can you put other companies' music into your app if it's free and you make no profit?

[Epiphron]

Hi I'm new to iOS App development. I was wondering if it's restricted to put music, e.g. Nintendo music, in a free game I developed if it's making no money? Also wondering the same about tutorial code. Can I have some open source tutorial code in my app without crediting the original author?

Sorry for the noob questions and thanks

 

[truehybridx]

It all depends on how it is licensed

Nintendo - Probably not, even though I'm sure people do it anyway.

Tutorial code usually has some license attached to it, or the author explicitly says something about re-using it, or just email and ask the author.

 

[dejo]

I was wondering if it's restricted to put music, e.g. Nintendo music, in a free game I developed if it's making no money?

Whether you app costs money or not has no bearing on copyright violation.

 

[robbieduncan]

Whether you app costs money or not has no bearing on copyright violation.

Or on the damages that could get assessed for it...

 

[Epiphron]

So what's the best way to go about it. Would a disclaimer or something help? It's an app that's for fun and not meant to profit

 

[dejo]

So what's the best way to go about it.

Find the owners of the music you are wanting to use and contact them about licensing it. If you don't think you can afford that, find other music that fits within your budget.

 

[firewood]

So what's the best way to go about it.

Hire a lawyer with expertise in copyright IP and music rights. In the end, this might cost you a lot less than not doing so.

 

[xArtx]

Find the owners of the music you are wanting to use and contact them about licensing it. If you don't think you can afford that, find other music that fits within your budget.

^This^

For a FREE app you'd be surprised what you can squeeze out of a company
if your motivation is genuine, and your project has merit that can be seen
by the copyright holder. I don't think you'll get anywhere with Nintendo though.

And why would you not want to credit the author?
I can't think of any reason that's anything other than poor form.
If it were me you're asking, my answer would be no, just for that,
before I even looked at what you're doing.