Might be bad news for japanese retro gaming

[rolins]

http://digg.com/hardware/2nd_hand_electronics_sales_will_soon_be_illegal_in_Japan

I hope it doesn't effect places like YHJ and ebay. Where am I gonna go for all my MSX needs?

[Ninja Spirit]

Get outta here!!! the country I turned to for a few years for my gaming needs! Dammit! I hate to live with the fact that I might never again get a PCE, Famicom, Super Famicom, or a mega drive game or for that matter, being stuck with roms, because we all have those times emulating the game just makes us want an actual copy.

In my opinion, every "gaijin gamer's" dream of going on a shopping spree at Super Potato may get shattered, but I don't think it should affect online shops though. Nintendo UK tried to monopolize the 2nd hand market for quite sometime and it still hadn't stopped anyone from putting Super Famicom games on ebay, or the opening of the new UK based Genki Video Games. Selling modded XBoxes in public is illegal, but there's tons of modded XBox sites around. But then again, does Japan have that E-Eye that Singapore has, being able to track down every activity that goes over the internet?

But yeah that's gonna hurt my favorite import shop Starland which is a 2 hour drive from where I live. Argh! Their problem is they're scared of niche markets.

[Keranu]

Well I certainly hope this doesn't happen, that would terribly suck! I heard this is happening to Pakistan too.

But yeah that's gonna hurt my favorite import shop Starland which is a 2 hour drive from where I live. Argh! Their problem is they're scared of niche markets.

Would Starland happen to be related with EStarland ?

[TJ]

To echo some of the replies in that thread, from what I understand the sale of used videogames has already been illegal in Japan for years, but look how effective that law is. And there are plenty of laws in Japan that are just ignored overall. Besides, the used videogame market is big business over there -- in fact, there's an article in the latest Official PlayStation Magazine about how it works. Shops pay big bucks for trade-ins of the latest games, and many gamers try to finish their new games as quickly as possible so that they can get maximum trade-in value for them.

Anyway, I don't think we need to get our collective undies in a bunch just yet over this. Even if it does go through, it's my guess that our hobby will remain safe for the most part.

[esteban]

I think we really need to have the details corroborated by some reliable sources. A few things I noticed:

1. Re-selling video-games is already illegal in Japan. Clearly, this is not a strongly enforced law.

2. One poster mentioned that it wasn't clear if the ban was applied to items more than five years old or less than.

3. The impetus behind this legislation is somehow connected to an environmental regulation on lead soldering. I know that there are crazy amounts of toxins in our appliances and home electronics... so this doesn't seem unrelated... but it doesn't seem logical, either. As long as someone doesn't toss an item into a landfill, I don't see how the second-hand market is connected to environmental / health / safety concerns.

[TR0N]

It's bs read about it here also.

http://www.neo-geo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=139489

[PC Gaijin]

As tron posted, the original story was wrong. Also, if I remember right, selling used games is legal in Japan. The publishers tried to discourage it with that whole "not for resale" labeling in the late 90s/early 00s, but there was a Japanese court ruling a few years back that said reselling used games was legal. At least that's what I think I remember...could be going senile in my old age.

[akamichi]

This site has a much better take on the entire situation.

It's not going to affect buying/selling used video games anyway.  What it will probably do is make the used game stores certify that the AC Adapters for game systems are "safe".  The actual units themselves shouldn't be affected at all.

IIRC, that no resale of games law was passed in Osaka.  It was actually in effect for a little while... until the courts overturned it.  It's not illegal to sell used games and for all intents and purposes, it never was illegal.  Osaka's electric town still exists and of course Akihabara does also.

This new law basically screws over people who sell used appliances like refrigerators, washer/dryers, stoves, AC units etc.  There's a lot of stores that resell stuff like that.  New units are freaking expensive!  

Anyway, this is a non-story when it comes to video games IMO.  However, if you rely on used Japanese appliances like microwaves or fridges (to be used in Japan), then you better buy now.

[Keranu]

Phew .

[Ninja Spirit]

But yeah that's gonna hurt my favorite import shop Starland which is a 2 hour drive from where I live. Argh! Their problem is they're scared of niche markets.

Would Starland happen to be related with EStarland ?

Yup. The same one.

[Keranu]

Sweet.

[nodtveidt]

This whole thing was blown out of proportion by some moronic blogger who only understood about 25% of the story, then others spread the misinformation and all of a sudden, panic, panic everywhere!

[Ninja Spirit]

Akihabara News should fire that damned alarmist.

[TR0N]

Akihabara News should fire that damned alarmist.

They should talk about lost in translation