[zidine00]

A college student in the U.S. is looking at a possible ten-year prison sentence after being arrested for the dastardly crime of modding game consoles.

Matthew Lloyd Crippen, a 27-year-old student at Cal State Fullerton, was arrested on Monday by U.S. Immigration and Customs agents on two charges of violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act by "modifying for personal financial gain technology affecting control or access to a copyrighted work." The arrest follows an investigation that began in late 2008, instigated by the Entertainment Software Association, and a search of Crippen's house in May that resulted in the seizure of more than a dozen Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo consoles. Each count carries a maximum prison term of five years.

"Playing with games in this way is not a game - it is criminal," said I.C.E. agent Robert Schoch. "Piracy, counterfeiting and other intellectual property rights violations not only cost U.S. businesses jobs and billions of dollars a year in lost revenue, they can also pose significant health and safety risks to consumers."

I.C.E. claims that counterfeiting and piracy cost the U.S. economy up to $250 billion each year and 750,000 American jobs, and according to an NBC Dallas-Forth Worth report, some estimates say that five to eight percent of all goods sold worldwide are counterfeit.

Full details surrounding the case haven't yet come out but at this stage it appears that Crippen is looking at a longer stretch than some killers for the crime of modding game consoles. Maybe I don't grasp the full complexity of the situation (or maybe I'm just Canadian) but that seems more than a bit harsh to me.

The Escapist : Forums : The News Room : Student Faces Ten-Year Sentence for Modding Consoles

just got to laugh eh.

Playing with games in this way is not a game - it is criminal

just got to point out, HA! there goes the entire pc moding comunity in his view.

 

[zidine00]

so he was selling the modded consoles? If so the charges make sense, all the console modders in my area were told to cease and desist. but I don't think that charges were laid. Anyway, sucks to be him.

The charges make sence, the proposed deterrent scentence does not, up to 10 years. (with each a maximum of 5)

 

[zidine00]

2 - If you have the means and money to buy another to play a game you really, really, really, really...really want to, you will.

Theoretically here, you expecpt people to buy the cosole twice to use something they should be able to use adequitely one one console, i find that a little extreme, and somewhat stupid in any sence. Or another example if i moved, i should have to buy the same exact console again, just to use games from that region.

anyway....

 

[zidine00]

Too bad we can't swap like the old PS1 days... It wasn't perfect, but I could still play a fair number of imports at the time. I did it so much I had to replace the disc holder in the PS1 with one from my discman cause it snapped in half swapping one night :evil:

i thought you could still do that on the ps2, ofcourse after taping up the laser sensors, but yeh, its still possible.

it might include a gameshark expliot but yeh.

 

[zidine00]

*deleted due to lack of bin*

 

[zidine00]

Seems like it's me vs the forums on this...bring it on!!!

good luck.

 

[zidine00]

Bears>butter Knife


oftopic sorry ill stop.