Is PC emulation of console games morally wrong in your opinion?

I read a few posts where people have said they will be playing the new Zelda game on their PC. As we know, Nintendo doesn’t do PC LOL. So the means of getting the game is through emulation or piracy. I believe it’s technically legal if you own the game itself. Personally, I still see it as morally wrong because if Nintendo wanted it on PC, they would put in on PC. What do you think, SW? As for older games, I can sort of see the argument if it’s something that’s super old and has been played by everyone and their mother.

This is my stance on emulating games:

I'm going to hell?

I'm sure a lot of people just play and never pay. And yeah, that sucks. Some try to justify it with "well if Nintendo just released them on PC!" - point taken, I wish for that too. Though personally that just doesn't work for me as an excuse. I'll still be buying the game. Voting with the wallet may not add up to much, but I support what I like.

Not gonna pretend to judge what's moral here. But if Nintendo gets their money and I get to play the game the way I like? Seems like a win win.

I think that if hermits pay Nintendo for the game, then they own it and can do whatever they want with it, if they got it through other means then yeah that's scummy.

Also, you can't pick & choose what is morally right or wrong based on its age, its either 100% good or its 100% bad.

I can see how it could be viewed differently if the game is no longer being sold. If your only other choice is to buy 2nd hand, not like that money makes it back to the company anyways.

But yeah, simply because it's a bit older, "everybody already played it", shouldn't make any difference.

@SolidGame_basic:

Damn. I almost couldn't recognize Skullface behind the mask. Clever bastard.

I have a switch and I buy the games. I'm allowed to emulate them. That's not piracy.

Not with a 40 foot pole.

What? No. It would be morally wrong if the emulators came with a downloader to pirate the games. Game preservation should always exist to make sure the games of yesteryear aren't lost forever from copyright holders that are on longer able to capitalize on their IPs and make them available to the public.

That being said, if you support games and companies that have legal and current means of selling their product, and you have even an inkling of respect for devs time, don't steal the game. Emulators can create better experiences than the original hardware, sure. But they're created for playing your own dumps, not for being a rental service for bums

I can’t be bothered with downloading and configuring anything anymore. PC has always been a tremendous hassle and I’m sorry I wasted so many decades playing games on one. I don’t care about the morality of it. It’s just too much of a pain.

Nintendo doesn’t allow their games to be played on PC. So it’s illegal. Doesn’t matter if you own the game are not.

This reads more like bitterness. There's no morality associated with emulating console games on pc. The only folks who have been arguing that is corporate shills. If you purchase a game and you want to play it on PC I'm not sure what the issue is. Nintendo gets its money and the gamer gets to play it on better hardware. Stop hiding the bitterness and just say "hey I'm upset that PC Gamers get to play a superior version of a game that is locked to old hardware."

Just assume most of these companies are scum trying to exploit you and rich as hell to begin with, so who cares?

In the old days as a younglin be "noo don't do it bro, you're killing PC gaming!", but then actually see what the companies are like and how they act and that shit goes right out the window.

@mesome713: Nope! No amount of repetition would make it illegal. 🤣

@Pedro: Anyuse of the creators art without the artist consent is illegal. That why devices used to backup your games and put them on PC is also illegal to sell.

@mesome713: False. But feel free to continue🤭

@Pedro: Emulating a Nintendo console is also illegal. Nintendo doesn’t allow its consoles to be emulated on PC. It’s a violation of the creators intent which is also illegal.

@mesome713: Nope! But you can try again. 🙂

@mesome713: What is Nintendo going to do about me emulating their games?

@pclover1980: create an account on GameSpot to say it's illegal in the system Wars forum😁

@pclover1980: Laugh at you for being a pirate. Criminals will always be laughed it.

Sometimes they become presidents.🤷🏽‍♀️

@mesome713: Laugh at me, like it matters lol. I'm still gonna be playing Nintendo games at not trash resolutions and framerates lol

@pclover1980: Yeah, the life of a pirate is so nice. You should steal a computer also to replace your old one you stole. And steal you a new chair while your at it also.

@mesome713: Uh-huh, sure. lol. Have fun playing TOTK at 360p 30 FPS.

@pclover1980: I will. It will be rated the best game of all time like the last one. And we didn’t have to resort to a life of crime to come to that conclusion.

Cool. I'll be playing mine on PC from the copy I buy off the e-shop, using the homebrew from the switch that I own

👍

I do hope it doesn't take long for clean stable emulation to be sorted. Typically don't mind waiting for a game, especially for a better version. But damn, I'm ready for this one.

Maybe the shock of playing on a Switch again will restore my patience lol

@pclover1980: Highly doubtful. Y’all thieves are never satisfied. Nintendo could release an 8k 120 fps game and y’all will still come up with some lame excuse to steal it.

Nope. OP insecurity thread.

Why haven't they?

@pclover1980: Cause it cost too much. Something you don’t have to worry about because you just steal the shit.

@mesome713: Aight. 👍

Only if I own the game.

The only problem with Nintendo is they are horrible at preserving their legacy games and it's up to emulation to save those legacy games as Nintendo closed its shop err eShop on certain devices. At least Nintendo of America understands this but the real problem is Nintendo of Japan.

To answer this thread question is simply no.

Again this topic 🙄 And again the same answer for me. Without emulation, most retro games would be prohibitively expensive for an average Joe. Retro gaming is even more expensive than PC Gaming. Without emulation, most retro games would be inaccessible for 99% of gamers or maybe lost forever.

If you own the system and game, nah.

I find it morally wrong if people play emulated games that they never purchased. I do not find it wrong if they bought the games and emulated them for their own private use.

The uneasiness I have with emulated games is that I feel that most gamers are cheapskates and are willing to play them for free instead of purchasing the games.

It is morally the right thing to do. Corporations are inherently anti-consumer - it is their job to maximize their operating profit while separating customers from their money. Emulating, hacking, and replicating their products shows them we know they can do better, and that we want better.

What is the alternative? We have to rely on the them to have our best interests in mind when creating products? That's a big, fat joke. 🥱

We're not even talking about theft. We are talking about buying a company's products, and finding better ways to use them that make our lives as gamers better.

If i emulate totk without owning the system its made for nor the game, i was told that i'd be considered as a terrorist.

As long as you purchase the game I feel that it’s fine.

@pclover1980: is it even worth emulating switch games on pc? I mean, is there a real improvement aside from a fps bump? And upscale resolution?

As long as you buy the game I feel like it's fine.

@blaznwiipspman1: Yes. Mods.

Nintendo does some things right though. They still support physical games and their games are complete and on cartridge at launch with very little updates (except for DLC). Their games also keep their value. I feel like these things contribute to preservation. But yea, I would like to see them sell everything online without having to subscribe to a membership.

@girlusocrazy: Cause fair use law you can. There is no law that says your can emulate a Nintendo console and play a backup copy of a copy righted game.

Emulators are legal, but emulators used to emulate and play Nintendo games is illegal.