Is it legal to download a rom if I bought the official game?

[www.buildism.net]

I've heard from countless sources on the legality of rom downloading. Some say that it is completely illegal to download roms, and others say that you can legally download roms if you actualy bought an official copy of the game.

So if its legal to download a rom after you buy the game, in theory you can buy 100 games. Download the roms for the games, and then return the purchased games back to the store.

 

[Demon_Skeith]

moving to the right forum.

Yes, everything you said is correct. though I think you always need some official copy on hand to show proof if your ever hauled into court.

Regardless, if you download anything free on the internet it carries a risk.

 

[GracefulAssassin]

As long as you have a physical copy, whether it is working or not, you can download the rom.

 

[random_gamer]

It is. However, the "game returning" scenario you mentioned isn't correct, since you probably get a refund and therefore negate the effects of the purchasing act and are not longer the owner of the game(s) in question.

Source: I'm in law school.

 

[fantanoice]

Depending on where you are you are in the world, you are legally able to backup your own games. In that scenario, you can have a ROM if you've ripped it yourself as a backup. However, in terms of obtaining online through torrents or other means, no, it is completely illegal to obtain it, even if you own it.

Also, with regards to the backups, most game companies, such as Nintendo, have it written as part of their policy that you cannot make a copy of their game, even as a backup purpose. Doing so will void your warranty and other things that I can't remember (read the back of every game manual you've ever owned).

So if its legal to download a rom after you buy the game, in theory you can buy 100 games. Download the roms for the games, and then return the purchased games back to the store.

If that were the case (which it isn't), then returning the games would mean you no longer own the game and therefore do not have the right to have a copy of the ROM. Also, if you ripped your own backups and returned the games then you also void your right to have a copy of the backup.

There are some grey areas in the law, such as things like the PS3 copies of Portal 2 which you could add to your Steam library and play on PC. In that instance, if you've claimed the digital PC copy and returned the game then you still own the digital PC copy because Steam doesn't allow you to sell your games back to them.