Vanishing act: 87% of classic video games are no longer available commercially | The disappearance of classic video games
techspot.com
That probably doesn't come as much of a surprise to retro gaming enthusiasts, but those outside the gaming community might not even know there is a problem....
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Best I can do is 70 years.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain
70 years after the death of the author or 120 years, whichever is less. We can thank Disney for that one.
Who is the author of a video game, however? It's a collaborative effort of hundreds of people, sometimes.
It's a good point that certainly complicates things. Thanks to your comment, I also found this!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_property_protection_of_video_games
I think the Copyright section has good related information.
But I thought the Mickey mouse protection act has only served to increase the diversity, well-being and development of artists everywhere!
Right?
Or is the reality that Disney and Warner can just buy all the art rights, sitting on those for the next hundred years in an endless cycle of power and wealth consolidation?
Nobody saw that coming at all.
Right?
I'm pretty sure the system has been severely skewed unfavorably for normal people.