpofovertwodozendeeplydedicatedandprofessionallyskilleddevelopersandformerplayersofthegame.

A-2

InourworktobringbackHabitat,ourendgoalwastomakethegameplayablewiththeorigi-nalunpatchedclientsoftware,usingareplacementserverrewrittenfromscratchinamodernlanguage(JavaScript),onamodernoperatingsystem(Linux).Thiswaschosenasthegoalafteragreatdealoftimewaswastedattemptingtosecuretheremainingmissingpiecesoftheorigi-nalservercode,whichweresomewhereinsideVerizonandaccessibleonlybyasingleemploy-eefamiliarwiththeancient1980’seratapebackupsystems.Thatemployeehassinceretired,and thoughhegot thedataweneeded,Verizon, thoughamenableandworking towardsourgoal,wasunabletonavigate itsown internal legalbureaucracysystems in timetogetus thedata. They never said no, they simply stopped responding.We assume they had somethingmoreprofitabletodo,astheywereworkingonthisforfreeasawaytohelpuspreservetheircorporatehistory.Thishastypicallybeentheproblemwe’veencounteredwithcorporaterightsholders:theysimplydonothavethetimeorresourcestohelpus,thoughtheywouldliketo.Ourworkdoesnotgeneraterevenues,andsoitisnotapriority.The largestmissingpieceof theHabitatpuzzlewas thenetworkserver software that satbe-tweenHabitatandtheplayer:QuantumLink.Thiswasthedial-upnetworkandcompanythatprecededAmericaOnline,andithasnotbeenpreservedinanyofficialway.Asaresult,whilewehadtheclientforHabitat,andtheservercode,wedidnothavethelayerbetweenthetwowhichhandledbillingandsign-on: inessence,wefacedaprimitiveDRMsystem.ThismissingnetworkisanalogoustotheoriginalXboxonlineservice,theSegaDreamcast’sonlineservice,ortheTENgamingnetwork,allnowofflineandundocumented.WithoutthatmissingQuantumLinkDRMpiece,wewereessentiallyunabletorestoreHabitat,andwithoutVerizon’shelptogatherthosemissingresources,wewerefacedwiththepossibil-itythatthis incrediblyuniqueandimportantpieceofAmericanculturewouldbelostforever.Insteadofgivingup,however,wefelt that theworkwasessential to futuregenerationswhowouldlikelyfindthistobeassignificantandimportanthistoricallyaswedo.DespitethemissingpiecesfromQuantumLink,wewereabletobuildoutthenecessaryinfra-structureourselves.Afterfouryearsofnearcontinuouswork,wewereabletobringthegamebackonline. Thiswas somethingwewere told repeatedly could never bedone, evenby thegame’soriginalauthors.Thissuccess,however,wastheresultofaperfectstormofopportunities.Wehadthesourcecode,thedevelopers,andvolunteersallworkingtogethertobuildthisproject.Evenwiththoseresources,fouryearsisalongtimetoworkonarestorationproject.Inthatshortfour-yearpe-riod,thousandsofothergameshavelaunchedandvanishedfromtheInternetentirely.Wewillneveragainhavethismanyresourcesatourdisposalforarestorationproject.Habitathasbeenwell-documentedaspriorart,andthuswaspreservedformanyyearsbyitsauthorsforuseinpatentlitigation.Ifthathadnotbeenthecase,theoriginalsourcecodewouldlikelyhavebeenlost.

A-3

Andevenwithallofthepossiblevariablescompletelyinourfavor,thisprojectwasridiculouslycomplex. ResurrectingHabitat—agame that existed and still existswithin 64kb of RAM, ranover1200baudmodems,andwasplayedwithajoystickandasinglebutton—stilltookusfouryears.Thegoingwisdomwhenwebeganthisprojectwasthatthisworkwasimpossible.Technically,itwas remarkablydifficultand reliedonveryold technologymoderndevelopersareunfamiliarwith.Legally,itrequiredcontactingthechiefcounselofmultiplemulti-billiondollarenterprises.Ultimately,thegamingcommunityandgamedevelopmentcommunitywantedtoseeHabitatreturned,andthus,theywereabletohelpusaccomplishthisgoal.Buteventhecompaniesweworkedwithwhowerewillingandexcitedtohelpuspreservetheircorporatehistoryweretoobusytospendthetimeweneededtohelpus.Theywereinnowayhostiletoourwork,theysimplydidnotseeitasasourceofrevenue.Other games we’d like to target in the future include SOCOM U.S. Navy Seals 1/2/3 onPlaystation2andPlaystation3,TheMatrixOnline,andStarWarsGalaxies.Ourcurrentpreser-vationproject isNeverwinterNights,anMMOthatwasoperational from1991–1997.Weareagainattemptingtocontactallthestakeholders,butitisunclearwhoownswhichpiecesofthegame’scopyrights (theprincipalcopyrightownersareWizardsof theCoast,AOL,andCrypticStudios). However, even ifwe can secure all necessary rights and the original creator of thegamehasthesourcecode,itwillstilltakeyearstogetthisgamerunningagaininanyform,asthecodebaseisaVOS/Stratusmonsterfromabygoneera.ThisiswhyweneedanexemptionforthecircumventionofDRMinonlinegamesandmassivelymultiplayergamesforthepurposeofpreservation.Evenifourworkisneverseenbythepublicinourlifetimes,itistheusersanddevelopersofthefutureweareworkingfor.WorkingaroundtheactualDRMwe’vethusencounteredhasalwaysbeenoneoftheleastchallengingtechnicalpartsofourwork,butitremainsthelargestlegalhurdletoourefforts.TheGreeks and Romansworked inmarble. The Frenchworked in oils on canvas. Americansworkinbits.TheUnitedStatesiswherevideogameswereinvented,honed,andperfected.Theentire industryoriginatedhere,andothers like Japan,adopted it.TheUnitedStates iswheremuchoftheindustrynormswereinventedaswell:theplatformgame,thefirst-personshooter,theonlinevirtualworld.Theproblem,asweseeit,istherearetoomanytargets,toomanygamesthathavebeentakenoffline for us to possibly waste timeworking to preserve things that are already being pre-served.Microsoft,forexample,hasbeguntobringitsoldXboxgamesbackintoitsonlinestore,re-enablingonlineplayforthem.Forthisreason,Xboxgamesarenowattheabsolutebottomofourprioritylist,alistwhichextendsintothehorizonwithbeyond10,000gamesonit.

A-4

Everydaywearelosingourdigitalheritageasgamesturnunprofitableandareretiredbytheirowners.We have the ability towork towards preserving and resurrecting about one to twogamesatatime,withaveragereturncompletionaround4years.That’saratethatissoslowandalmostineffectivethatitisimpossibleforustoevencontemplateourworkasasolution:we’rejusttryingtotriagethemostimportantsubjectsfirst,whilethousandsgopassingbyintothedarknesseveryyear.Compoundingtheproblemisthefactthatwearecurrentlylosingthegenerationthatoriginat-edvideogames.Thiswillalsohappenwiththe8-bitera,the16-bitera,andbeyond,overtime.Timewaitsfornomanorwoman.Inordertopreservethesedigitalculturalassets,theMADEandotherentitiesneed towork tirelesslyand immediately to stem thenever-ending flowoflostrelics.Waitingforlegalapprovaltocircumvent30-year-oldDRMjustmakesourfairuseef-fortstosavetheseculturalheirloomsthatmuchharder.We don’t knowwhatwill be important to have preserved in the future. Therefore, it is im-portanttobeabletopreserveasmuchaspossible.Foronlinegames,somethingmustbedonetopreserveorreverseengineertheserver-sideinordertopreservethegameitself,otherwisethewholethingislost.Withthousandsofnewonlinegameslaunchingeveryyear,theMADEishopinganexemptioncanhelpusatleasttrytopreserveoneortwoofthoselosttreasuresatatime.

A-5

StatementofRussellSpitzer,SoftwareEngineerDecember2,2017

Whilethe20thcenturyhasbroughtusanexponentialincreaseinthecreationofnewcreativeworks,manyofthesecreationsarebeinglosttothegeneralentropyofmodernsociety.Inpar-ticular,therearethousandsofgameswhichcitizenshaveinvestedcountlesshoursinthataresimplyflickeringoutofexistence.Theireffectonsocietywillonlybepreservedinthememoryofdedicatedenthusiasts. Inordertopreservethesetreasuressothatfuturegenerationsmaybeabletoexperiencefirst-handwhatIandmanyotherswereabletolivethrough,Ifullysup-porttheMADEinitsattempttoobtainthelegalrightstoresponsiblypreserveMassivelyMulti-playerOnline(MMO)games.Oneofthemoststrikingreasonstosupportthisistopreservetheplethoraofdifferentsystemswrittenbyprogrammerstosolveuniquechallenges.Howcanwe let individuals fromalloverthe world interact? Different programmers all had different takes on how the client-servermodelshouldbeimplementedandalmostnoneoftheseapproacheswerecompatible.Eachofthese expressions should be preserved so that future programmers can see the approachesthatweretaken.AsaSoftwareEngineer,Iwouldfeelagreatlossifthehistoryofallofthesedevelopments were lost. Almost every title had a unique architecture and arrangement.Becauseeachgameissouniquewearefacedwithanindividualchallengeforthesupportforeachgame.Restoringonegamewillnotmakeiteasiertorestoreanothercloseddowngamesoanyonerestorationshouldnotenablepiracyforothertitles.Thisextendstomoderngamesaswell sincetherestillarenotrueunifiedprotocols forbuildingtheseMMOs.Evenmodernat-temptsatunificationwithinthemajorconsoleshavefailedbecauseoftheneedforcrosssys-temsupport.Forexample,althoughSonyprovidesnetworkingcapabilities foranytitledevel-oped against its system,most popular games still implement their ownarchitectures so thattheycanenablematchmakingbetweenplayersonPCorXbox.MMOshavebeenatouchstoneformanyAmericans,providingasenseofcommunitythatsimp-lywasn’tpossibleacrossdistancesprior.Ifwedon’tactivelyletinstitutionsliketheMADEandtheiraffiliatesattempttorestoretheseMMOs,theywillsimplybelosttotimeandAmericawillbetheworseoffforit.

A-6

StatementofHenryLowood,Curator,StanfordUniversityDecember5,2017

IamwritingasanindividualinsupportoftheDMCAexemptionrequestforthepurposeofre-storingaccesstomultiplayervideogamingonconsolesandpersonalcomputerswhenthede-veloperand itsagentshaveceasedtosupportsuchgaming.MyopinionsdonotnecessarilyreflectthoseofStanfordUniversity,myemployer.Q:Couldyoupleasedescribehowgamespreservationandarchivingrequiresbypassingorde-featingaccesscontrolsbuiltintothegames?Preservationactivitiesundertakeneitherbycultural institutions(museums, libraries)or indi-vidualresearchersusuallybecomeliterallyimpossiblewhendevelopersceasesupportofthetechnical infrastructurerequiredtomaintainthesegames.Thisstatement istrueforseveralreasons.First,currentdigitalpreservationpracticesareuniversallypredicatedondatamigration,whichmeansthetransferofdatafromfragile,historicalmediatotherobusttechnicalsystemsthathavebeendesignedfordigitalpreservation.Accesstotheoriginalsoftwareandtothedigitalassets(maps,audiofiles,characteranimations,etc.)thatmakeupagameorvirtualenviron-ment is fundamentally important. If a game server is shut down without provisions beingmadeforaccesstotheoriginalsoftware,preservationisimpossible.Moreover, preservationwithout access to the software, both as data and as an executableprogram,becomesameaninglessactivity.Sinceentryintomostserver-basedgamesandvir-tualworldsrequiresanauthenticationproceduresuchasa login,afteraservershutsdown,theauthenticationprocedurebuilt into the softwarewillbeanobstacle forpreservationorresearchactivities.WithoutacircumventionofDMCArestrictions,processessuchasauthenti-cationwillblockaccessbytherepositoryorresearchers,andtheywillbeunabletoactivatethesoftware.Shuttingdownsupportforgameorvirtualworldserversalsodestroysotherpositiveaspectsof these kinds of software that benefit preservation activities. Two examples are the socialcommunitiesthatexistaroundgamesandthedigitalassetsandaffordancesthatgamespro-vide for artistic expression.Whenaccess toa game shutsdown, theplayer communitydieswithit.Theemotionalimpactofsuchclosuresonacommunitycanbeobservedinthevideotitled, “EA- Land: The Final Countdown (2008),” archived as part of the Archiving VirtualWorlds collection hosted by the Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/EALand_FinalCountdown).However,thereisalsoanimpactonpreservationefforts;withtheshuttingdownofthesystem,documentationassembledbyplayersinthegamecommunitydisappearsalongwithaccesstothesewitnesses.SeveralhistoricalandpreservationactivitiesconductedbytheHowTheyGotGameprojectatStanford(whichIlead)havebeenpredicatedoncontact

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withplayersinthegameworld.Ifthereisnoaccesstothegameworld,itbecomesimpossibletoworkwiththegamecommunityonpreservationprojects.Inaddition,formsofartisticexpressionsuchasmachinima(game-basedmovie-making)haveimaginativelymadeuseofsettingsandotherresourcesuniquelyavailableingameandvirtualworlds.Asanexample,onetechniqueemployedbymachinima-makers involvescompositionof character animations ormaps/levels stored in databases associatedwith specific on-linegames,suchasWorldofWarcraft.Ifsupportforsuchagameceases,theonlymethodavaila-bletore-createthisexperience(asapreservationactivity)willbetosetupprivateorreposito-ry-supportedservers,whichcurrentlyisaDMCAviolation.Allofthesituationsdescribedaboveforcerepositoriesandresearchersintotheuncomforta-blesituationofconsideringunauthorizedcircumventionofcopyrightlawinordertopreserveorprovideaccess togameandvirtualworldenvironments,data,and software.Without cir-cumventionofcurrentrestrictions,manykindsofpreservationandresearchprojectseffective-lybecomeimpossible.Q:Isgettingpermissionfromdevelopersareliableoptionforplayersorarchivistswhowanttorunmultiplayerorcircumventauthenticationservers?Basedonmyexperiencewithpreservation,archivalandresearchprojects,thisapproachisatbestashort-termsolution.Overthehistoryofthesoftwareandgameindustries,mostdevel-opersareshort-livedandcopyrightsaretransferredorlostthroughacquisitionsandbusinessfailures.Inthelongterm,itisoftenimpossibleforinstitutionsorindividualstolocatecorpora-tionsorpeoplewhocansignoffontherights–orevenknowthattheyaretherights-holders.Ihaveencounteredconsiderableconfusionamongrights-holdersconcerningtheirownershipofcopyrights,evenincaseswhenIwasconfidentthatIhadcontactedthedocumentedownerofthoserights,andtheownerwassympatheticwitharequest.Q:Howdoesthenon-professionalgamescommunitycontributetoorassistprofessionalarchi-vists?Inaword:crucially.Everyculturalinstitutionthatcollectssoftwareorgame-relatedcollectionsowesahugedebt to thenon-professional games community. Theareasof activity inwhichthis debt has accumulated include: (1) personal software collections that are transferred torepositories; (2) collections of documentation (screenshots, videos, developer documents,etc.;(3)emulatordevelopment;(4)documentationandreverse-engineeringofgametechnol-ogies,withoutwhich theunderstandingof gamehardware, on-line systems, game softwareandactualplaycontextswould suffergreatly.This lastpoint isparticularly relevantwith re-specttoon-linegamesforwhichdevelopersupporthasceased,becausedeveloperdocumen-tationoftendoesnotdescribethesecomplexgamesystemsingreatdetail,orisnotavailable.Playershavesteppedintodocumenthowthesoftwareworks,mapthegameworlds,identifykey components of the software and how they operate, reveal hidden aspects of on-line

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games,etc.Howplayers inspect,exploreanddocumentgameandvirtualworldshasbeenafocusofmyownhistoricalgames researchandpublication,and I canattest to the fact thatmuchcrucialhistoricalinformationislostwhenplayersnolongerhaveaccesstoagamesys-tem.Often,this informationis importantnotonlyforhistoricalunderstandingofgametech-nologiesandculture,but inorder forcultural repositoriestopreserveandprovideaccesstothegamesintheircollections.Q:Howareoldervideogamesrelevanttocriticism,scholarship,teachingandresearch?Asinalmostanyscholarlydiscipline,historicalstudyoftheevolutionoftechnologies,culture,social networks, design practices, and users is essential.With respect to this circumventionapplication,itmaybeusefultothinkofgameworldsassocialandculturalspacesenabledbyatechnical infrastructure. Inotherwords, gamesare virtualworlds. Scholarship, teachingandresearchareconcernedwiththenatureandhistoriesofthesevirtualworldsasworlds,thatis,as social communitieswith specific histories. They are also concernedwith the structure ofthese worlds and the technical disciplines that create them, ranging from game design tocomputerprogramming.Whenaccesstoavirtualworldceaseswiththeendingofdevelopersupport, scholarly access to thehistoricalworld (events, activities,participants) representedby thatgameendsalongwith it.Moreover, researcherscanno longer“get inside” thesoft-ware, which inhibits efforts to understand the development of the technology. Critical-historical research about gameworlds is greatly handicappedwhen access to theseworldsends.Thecostisnotjustlostgamehistory,butlostcultural,technicalandsocialhistoryofthelate-20thandearly-21stcenturies.

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StatementofChristianCharlesDavid,SoftwareEngineerDecember1,2017

Ihavebeenprogrammingforoverthreedecadesnow.Videogamesareactuallywhatgotmeintoprogramming,andIamwritingonbehalfofTheMADE(MuseumofArtandDigitalEnter-tainment)’s position to extend theirDMCAexemption to networkbased/online software.Al-ready,theyhavedemonstratedresurrectingoneofthefirstMassivelyMultiplayerOnlinesoft-ware titles, Habitat (source code available publicly here:https://github.com/Museum-of-Art-and-Digital-Entertainment/habitat),whichhadnotbeen inausable state since the1990s.ByextendingtheDMCAexemptiontosimilartitles,itwouldfacilitatesimilarpreservationefforts.Forexample,anotherpreservationeffortwasdoneamongthePhantasyStarOnlinecommunitytore-implementthenetworkserverportionssothatindividualscouldcontinueplayingit,afterSEGAhadtakensuchservicesoffline.Hereisthefansite:https://ephinea.pioneer2.net.Hereisa codebase to facilitate such after end-of-commercially-supported-life preservation:https://github.com/Solybum/Aselia.ItismyunderstandingthattheUSCopyrightOffice,currentlytakesthepositionthatbyextend-ingtheexemption,itmightfacilitatemorepiracy.Thisisnotthecase.Indeed,therealityisthataseverypieceofsoftware iswrittendifferently,everyattemptatpreservationmust itselfbedifferent,sothereisnocategorical“masterkey”tounlockallonlinesoftwaretitlesforpreser-vation.ByextendingtheDMCAExemption,ineffectyouwillbeleavingthedooropenformorearchiviststotoil,butitwillnotmeaningfullychangethethreatmodelofpirates,whohaveal-waysoperatedwithadisregardforcopyrightlawanyway.Inotherwords,byextendingtheDMCAexemptiontoonlinesoftware,youdon’tfacilitatepira-cy,moreover,youdon’tevenautomaticallypreservethegamesinaplayablestate.Thereisstilla significant amount of development effort that is required in order to re-implement suchthings,oftenrequiringformsofreverseengineering,partneringwiththeoriginaldevelopers(iftheyarealiveandamenabletosuchthings,assomethankfullywereintheNeoHabitatrestora-tioneffort)andsoon.ByextendingtheDMCAexemptiontoonlinetitles,youleavethedooropennottopirates,whowilldisregardyourpoliciesregardless,buttofuturegenerationstobeabletointeractandun-derstand prior art in a form that is closer to how it may have been presented, even longaftermaintainingtheoriginalserversoftwaremayhavebeenconsiderednolongercommercial-lyviable.In well-funded businesses, sometimes “Software Escrow” takes place so that large organiza-tionscanmaintainworkingbuild infrastructure forbusinesspartners in theevent that some-thingcatastrophichappenstothepartner.Oneofmypreviousemployers,NCCGroup,offerssuch services to Fortune500 sorts of companies. By extending theDMCAexemption topre-serveonlinesoftwaretoorganizationssuchastheMADE,youwillbeensuringthatevenwith-

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outthesortsofcloutandfinancesthatFortune500organizationshave,someformsofartandgamesmaybeabletobepreservedinthemostmaintainablewaypossible.Thankyouforyourtimeandconsideration.Ihopethatyouwillsidewithpreservationorganiza-tionssuchasTheMADEinyourdecision-makingprocess.Asitis,theyarecurrentlyunderfund-ed,andoneofonly17organizationsgloballywhichareevenattemptingsuchmuseumwork.Moreover,whiletheyboasttohavingsomethingaround5300physicalcopiesofexistingpriorart,lasttimeIcheckedthelistofpublishedvideogameswascloserto90,000.Whichistosay,evenamongsomeofthecoreorganizationsdevotedtopreservingthissortofart,theyhaveatbest,onlymanagedtopreserveapproximately1/16thofextantexamples.ByextendingtheDMCAexemption,youwillnotguaranteethatpreservationeffortswillbeper-fect,butyouwillatleastnotinhibitsucheffortsunduly.IhopeIhavepresentedmyperspectiveinamannerthatiseasytounderstand.FeelfreetoreachoutifyouhaveanyquestionsandIwilldomybesttohelpelucidatemypositionfurther.

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StatementofFrankCifaldi,CEO,VideoGameHistoryFoundationNovember16,2017

TheVideoGameHistoryFoundation isa501(c)(3) thatpromotes the idea that thehistoryofvideogamesisworthyofacademicstudy,andthatthisstudyisonlypossiblethroughaccesstopri-mary source materials. We provide researchers access to rare materials, encourage their studythroughresearchgrants,andeducatethepubliconhowthey,too,canstudythehistoryofwhatwebelievewillcometobethe21stcentury’sprimaryformofentertainmentandexpression.Whenitcomestovideogames,thereisnosourcemoreprimarythanthegameitself.Andwhilemostofhistory’smostnotable“offline”games(thosethatdonotnecessitateonlineplay)canbeaccessedandplayedasintendedbytheirauthors,themaintenanceof“online”gamesintro-ducesuniquechallengesthatcannotbeovercomewithtraditionalmethods.It isbecauseofthisthatIamwritingtodayinsupportoftheMADE’spetitionforaDMCAex-emptionforabandonedonlinegames.OneofourfoundingprinciplesattheVGHFisthatwerefusetoallowthehistoryofearlyvideogamestosufferthesamefateasthehistoryofAmericancin-ema.According to The Film Foundation, over 90%of filmsmadebefore 1929 are considered lost,meaningthathistorianshavean incompleteviewof theformativeyearsof thatmedium.WebelievethatwithoutmeasuressuchasthisproposedDMCAexemptionbeingputinplace,manyofourformativeonlinegameswillsufferthesamefate.

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StatementofStevenLavoie,LibrarianNovember15,2017

I amwriting in supportof thepetitionbyTheMuseumofArt andDigital Entertainment(TheMADE) for an exemption from the DigitalMillennium Copyright Act (DMCA). As apubliclibrarian,Ihavedirectresponsibilityforanextensivecollectionofhistoricalpho-tographs,audiotapes, filmsandothermediaforwhichcurrentcopyright law isappli-cable.Theblanketfairuseexemptionforinstitutionssuchasminewascriticalfortheprovisionoftheessentialservicethatcollectionsupports.Ihavepreviousexperience,asaresearchassistantattheUniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley,helpingtorecoverfootageofgreathistoricalsignificance,includinginterviewsandspeech-es given by such figures as Malcolm X and groups such as the San Francisco MimeTroupe and the United FarmWorkers from obsolete recording formats. Some of thisfootagewasinaccessibletothecopyrightholderbecauseoftheunavailabilityofplaybackequipment.Movingittocontemporaryformatsonpreservationqualitymaterialsallowedthecopyrightholdertheabilitytogeneraterevenuesfromresaleandsubsequentroyaltieswhilebringingthecontentoftheseremarkablerecordingsbackintoview.Becausefairuseappliedtothesematerialsduetothenatureofthe institution,thispreservationstrategywaspossible.Software-basedintellectualpropertyfacesverysimilarchallengesasthosefacedwithvideoandaudiorecordingsduringthisrapidlychangingtechnologicalenvironmentandthe same exemptions should apply to software products such as video games. At atimewhen research is flourishingon the impacts of digital entertainment and socialmediaproduct, resulting insignificantbreakthroughs inourunderstandingofthena-tureofhumancognitionandothersocialandneurologicalprocesses,accesstothedig-italartifactsisessentialtoenableon-goingscientificstudyandtoassurethataccesstothematerialbycopyrightholdersforanyfuturecommercialexploitationispossible.Whatbetterplacetooverseethispreservationthananon-profitmuseumdedicatedtothepreservationofvideogames? Itsstatusasanon-profitorganizationremovesanyincentivetoviolatecopyrightforthepurposeofprofitandthepersonnelsuchaninsti-tution will attract could greatly advance the much-needed development of tools toprovideaccesstoobsoletetechnologyforfutureenjoyment.Basedonmyassessmentof theprincipalsatTheMADE throughpersonalacquaintancewith them,anexemp-tionfromtheDMCAforthepurposeofpreservationofsignificantworksinthedigitalrealmwouldgreatlybenefitoureffortstobothsafeguardthenation’screativeherit-ageandtobuildvitaltoolsforfuturegenerations.

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[OriginallysubmittedaspartoftheEFF’s2015petition.]

StatementofT.L.Taylor,AssociateProfessorofComparativeMediaStudiesFebruary5,2015

IamwritinginsupportoftheExemptionforCircumventionNecessarytoRunGameSoft-wareAftertheDeveloper’sAuthenticationorMatchmakingServerHasShutDown.Iamasociologistwhohasdoneextensiveworkondigitalgaming,inparticularresearchingplay-ercommunities. I teach inaprogramwhereseriousattention isgiven tounderstandingcomputergamesavibrantworksofdesign,art, andculture.Allowingplayers, students,and scholars to continue to access andworkwith gameswhere developer support hasceasediscrucialinseveralways.Playercommunities.Muchofwhatwe’velearnedthroughthelast15yearsofscholarshipondigitalgamingisthatplayersareactive,dedicatedusersofvarioustitlesevenlongaf-tertheworksaresupportedbytheoriginaldevelopers.Playersnotonlyderivepowerfulconnectiontotheseculturalpropertiesbut,critically,tootherplayersofthegame.Whilegamecompaniesregularlymakepracticalchoicestodiscontinueonlineservicesandfacil-itationmechanisms,playercommunitiesdonot followsuch trajectories.Gamers them-selvesoftenstepintotryandfill inthegap,wantingtosustaintheirowncommunitiesthrough“laborsoflove”longaftertheoriginaldevelopershavemovedontoothertitles.Anexemptionthatrecognizesthevalueofthecommunitiesthatplayersdeveloparoundtitles, and the efforts theymake to sustain them after developer interest has waned,strikesmea critical component to situating ideasofapublic good in theageofdigitalnetworksandleisure.Educationalvalue.Thefieldofdigitalgamedesignandstudyisstillverymuchemergingandoneofthekeycomponentstoitscontinuedgrowthismakingsurethenextgenera-tionofstudentsareabletobuildonthetremendousworkthathasalreadybeenunder-takenbydevelopers.Aseducators,wefaceafast-movingspaceofdigitalproductsthatquicklycycleinandoutofthecommercialmarket.Beingabletoensureourstudentscanleveragearichbaseofknowledgeaboutpriordevelopmentsiscrucial.Theabilitytoex-ploreoldgames, including seeinghowamultiplayer functionactuallyworked, is an in-crediblyvaluablepedagogicaltool.Scholarship.Thoseofuswhostudythecomplexintersectionofuserexperienceanddigi-talmediafaceanongoingchallengeduetotheephemeralityofmuchofthedomain.Inthesameway,we’veseentheincrediblevalueofarchivingallkindsofmaterialforhistor-icalanalysis(fromphysicalobjectstothefantasticworkofsitesliketheInternetArchive),muchcanstillbedonetofacilitatethesocialandculturalanalysisoftechnologicalobjectsaftertheiroriginallifecycle.Thepreservationofcomputergamesincludesnotonlymak-ingsurewecanseetheirgraphicsorheartheirsounds,butunderstandthecomplexityoftheirmechanicswhich,increasingly,meansunderstandingmultiplayercomponents.Play-

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ing together is not a trivial side aspect to digital gaming and thismeans that scholarsneedtobeabletoemulateconditionsoforiginaluseasmuchaspossible.Giventhemar-ket life-cycle ofmost games, protection is needed to ensure research can continueontheseartifactsevenafterdevelopershavemovedontootherventures.Ibelievetheexemptionproposedhereoffersacriticalpathtosupportingarangeofworkthat,farfromharminganystakeholders,fostersthelivelyuse,development,andschol-arshipofdigitalgaming.

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[OriginallysubmittedaspartoftheEFF’s2015petition]

StatementofJasonScottFebruary6,2015

MynameisJasonScott.IworkattheInternetArchive,whereImanagethesoftwarearchivingandpreservationprojects.Recently,thishasincludedtheInternetArcade,aswellasalibraryofMS-DOSgames.The Internet Arcade is a web-based library of arcade (coin-operated) video games from the1970sthroughtothe1990s,emulatedinJSMAME,partoftheJSMESSsoftwarepackage.Con-taininghundredsofgamesrangingthroughmanydifferentgenresandstyles,theArcadepro-videsresearch,comparison,andentertainmentintherealmoftheVideoGameArcade.Thegamecollectionrangesfromearly“bronze-age”videogames,withblackandwhitescreensandsimplesounds,throughtolarge-scalegamescontainingdigitizedvoices,imagesandmusic.Mostgamesareplayableinsomeform,althoughsomeareusefulmoreforverificationofbe-haviororprogrammingduetotheintensityandrequirementsoftheirsystems.TheMS-DOScollection includesaction,strategy,adventureandotheruniquegenresofgameandentertainmentsoftware.Throughtheuseof theEM-DOSBOX in-browseremulator, theseprogramsarebootableandplayable.The Internet Archive is interested in continuing to digitize andmake available games to thepublic.However,aswecomeuptomorecurrentoperatingsystems,andmoremodernexam-ples, authentication servers start becoming part of the picture. The problems start changingandbegintoincludeDMCA§1201.IntheWindows3.1andWindows95eraprograms,by1996and1997,westartseeingprettycoherentphonehomeschemes.Usuallythecompanywhoproducedthesoftwarewillaugmentthemwithaphonenumberyoucancallora codeyouget,butmostof themwant touseaserver.Andthenovertime,thecompaniesgetridofthephonealltogetherandtheymaketheserveramoreimportantpart.Inordertocontinuetopreserveandarchivethesegamesastheystarttorelyonauthenticationservers,wewillneed todeactivate theserverauthenticationmechanisms.Althoughwehavenotdonethissofar,itwillbecomemoreimportanttodosointhenearfuture.

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PartialListofAbandonedMMOs

December11,2017Game InExistence SourceofInformationonShutdownNeverwinterNights 1991–1997 TheMADEMarvelHeroes 2013–2017 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/FreeRealms 2009–2014 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/CloneWarAdventures

2010–2014 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/

Darkspore 2011–2016 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/MonkeyQuest 2011–2014 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/EverQuestNextLandmarkAlpha

2014–2014 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/

RubiesofEventide 2003–2009 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/Millsberry 2004–2010 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/CartoonNetworkUniverse:FusionFall

2009–2013 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/

Exteel 2007–2010 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/DungeonRunners 2007–2010 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/LegoUniverse 2010–2012 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/PlaystationHome 2008–2015 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/MSN Gaming ZoneCD-ROMLobbies

1996–2006 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/

Asheron’sCall2 2012–2017 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/GrandChaseBrazil 2006–2015 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/Bearville 2007–2015 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/TheImaginationNetwork

1991–1998 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/

ClubPenguin 2005–2017 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/DarkSpace 2015–2016 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/Virtual Magic King-dom

2005–2008 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/

Phantasy StarOnline

2000–2007 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/

BattlefieldHeroes 2009–2015 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/Phantasy Star Uni-verse

2006–2012 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/

MotorCityOnline 2001–2003 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/Glitch 2011–2012 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/ToontownOnline 2003–2013 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/Asheron’sCall 1999–2017 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/

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PlanetSide1 2003–2016 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/FinalFantasyXIV 2010–2012 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/Pirates of the Car-ibbeanOnline

2007–2013 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/

CityofHeroes 2004–2012 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/StarWarsGalaxies 2003–2011 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/Shin MegamiTensei:Imagine

2007–2016 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/

EverQuestOnlineAdventures

2003–2012 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/

WarhammerOnline: Age ofReckoning

2008–2013 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/

Eve:Dust514 2013–2016 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/TheMatrixOnline 2005–2009 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/AutoAssault 2006–2007 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/TabulaRasa 2007–2009 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/TheSimsOnline/EA-Land

2002–2008 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/

Need for Speed:World

2010–2015 https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdownmmos/

StoneAge2 - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

PiStory - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

TheLegendofAres 2007–2009 https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

HolicOnline - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

Fury - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

Shadowbane - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

SurvivalProject - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

GoldSlam - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

XiahRebirth - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

ChaosOnline - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

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BBTanks - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

DragonSky - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

CorumOnline - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

ElfOnline - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

SlapShot - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

SmashOnline - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

TurfBattles - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

NidaOnline - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

MangaFighter - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

ProjectTorque - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

EsteriaMythos - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

EndlessOnline - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

HockeyDash - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

BrightShadow - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

WarriorEpic - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

MercenaryWars - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

RedWar - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

Emil ChronicleOnline

- https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

CueOnline - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

SoulMaster - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

Phoenix DynastyOnline

2007–2010 https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

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ValkyrieSky - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

UpShiftStrikeRacer - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

MartialHeroes - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

NEOOnline - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

ShadowofLegend - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

FantasyEarthZero - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

FIFAOnline - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

GenesisAD - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

KitsuSaga - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

Mythos 2011–2014 https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

VanillaGate - https://mmohuts.com/news/the-mmo-graveyard-dead-mmorpgs/

CityofVillains 2005–2012 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_games

DarkandLight 2006–2008 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_games

Darkeden 1997–2013 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_games

DarkfallUnholyWar 2013–2016 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_games

Dragon’sProphet 2013–2015 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_games

EarthandBeyond 2002–2004 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_games

Firefall 2014–2017 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_games

FreeRealms 2009–2014 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_games

LaTale 2009–2010 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_games

PristonTale 2001–2013 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_games

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RustyHearts 2011–2014 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_games

SangokushiOnline 2008–2010 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_games

SouloftheUltimateNation

2007–2013 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_games

StarQuestOnline 2007–2014 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_games

TalesofPirates 2007–2016 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_games

Vanguard:SagaofHeroes

2007–2014 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_games

WizardryOnline 2013–2014 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_games

World of the LivingDead

2014–2014 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_games

ZuOnline 2007–2012 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_games

Landmark ?–2016 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

ArcaneSagaOnline ?–2013 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

Pac-ManSocial ?–2012 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

MyMonsterRancher

?–2012 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

FamilyGuyOnline ?–2012 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

Doctor Who:WorldsInTime

?–2012 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

Puzzle BobbleOnline

?–2011 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

Zodiac ?–2011 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

SonicTweet ?–2011 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

DivineSouls ?–2011 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

2029Online ?–2009 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

TheChroniclesof ?–2008 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-

A-21

Spellborn mmo/3015-3661/games/AsdaStory ?–2008 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-

mmo/3015-3661/games/SpaceInvaders:WorldWar

?–2008 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

Hellgate:London ?–2007 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

AgeofArmor ?–2007 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

Fury ?–2007 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

FantasyTennis ?–2007 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

SEED ?–2006 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

TalesofEterniaOnline

?–2006 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

Yu-Gi-Oh!Online ?–2005 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

Neocron ?–2002 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

LegendofMir2 ?–2001 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

WestwardJourneyOnline

?–2001 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

WWEWithAuthority!

?–2001 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

Infantry ?–1999 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

Legends of FuturePast

?–1992 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/

AD&D Dark SunOnline: CrimsonSands

?–1996 https://www.giantbomb.com/discontinued-mmo/3015-3661/games/