Nintendo has been actively taking down YouTube videos that feature its games being emulated or modded, which has sparked significant discussion and concern within the gaming community.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this backfires a bit. The reason most publishers/IP holders don’t go after videos on youtube and twitch is because it’s basically free advertisement for your game.
If this behavior leads to people holding back on making nintendo based content, it could fuck them over in the long run. If you were a streamer or youtuber, would you feel particularly comfortable making videos and streaming nintendo games?
I know I wouldn’t. There is no guarantee that nintendo actually puts effort into determining whether you are using an emulator or not. And even for the people who do use emulators, they may not be looking to continue making nintendo content.
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Nintendo is going after a lot of their biggest fans. It’s so obviously stupid, but they just keep doing it.
If someone has bought a Switch game legally, then it’s legal to dump that game to a PC and play it on a Switch emulator, right?
Sure you could say that very few people dump their own games, but those that do are doing everything legally I think?
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Nah. From Nintendo’s position, you don’t “own” the game. They do. All you bought is a license to play the game on a Nintendo approved console. By ripping the game from the switch dump, you are violating the license you bought by copying their software without permission.
From a practical perspective, fuckem. Your paid money to play the game and if you decide to play it on something else you own, go nuts.
it’s legal to dump that game to a PC and play it on a Switch emulator, right?
Depends on where you live. Copyright law varies significantly from country to country.
In the USA, section 117 of the copyright act lets you create a copy for archival/backup purposes only. What I’m unsure about (and don’t know if there’s any relevant caselaw) is whether bypassing copy protection to create the copy violates the DMCA.
The equivalent Australian copyright law explicitly states that you can use the backup copy instead of the original one. The US law doesn’t (all it says is that you can make an archival copy, not how you can use the archival copy), so it’s a grey area.
Both laws are for “computer software”, but you could easily argue that a video game is computer software.
Pretty sure they would consider this “format shifting”, which is not a valid exception to bypassing copy protection
I don’t see any way you could argue a video game isn’t computer software. It literally just is.
Nintendo could try make up something like “it’s not computer software since the Switch is a console, not a computer” or something like that. Not a great argument, but they have good lawyers and could probably convince a court that it’s true.
But the game is running on a computer with the emulator which still strongly lends to it being software
I think I somewhat recall during the peak Wii U disaster era, during shareholder meetings Nintendo would call the games for the system “Software”. So, that’d definitely backfire on them I’m sure
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People got way too greedy with Switch emulation
The fact emulators are faster than the real hardware, can you blame them? Also, modding games is vastly easier, and people like mods.
Nintendo is just shooting themselves in the foot by not making these things more accessible. its a service issue. But nintendo prefers to invest in lawyers and not into their engineers.
The fact emulators are faster than the real hardware, can you blame them?
This is a problem Nintendo has had a few times before, choosing weaker hardware makes it much easier for other platforms to match and outpace them.
My first time playing Pokemon was emulating Pokemon Red on PC. For some reason they put it in Australian stores around a month after the US release so emulation was the only way.
Similarly GBA was playable on PC very early in its cycle. DS/3DS was a bit less attractive because of it screen layout and inputs but that kind of quirk aside underpowered handheld hardware is just asking for emulator support.
steam deck is the best switch online device i’ve ever used ;)
Which switch emulator do you use? I’m pretty savy with Linux and run it on my desktop but haven’t really taken the dive to set any of them up. Metroid has been calling my name lately and I’m thinking it’s now or never. Got any suggestions?
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Yeah I’m now emulating games I own on switch on deck because my switch hardware is so wonky with controllers randomly disconnecting
Nintendo needs to chill the fuck out.
I like their panoply of games, but I cannot in good conscience support this company. The time, effort and money they spent on their legal department could have been used elsewhere… Like pokemon maybe? I’m glad Palword saw daylight.
They’re suing Palworld too btw
Is that surprising to anyone? The specific grounds they’ve chosen for that lawsuit is odd but if any of their legal battles have merit its that one. Palworld is intentionally toeing the line between derivative and blatant ripoff.
I mean, gaming patents are horse shit from stage one. There’s 0 reason you should be able to patent a method or mechanic in a creative medium other than creepy corporate BS
That logic could easily apply to any kind of patent or copyright. That’s not to say you’re wrong but it’s part of a larger discussion than it seemed like was happening here.
That was the selling point behind this game “The Medium”. The copy was the most tone-deaf thing, gloating about its one-of-a-kind patented mechanic.
My first reaction, especially as an aspiring indie dev: “Well, I’m not touching that just on principle.”
Jerks.
That was the one where the chick could switch to white hair and swap between “worlds” just like Silent Hill but slightly different?
Yeah, except I think you could play two characters in parallel (universes?) at the same time.
Seemed neat. Shame they had to encumber it like that.
It also basically screams “If not for this super amazing novel mechanic…this is nothing special!”
Honestly, though - “method or mechanic”, do you think palworld is a pretty blatant copy of Pokémon or not? Like, most of it. Not just a single bit.
There’s monster collecting and battling, something numerous other games have done.
That’s where the similarities really end
How about if I sing the Mario song for my fans… turns on the fans … we’re the Mario Brothers…
I grew up with a Nintendo controller in hand.
There’s a very good reason I now game almost exclusively on PC. None of this is going to convince me to come back. Quite the opposite in fact.
Grew up the same way. Some of my all time favorite games are still some of the classics. That being said, I wouldnt shed a tear if they go bankrupt.
Nintendo has been on my list of most hated companies for awhile now. Just can’t stand how they operate and design their games.
Well hang tight there, the games are dope. Just the legal dicks are the scumbags.
the games are dope
gestures broadly at the latest Pokémon titles
Fuck nintendo, I’ve been playing a pirated copy of Earthworm Jim (GB) all day and I’m gonna keep doing it purely out of spite.
Ryujinx repo was just taken down from Github too
nintendo should put more effort into making switch online not suck instead of going after gamers playing nintendo games
Idk I really like playing my backups upscaled with high fps with a not shitty controller. I wont buy any more though unless it’s in Steam and not with a petty DRM.
*monkey’s paw curls* now it costs even more.
I thought Japan was all about Face. I guess Nintendo is the exception?
I thought Japan was all about Face. I guess Nintendo is the exception?
face, farce.
This doesn’t seem an economically positive decision. I think Nintendo are actually trying to save face here.
I have a hard time defending the YouTubers on this one. I mean, Nintendo has been pretty good about allowing older games to be played on its modern consoles. See VGC, the NES/SNES/N64 pass, and the multiple re-releases put out for the Switch. At some point just pony up the money or play the older games on a physical older console.
See: Kaizo Mario directly inspiring Mario Maker.
See: LttP Randomizer, along with literally any other randomizer.
See: speedrunning streams literally making the market that Nintendo then sold the Nintendo World Championships cart into.
Nintendo absolutely benefits from this. They just want to crack the whip and take over. Fuck them.
Also, still can’t buy Mother 3. Double fuck them. Tons of titles play better on emulation. I shouldn’t have to justify it.
Defending the youtubers for… doing something completely legit
Where the hell am I supposed to get a N64?
Plenty on eBay
What’s the point of that? Nintendo isn’t getting any money from that sale so from their perspective it’s literally no different from emulation.
If there is no legitimate means for you to purchase an original product from the company and give them your money then why the hell do they care if you’re emulating something they weren’t going to get money either way
I mean at this point my attitude on Nintendo stuff is fuck em, I’ll play their games without paying (if I even feel like playing any of their games) because they deserve it.
What did they do to you?
Not to one person, but to gamers as a whole.
It’s not the same thing? Emulation of older consoles improve and mod the experience. Upscaling, custom textured, etc
So the switch itself emulates older consoles… I could have swore I remember reading something like the anniversary bundle that they put out for a limited edition had a emulator that someone made.
With all these news recently, you could think Nintendo wants to be hated. It’s truly shameful how the company has fallen since Iwata is gone.
to be honest, 80% of their customers probably don’t even know what an emulator is and don’t follow news about nintendo
They still did this stuff under Iwata. It’s actually more of a Japanese thing than a Nintendo thing. Although the quality of stuff was better under Iwata
All they have is their IP, they must protect it at all costs. Nintendo doesn’t even let Shingeru Myamoto wipe is own ass out of fear he will get hurt.
Nintendo has gone after youtubers and content creators for 15+ years. They are infamous for it.
On the plus side, it makes me feel extra good when I load their games onto my hacked Switch! Echoes of Wisdom was fun, but felt really short. I would have felt cheated if I’d spent $60 on it.
I mean, its predecessor was a basic-ass remake of a ten hour, thirty year old Game Boy game that also cost $60.
True, but it felt longer, even if it wasn’t. It also wasn’t worth $60, though.
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I don’t mind the art style, other than the ugly-ass blur filter applied to the bottom of the screen. Fortunately, you can remove it if you’re playing it emulated or on a hacked Switch.
Recently?! Nintendo famously hates their fans for years now.
Wait until they go after livestreams
Livestreams are Fair Use in the US because of the gamers reaction and commentary.
The same applies to recorded content.
