Pfft, they've had that warning for years... Have you seen just how many imported BEMANI machines are here in the US?

So I don't know, most arcades probably aren't that intimidated.

DarkTetsuya

Do arcades have to pay constant royalties to manufacturers for the profits they make on their arcade cabinets?
Or is that only if they rent the machines, rather than purchasing them outright?

I would think this could have something to do with it. People unofficially making money of machine, perhaps not paying taxes on the profits etc.

khdownes

(a) I believe that the word Mr. Kramer is searching for is "precedent."

(b) I believe that the word I am searching for describe Mr. Kramer's assertions is "bullshit."

Doctor_Memory

Anyone that has ever booted up an arcade machine has gotten the "This game is only for sale and use in X region, if you are not in this region the machine youre playing is illegal, please report it to the FBI, Dont do drugs loser." screen.

Its been there since the 80s.

Nesagwa

I've never understood this this mind set. If in any other industry the demand of a product was so high that consumers were going out of their way to acquire them, the companies responsible for such product and push it to that market sooner.

But not Capcom... They'd rather shit on you and threaten their most hardcore fans.

sakipooh

We set them up the bomb and all their game board belong to us.

Booyah! Eat that Capcom Japan!

The Japanese game industry knows they're in some trouble and they had better get with the program. They are not the top dog anymore, and it behooves them to remember that there is a world outside of Japan.
Releasing anything in Japan first, then having the rest of the world wait is outdated and somewhat moronic in most cases. Same goes for other companies/countries that pull the same crap.

JimJD

then they should release the game instead of trying to milk it out....then people wouldnt be importing it.

jackd4y

take that picture down! I think its from my local arcade ; ; I don't want it gone...

Oyako

@Scruffylookin13: They're probably reminding people its illegal because they can't exactly be seen as supporting this; Capcom hasn't gone through the proper "export control" stuff that countries set up to essentially verify that its OK to sell it in a given country, and they haven't gone through trademark checks and other things to make sure that the work doesn't infringe on other works (see: Biohazard, and why they changed the name on bringing it to the US).

verrius

I know for music games, the jpn songs are not licensed in NA so it crosses into that terrirtoy of illegal.

But for fighting games, the only possible thing illegal is the power support the box uses or faulty wires or somethign along those lines

NiGHTSSTUDiO

I don't get why they care. Is it because Capcom USA wants to make the monies?

Grumpz®

You are importing electronics that have not passed FCC tests against safety and interference. That's one thing that's illegal.

Dreamwriter

I have no idea where to look on wikipedia or the internet for this, but I faintly recall when the PS2 launched, so many americans were importing it that Japan made it illegal to import....well, something that encompassed the PS2. Perhaps it was a general electronic goods thing for...

You know, I'm going to hope someone else knows what the hell I'm talking about here.

Lyrai

I can't hardly wait for this game!

Beta @ Random

So, they want us to know it's illegal, but they don't really care?

Personally, I'd be happy people are shelling out big dollars to import my game, regardless of the legality of the process. Good sign the machines would sell well outside of Japan.

Xenigma

Is it really illegal, or does Capcom just prohibit exporting their machines?

I do know of one case in the US where an arcade with an "illegal" imported Pop'n Music machine got permission from Konami to temporarily connect to their e-Amusement network to unlock new songs in the game, so I'm not so sure about that.

Jeff Paine

Why is it illegal? You are still purchasing the product correct? What is illegal about the situation

Scruffylookin13

why is it illegal?

Firemane

Wow thats really going to stop people from importing it. Well I guess they dont want to be rude.

HELLSRIDER

I've played it at Super Arcade, and believe me, with a set up like that they should be prosecuted.

sonofnone

i don't see how this is illegal.

Tatsujinken

@jackd4y: It is more money if you have to buy multiples then if you get one "legally". Notice how they also say they will never officially go for this. Privately I bet they are rolling around in the money laughing.

TheNexusRebound

I just want the PS3 version. Capcom announced the game LAST year, used the game to sponsor Saturday Night Fights on CBS in MAY and they still didn't get it out in time for the holiday season where it would have sold over 2 million worldwide easily.

I really think if that stupid SSF2T HDREMIX, cousin of Duke Nukem Forever, came out back earlier in the first half of 2008, Street Fighter 4 would be coming out in November.

Since that is delayed, Capcom has no choice but to push back SF4. Who would buy HDREMIX if SF4 came out first? Not me.

Skinney

More fine Kotaku reporting. Heaven forbid they actually do some research and find out what law Capcom is talking about.

Hmmmm. Should I research this or just add a bunch of quotes?

jkanownik

What statute is it violating anyways? Does Capcom even say or are they just making empty threats?

CyberSkull

@bobtheduck: Honestly, the fact it's not authorized by OUR FCC is sort of like how the American humane society gave Lord of the Rings a bad rating because the New Zealand humane society monitored it instead of them... Maybe Japan and the US and Canada and the UK and EU and mexico etc should work out universal (international) standards... ICC instead of FCC, perhaps... Because this is seriously holding back international trade.

bobtheduck

Careful there guys... You wouldn't want to get yourself prosecutedt to the full extent of the jam now, would you?

Vexorg

If it werent' for grey market imports, Arcades would have died in the US years before the pitiful state they're in now, because we never would have had DDR, Guitar Freaks, Drum Mania, and those other things that helped them hang onto the precious remaining bits of life...

Seriously, who cares if it's imported... I always thought that was stupid...

bobtheduck

How many people are responding without reading the other cmoments??? I explained in what, the third or fourth comment: It's an electronic device that has not been approved for sale or use in the US by the FCC. Thus it is a federal crime to import it. There are probably other issues as well, but that's one of the biggest ones.

And for those complaining about the delay, that's also one of the probable reasons for it: the game has to go through the FCC approval process. And they may need to do things like add more shielding to it before it can pass. Not to mention other little things like having to reprogram the game to switch the names around, since in the US M.Bison is not the boxer.

Dreamwriter

@Grumpz®: that's exactly what I was thinking.

kjcwashere

For those who's asking if it's illegal:
1)It doesn't pass safety regulations if it's in a different country due to different laws

2)Content itself / age issues, again different by country

3)Royalties from other artist's

this is only a small list

djricekcn

Well, time for me to play even more SFIV at SFSU!

TressaRegillus

Seriously people, don't be mad at Capcom for this. They have no power over it. They said it themselves that its not a big deal and just wanted to remind people it was illegal, because so many people have been buying them. I personally can't wait for it to hit the 360 (I live in a flyover state, arcades are a DISTANT memory for me). Til then, I'll play these import copies of Bleach 5 and Breath of Fire 3 for the PSP I just got today.

That's right, I'm a damn rebel.

BryanH

@Nesagwa: Yeah. That seems like that's all this really is. It's doesn't even look like they're making too big a deal out of it.

PlatformJunkie

@idrawrobots: That's basically correct, a lot of them are but its not the sort of thing they crack down on. Like the article says, its jaywalking. But Capcom has to say something, they can't be seen as supporting an illegal act even as small as this, though I seriously doubt any lawsuits are going to develop.

BryanH

@Dreamwriter: That would imply that no import electronic is legal since what the FCC normally is approving is something made for the US market, rather than is foreign counterpart.

idrawrobots

@Firemane: If you ever fired up a CPS1 (or really any arcade game) you'll see in the begining that it has a warning. Something along the lines of "Sale, export or operation of this outside of X is prohibited cause of copyright or trademark infringement" "You'll be prosecuted to the full extent of the law... blah blah blah"

So there it is in a nutshell without getting too into it.

Keanu

@Dreamwriter: That doesn't mean it's illegal worldwide, like Capcom's blanket statement implies.

GrandfatherParadox

@djricekcn:

The royalties wouldn't be an issue since they're paying for them, rather than stealing them.

GrandfatherParadox

It's not illegal and Capcom should be ashamed for corporate bullying.

GrandfatherParadox

How the hell can it be illegal? Seriously, we can't import products from other countries now?

AuthenticM

Region warnings have been on arcade games for many years, and arcade operators have been importing them for just as many. This is nothing to do with alleged illegality of the grey market (I'm not really sure they can make it stick, it's on exaclt the same level as buying an mp3 player while on holiday in Japan), and is all to do with Capcom US trying to protect future revenues.

They just want US operators to buy from them.

system11

Honestly? I think cops have better things to do.

Simple_Man

Do you mean to tell me that the 2 Street Fighter 4 machines that magically appeared at my local arcade isn't legit?

Whoa, those guys are gangsta! No wonder they wouldn't let me take a picture.

LP4600

It's not just arcades. Importing any games from Japan is illegal. Or at least it was back in the PS2 era. But like Luke said, it's "Jaywalking" illegal :)

everybest

I don't get this. Other than DDR USA, up until DDR Supernova, there was no american release of any DDR machine. All Max, Max2, Extreme, and previous machines all bear that "only in Japan" warning.

Honestly, if they are all illegal, then theres a lot of people to arrest. Not to mention anywhere that has Pop'n, Pump it up, Beatmania, etc.

Dantarion

@LP4600:

I'm sorry to say but your Arcade isn't ran by Gangsters.... They are ran by ninja's, since it is so illegal to import the game only ninja's can carry the boards across the pacific riding sonic the hedgehog in under 5 seconds!

demonotaku

I find it humorous the crap that people trying play Japanese games legitimately have to deal with.

Like when Sony took out Lik Sang...

LuppyLuptonium

Their PR says "No", but their built-in English translation says "Yes".

I mean, even the "M. Bison" name switcheroo is in place. Such a tease, Capcom. We know you want it.

Comatose Turtle

@NiGHTSSTUDiO:
That isn't illegal. Not for buyers, and not for resellers. That's something in the contract between the publisher and whoever produced the music. Anyone who isn't a party to that contract isn't breaking any laws.

IANAL

TechnoDestructo

@Keanu:

Copyright doesn't make it illegal to take it across national borders.

TechnoDestructo

As many commentators have pointed out, the illegality is likely due to the electronics not being approved by the FCC for importation. There is a reason for FCC approval, such as radio interference (all electronics generate some), and other safety standards that vary from country to country.

Just because you want something to be legal doesn't make it so.

Ecks

@Comatose Turtle: Are you serious?

No debate then: Capcom intentionally designed the game for "ilegal" importation to other regions.

thecactusman17

So in the US you have to have EVERY electronic device approved by the FCC before sale?

So some geek can't build a device himself and sell it?

I'm unconvinced - here in Japan electronics giant's lawyers are always trying to blur the lines between 'illegal', 'things we could maybe successfully sue you for in civil court' and 'things we say are illegal'.

They've already convinced high-street retailers to not stock region-free DVD players, although they are legal. Import game shops are continually harassed by legal action and threats.

I don't trust any PR department that describes something as 'illegal' without being very clear about which law is being broken, and why. Very clear.

Niallo

Hah. So many armchair lawyers reading Kotaku.

My wife designs electronics-controlled machinery that is purchased by companies and government agencies all over the world. She has lists of different parts she's allowed to use based on what country the purchase order comes from, because the different parts meet different international standards - FCC, UL, CSA, CE, etc. Some meet all, or most standards, some only meet one or a few, and can only legally be used in certain areas.

I realize that this isn't exactly the same as the topic in question, but it's easy to see how this information can be applied to it to show why the board might be illegal outside of Japan, rather than all the people here ignorantly claiming that Capcom's just being greedy.

For a bit more information on these standards:

[www.crownaudio.com]

(NOT my wife's workplace, just from a quick Google search)

space trickfred

@bobtheduck:
There probably are international standards, and some countries probably have stuff that can automatically cross over to here... I'm calling bullshit on this one.

Besides, the Taito Type X2 is basically a computer that uses standard parts already found in PCs in the US.

This isn't like Europe where Sony can fuck with everything and prevent all imports.

Akin

This sounds to me like a case of the "Do Not Remove under penalty of law" tags. As someone mentioned, a Japanese PS2 likely doesn't have certification for passing all kinds of different FCC requirements, etc., but I would think that similarly to the do-not-remove tags, it is perfectly OK for a consumer to remove those tags. The only people who can't remove those tags are manufacturers and store owners.

MasaMuneCyrus

@Doctor_Memory: I believe that the acronym I'm looking for to describe 3/4 of the comments here is... RTFA, Read The F'ing Article.

And officially, failing basic reading skills would be qualified as dyslexia.

Gaff

@GrandfatherParadox: Never once claimed to be an expert, but when you're married to one, you pick up a few things here and there. :D

space trickfred

@space trickfred: A lot of armchair experts as well, apparently.

GrandfatherParadox

@Niallo: If you build a device that does not meet any locally recognized standards, and someone gets hurt using it - even if it's from their own stupidity - get ready to be sued into oblivion. :P

space trickfred

@sonofnone: Go play at Arcade Infinity instead!

uLTraCarL

I don't know what Capcoms deal is. If they would just release it to the states sooner they wouldn't be having this problem. I thought the days of making the U.S. wait till Japans had its fill were over.

StarTropicana

@Gaff:
I feel you, man. If anyone had cared to read the whole thing, they might not be quite as pissed at Capcom's US branch as they perceive they should be.

Blah8

Well NYC's Chinatown Arcade is as illegal as you can get it lol.

siamgx

@uLTraCarL: Thanks for the heads up, gotta check that place out now.

@sonofnone: What was so wrong with their set up? Besides one screen being too dark and the other being too bright?

UrineSane

well, I have four linked cabinets with Akuma unlocked on SJSU campus. When I play this game, I don't see any kanji of any sort. It makes me wonder why it wasn't simultaneously released... Ok, to be honest I didn't know it was not simultaneously released until I went on Kotaku.

Importing this game feels like importing the Blue Collar Tour DVD from Germany. It brings me back to that feeling I had when the PAL region had Super Mario RPG several months before us. I'm sure all the aussies feel an equivalent pain as they still haven't gotten RB1. Why? Please tell me why these retarded region lock issues still go on in this day and age.

But seriously 6 months? What the hell are they doing? Reminds me of a QA member I used to work with. When we were close to our golden release of our product, he announced he found a bug. He found it to be reproducible, but wanted to wait a couple of days to see if it would just go away.... Yeah, a reproducible bug and you think it will go away on the SAME build of code? He would also do the reverse, test something, find no issues, but mull around doing the same thing (or pretend to while really surfing via google) for another two weeks... Right now that idiot is my personification of Capcom USA.

*clap**clap* Good job Capcom USA. I'm sorry for playing an illegal import and realize how much effort takes to take the japanese build (in english) and translate it for USA. I will provide you with cake upon its release.

urban_ryoga

@everybest:

As far as I'm aware it's not illegal as long as the games are for personal use. However, when the console is region locked, the circumvention of the region lock, which would be necessary to play imported game IS illegal under the DMCA. Although it does appear that parallel importation of trademarked goods is illegal in the US for some reason: [en.wikipedia.org]

Powerlurker

@JimJD:

Yeah well, they still don't like us all that much for blowing nagasaki up back in the day.

Besides, translating probably takes time and the pretty much do the japanese version first.

VenomMelendez

@TechnoDestructo: @Grumpz®:

No, because it's a federal crime.

VenomMelendez

But it is.@Tatsujinken:

VenomMelendez

@DarkTetsuya:

Some have gotten arrested though.

VenomMelendez

As long as some of of those BEMANI games have been around, I assumed that Konami had given the OK for people to import them and had just never bothered to change the warning message. With so many machines floating around, it seems like it would be too time-consuming to track each one down prior to export just to change one little message.

arossthaboss

Guys, this is just to prevent Capcom USA from sitting on a bunch of machines once it's officially released here because everyone imported it.

Also given the sad state of arcades in the US at this point, I'd assume it also serves as a wee bit of protection for owners that don't want to go grey market or want to compete with Billy down the street running it on his JAMMA supergun.

While I agree it's silly, there's the FCC/content/etc. issues that must be cleared up here first, and besides, Capcom Japan isn't going to want to support problem machines from thousands of miles away anyways.

I don't get why these companies just don't do worldwide releases, or don't region lock software that will *never* be seen in other markets for those who DO want to import it, as it seems that would go a long way to preventing it.

terminalboredom

I have to drive down to a bowling alley that's about an hour away to get my SFIV on. Oh, how times have changed...I remember being able to walk down to my local 7 Eleven and play SFII.

Needless to say, SFIV is AMAZING, and I'm more than willing to drive down with friends.

y2kenjination

Oh noes! I paid an assload of money for the game and NOW you're telling me it's illegal? *crycry*

Zwei Voltage

@Keanu:

The funny thing is that those warnings have no legal validity in many countries. They certainly mean jack-squat in Australia.

Marlor

It's illegal based on what law?

L_K_M

Is that Chinatown Fair? If so then this picture won't be the thing to get it in trouble, it is one of the most well known SFIV cabs in the USA.

OrlanthaFimbria

mmm, we got it over here in Guangzhou, China

AceNightingale

Actually, it's been illegal to import arcade machines for a handfull of decades now. It's illegal to import games, consoles and pretty much anything like that, for that matter.

LarsBison

Kramer? What an awesome name!

"It's a write-off!"

Seinfeld

Looks like Chinatown Fair ...lol going there tomorrow to get some wins..

AlbionProculus

I still don't see how it is illegal...

Balthor

That's CTF arcade in Manhattan. I don't think you people can read between the lines. They don't give an eff.
Which is why they say "*Officially*, we would not ever encourage the gray market import of our products."
Which is why unofficially, Yoshinori Ono said if you could find a way to play Street Fighter IV in another country, you should play it.

Igotdembombs

Doesn't matter. We have the First Sale Doctrine. That only matters if you sign a contract with the manufacturer about that.

BerylJahooby

Good luck getting caught and prosecuted lol.

SanjushreeCabbidoe

@VenomMelendez:

And in the US, copyright is governed by federal law. I was saying that it is not a matter of copyright. Copyright does not govern this situation.

And what federal law, exactly, are you suggesting this violates? It sounds like you think you know, so you ought to at least be able to search and find the proper statute, even if you don't know it off hand, right?

And perhaps you could point to some public record or news account of the alleged arrests?

TechnoDestructo

@thecactusman17: Yep. I went and played at my local law-breaking arcade, and was surprised to find what appeared to be a fully American version. I was even fooled into thinking it was actually released in the states until I read this article.

Comatose Turtle