Next Generation Emulation banner

Student Faces Ten-Year Sentence for Modding Consoles

3551 Views 76 Replies 25 Participants Last post by  Lex_Light
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.
41 - 60 of 77 Posts
And what percentage of people do that?
Hmm... the 5% people? :D
Then you are answered :p
There really is only one reason to mod a console, to pirate.
WRONG! *insert lex luthor here*
Never use an absolute statement in your life, it will bite you.

1. PLAYING IMPORT GAMES.
2. IMPROVING PERFORMANCE.
3. QUIETENING THE INSANELY LOUD 360 DVD DRIVE.
4. AESTHETICS.
5. ALLOWING CUSTOM FIRMWARE FOR INCREASED FUNCTIONALITY. (aka the 360 pad on ps3 hack or upscaling, homebrew, emulation etc).
6. CHANGING THE FORM FACTOR OF THE CONSOLE FOR PORTABILITY.
7. INCREASING EFFICIENCY IN THE PSU.
8. RETROFITTING NEW HARDWARE INTO CONSOLES (snes video output mods, 60hz switches).
9. ALLOWING MEMORY REGISTER HACKING TO EXPLORE GAMES OR CHEAT. (aka, the old ps1 datel type chipsets).
10. PIN MODDING TO ALLOW NEW INPUT DEVICES FOR PHYSICALY CHALLENGED PLAYERS.

...piratefag.


See less See more
Never use an absolute statement in your life, it will bite you.
Quoted for Wisdom.
And what percentage of people do that?
Same thing could be said about emulation, how many people using emulation do you think own the actual console ? maybe the percentage is not as big as the modds number but it is big that's for sure, and i'd like to see that survey where it says 90-95% of the people who use modds do it for pirating.
*deleted due to lack of bin*
Modding a console shouldn't be the issue - copying games should be.
WRONG! *insert lex luthor here*
Never use an absolute statement in your life, it will bite you.

1. PLAYING IMPORT GAMES.
2. IMPROVING PERFORMANCE.
3. QUIETENING THE INSANELY LOUD 360 DVD DRIVE.
4. AESTHETICS.
5. ALLOWING CUSTOM FIRMWARE FOR INCREASED FUNCTIONALITY. (aka the 360 pad on ps3 hack or upscaling, homebrew, emulation etc).
6. CHANGING THE FORM FACTOR OF THE CONSOLE FOR PORTABILITY.
7. INCREASING EFFICIENCY IN THE PSU.
8. RETROFITTING NEW HARDWARE INTO CONSOLES (snes video output mods, 60hz switches).
9. ALLOWING MEMORY REGISTER HACKING TO EXPLORE GAMES OR CHEAT. (aka, the old ps1 datel type chipsets).
10. PIN MODDING TO ALLOW NEW INPUT DEVICES FOR PHYSICALY CHALLENGED PLAYERS.

...piratefag.


Don't forget to listen music, see movies and emulate games in your console! :D
Don't forget to listen music, see movies and emulate games in your console! :D
WRONG! *insert lex luthor here*
Never use an absolute statement in your life, it will bite you.
5. ALLOWING CUSTOM FIRMWARE FOR INCREASED FUNCTIONALITY. (aka the 360 pad on ps3 hack or upscaling, homebrew, emulation etc).
Read more carefully next time.
Oops, sorry. :eek:nthepull
Modding a console shouldn't be the issue - copying games should be.
The executives are too busy counting money to be worrying about what's actually best for the customers, and what the customers want.
WRONG! *insert lex luthor here*
Never use an absolute statement in your life, it will bite you.

1. PLAYING IMPORT GAMES.
2. IMPROVING PERFORMANCE.
3. QUIETENING THE INSANELY LOUD 360 DVD DRIVE.
4. AESTHETICS.
5. ALLOWING CUSTOM FIRMWARE FOR INCREASED FUNCTIONALITY. (aka the 360 pad on ps3 hack or upscaling, homebrew, emulation etc).
6. CHANGING THE FORM FACTOR OF THE CONSOLE FOR PORTABILITY.
7. INCREASING EFFICIENCY IN THE PSU.
8. RETROFITTING NEW HARDWARE INTO CONSOLES (snes video output mods, 60hz switches).
9. ALLOWING MEMORY REGISTER HACKING TO EXPLORE GAMES OR CHEAT. (aka, the old ps1 datel type chipsets).
10. PIN MODDING TO ALLOW NEW INPUT DEVICES FOR PHYSICALY CHALLENGED PLAYERS.

...piratefag.


:p

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



I really meant mod chips specifically. Changing the case, PSU or the ROM drive and the like I'm cool with. The chips however, am not :)
See less See more
:p

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



good luck.
See less See more
Bears>butter Knife


oftopic sorry ill stop.
Staff > spam


Thank you ;)

(lol'd though)

While I am completely on Kaizen's side with this, it's just a shame that the majority screws it up by using modchips for playing downloaded games, making many countries deem them as illegal. Sad truth that hurts the people who enjoy their console. Still, at the same time in many countries it's illegal to sell them yet not illegal to be in the possession of one, I doubt they'll be checking up on your home if your console is modded.
I think the software companies would hurt themselves *i.e. shoot themselves in the foot* if they prosecuted people for importing Video games and playing them on their consoles/PCs.

I seriously doubt Sega gives a damn that I have Shenmue 2 (Europe) or that Sony cares I have Raiden DX (Playstation)...I don't think I'll see Ponch or John at my door any time in the near future...
Never use an absolute statement in your life, it will bite you.
I wrote a paper on why nothing is absolute for one of my classes xD


btw, the percentage of people with modded consoles is probably not high enough to significantly decline game-sales.
I seriously doubt Sega gives a damn that I have Shenmue 2 (Europe) or that Sony cares I have Raiden DX (Playstation)...I don't think I'll see Ponch or John at my door any time in the near future...
Well, no, but they may not be so enthusiastic about that mod chip in their system. That's the point I'm making :)
As long as I don't pirate games that shouldn't matter. My Dreamcast supported playing "backups" but had region lockout, great thought there Sega!
41 - 60 of 77 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top