Petition of Software Preservation Network and Library Copyright Alliance for Renewal of Exemption for Video Games

Abstract

SPN and LCA have had intimate engagement with the §1201 process, with participation in the DMCA rulemaking dating back to 2016 and 2000 respectively. During the 2018 triennial rulemaking, SPN and LCA were granted an exemption regarding the preservation rights of libraries, archives and museums, which included preservation for discontinued video games. In 2021, this rule was renewed with minor technical revisions. The §1201 exemption has become a crucial tool in libraries' and archives' ongoing efforts to save digital game culture before it disappears.