Console Modders Arrested in Raids

Gamers, at least those who choose to push their systems a bit further, should be concerned over the recent NYT announcement regarding nationwide raids on mod-chip users of console systems.

Allegations about the sale and distribution of illegal modification chips and copyright circumvention devices for the popular consoles and others included 32 search warrants in 16 states, said the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Illegal chips and other devices used on gaming consoles violate the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998. Sales of counterfeit or illegally obtained games costs the industry about $3 billion a year globally, not including Internet piracy, the Entertainment Software Association, a trade group, estimates. (Source: NYT)

The story goes on to detail that Nintendo’s task force on piracy is a leading force in these efforts which reached out to users in the states of California, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin.

Seemingly the act of ‘installing’ these mod chips violate the DMCA, intended to protect digital assets in these ever increasingly digital times. So, before you order that chip, realize you are violating International Law.

Related Links:

• Console Gaming Products at TigerDirect

Source: New York Times