It's pretty interesting actually. I once read a post (in another forum) where someone had sent an e-mail to Nintendo asking if it was legal to rip music from video games and share them online. The response? A representative responded and said (in other words) that it is legal as long as you don't turn around a sell it (commercially) or something like that.
What some of you may be forgetting is that Galbadia Hotel, sister site to this one I believe, has a Legal Info (
http://gh.ffshrine.org/legal-info.php) section, and there it describes a willingness to not only comply with the law but also with the wishes of copyright holders and of the composers themselves. Many sites offering video game music for download have similar legal sections.
In terms of this forum specifically, Sarah has on some occasions had to remove links and even forbid certain content from being uploaded because it didn't comply with said wishes; working in accordance of the above Legal Info.
Another thing to remember is that this isn't some secret, underground website, quite a few video game music composers know of sites like these and are in support of them. In fact, didn't a game music composer introduce himself on this very forum and actually share some of his work with us as well as some info that otherwise would not have been known unless he had shared it? (Hello from a composer.... (
Thread 54358))
And let's not forget the purpose of sites like these: not only to encourage the purchase of game music but mainly to give access to a world of music that is not so well known, in comparison. Unlike commercial artists who's music you can hear on the radio, TV, then decide to go into a local shop and purchase his/her album, video game music is different. Unless you've first bought a game then heard its music, you wouldn't even know such music exists because it's not advertised like mainstream media. It wasn't until about a year and a half ago, when I found this site, that I learned official soundtracks are made for video games, I thought everyone was just recording them from the games onto their computers and sharing them that way. lol.
So anyway, I think it's all good to share game music online. :love: