Project: Australian Based Arcade Machine.

GCGeeks

G'day. Janoria here from GCGeeks (Website and Business name is finalizing).

I'm writing everyone here today because i want to announce (though i am not going to plug my product here) that i am going to be building Retropie fueled arcade machines, the size of the control cabinets.

I am not here to advertise, but rather: 1. ask a few questions and 2. gain feedback.
So, with that, here are my questions.

what is the legality of building an arcade machine, and then commercialising it, with retropie built into it?
To explain further, i will not be selling retropie by itself, or as the main feature of the product. instead, i will be selling the finished product, being an arcade machine, the size of a control panel WITH retropie.
What is the best way to go about commercialisation laws, in regards to this system?
To explain further, we both know this system uses emulated products in order to operate. how would i best be able to sell a product like this, yet still comply with the laws of australia? will i have to EXCLUDE roms? would i have to make a legal note that we do not supply them or condone the attainment of said roms?

To make an edit.. This is what i mean by an "Arcade Machine the size of a control panel".
https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTAyNFgxMDI0/z/ORwAAOSwMNxXWnsU/$_86.JPG (Borrowed from gumtree)

your information is heavily accepted and needed. Please and thank you.

Janoria
GC Geeks

GCGeeks

This post is deleted!

herb_fargus

https://retropie.org.uk/documentation/legal-contact/

As for monetization of roms, unless you have licensing rights it is most certainly illegal, and all the same you'll need to speak with a copyright lawyer to determine the legality of your practise in your respective country.

obsidianspider

If you are selling hardware that supports RetroPie you should provide a link to our site for your customers rather than including a RetroPie image with your product.

GCGeeks

@obsidianspider said in Project: Australian Based Arcade Machine.:

If you are selling hardware that supports RetroPie you should provide a link to our site for your customers rather than including a RetroPie image with your product.

the point to my system is the "ready-to-go" aspect, minus the games. I of course will be providing a small leaflet as to where the retropie system came from, and an explanation that they would not be paying for the retropie system in itself, but the configuration to have it up and going, including the configuration of all the arcade buttons and joysticks.

i will never charge for the retropie system, only for the actual product construction.

GCGeeks

"The image we provide is Raspbian Lite with RetroPie pre-installed. Some software included in the RetroPie image have non-commercial licences. Because of this selling a pre-installed RetroPie image is not legal – this includes “giving away” a pre-installed RetroPie with your commercial product. Including copyrighted games with RetroPie is also not allowed."

dang nab it.

GCGeeks

Very well, based on feedback, i will have to make sure that i do NOT include a copy of retropie with the system, or even give it away as an additive. I will make a note, that when i go sell my product, that i give a leaflet of information regarding this product, and why it is not bundled.