Japan Tightens Up: It's Illegal To Sell Save Modifying Software! Console Modding Might Be Dead, Too!

General news News 01/04/2019

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With an amendment to the Unfair Competition Prevention Law in Japan, Cyber Save Editor, which was used for PlayStation 4 save files, has bitten the bullet…

The amendment affects multiple subjects. Distributing tools and programs for altering save data, selling serial numbers or product keys that are unauthorised by the maker of the software in online auctions, or offering services that modify save data on the customer’s behalf are now illegal in the country. In short, you can’t legally modify your save files anymore in Japan.

Cyber Save Editor was one such „victim” of the amendment, but the Japanese government also tries to stop illegal game key reselling, as from now on, the act covers „data (information recorded in electromagnetic record)” as well. The penalties can be quite harsh, too: from paying claims for damages, those who get caught could be fined up to 5 million yen (around 45-50 thousand dollars) AND be sent to prison for up to five years!

It also possibly means that console modifications are banned, too: from now on, you are unlikely to be able to modify your game console to use burnt discs with it. Even if it’s not directly named in the amendment, the backup data modification is probably referring to it. Last year, cheats in games like Splatoon 2 also caused problems in Japan.

It’s a tough act, but it’s understandable.

Source: Gamesindustry

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Angyal Anikó

Anikó, our news editor and communication manager, is more interested in the business side of the gaming industry. She worked at banks, and she has a vast knowledge of business life. Still, she likes puzzle and story-oriented games, like Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments, which is her favourite title. She also played The Sims 3, but after accidentally killing a whole sim family, swore not to play it again. (For our office address, email and phone number check out our IMPRESSUM)