Emulating games is bad? What do you think?

[brunobb1]

So I was playing Crash Bandicoot 2 on epsxe when I thought about something: "Am I doing wrong by playing this game on an emulator?".

Emulating games is, obviously, piracy, since you are downloading games that are copyrighted. But on the other hand, the games that I play on emulators are on consoles that have passed their lifetime - as I buy games for my PS2 and Xbox360. This means that there is no official way to buy these games and, if I bought them second handed, the developer wouldn't get the money anyway.

So what do you guys think? Do you think that using emulators and downloading roms is bad? Or do you agree with me that it isn't bad since these games aren't for sale anyway? Let the discussion begin!

[Iamerror]

That's a difficult question. I buy games for my new systems but I also get games for my nes and snes. I enjoy being able to play rare and unreleased games on an emulator. I feel bad to a certain extent for emulating games; however, some games are hard to find. I think this subject isn't just a black and white issue, it has some gray areas. Because I don't think that pirating is "bad" per se, but it does take money away from developers. On the other hand, I think game companies have enough money. I guess it can be justified also with the fact that games and systems are getting pricey.

[Corey]

This topic has been made hundreds of times, but it will keep being made and it's still interesting to talk about I suppose.
It depends on what you're emulating as far as I'm concerned. I won't emulate anything I can buy myself in a store.
If I own something, and it's more convenient to emulate it somehow, then I'll also do that. Especially if I'm recording it or something like that.

Aside from that, it's no different from buying used games, and the old "Piracy hurts developers" line is bullshit.
I guess technically they don't make as much money, but I don't think anyone has made a game that I absolutely had to have because they will release the same title a few months later for $30 less and with all the DLC required to be a "full" game.
This isn't the topic to get into this, but DLC and genre stagnation is what hurts game companies in my opinion. Most people I know will pirate a game to see if they like it, and then buy it if they do.

[Sheik]

*Unspecified Game Company*

PIRACY!!!!!111!!!111
It keeps our mouths hungry, we can't even put the budget up to make a full game anymore. It's the consumer's fault for not having a heart and feeding our mouths.

Spoiler warning:

*My Opinion*
Truthfully, it only depends if you were to buy or had already bought but due to "unfortunate circumstances" it's not with you anymore.
Anything that's in the 5th Generation of gaming (if I am correct) and below is fair game to me.
I don't really see anyone caring about raking up a bit of cash that's still not going to the developers, or the companies because of how old it is.
Then it's the fact that most of the hard copies are in second-rate bin stores and places of that nature.

When Nintendo and Sony cry about the stagnant sales in the N64 and PS1 and link it to piracy AND their total revenue drop, maybe I'll consider buying the consoles....again.

[Iamerror]

I seriously doubt Sony and Nintendo are hurting for money. I think game companies refusal to try anything new with their games hurts their sales. I'm tired of their excuse of pirating when they have problems.

[Augusta]

There are times to emulate and times not to.

The problem is that with PSN and Virtual Console re-releasing older games, this excuse of not being able to pay for older games or not being able to support 'devs or companies' will go down the drain.

For me, what it comes down to is:
-I can't purchase the game on PSN/VC
-As a result, the game is out of print
-While some games can still be found for a reasonable price that are no longer in stock, if you're a fan of jrpgs, trying to obtain 95% of them are simply unreasonable or unaffordable as the prices are extremely inflated.
-Rare case where the game hasn't been localized and the only way to play it is thanks to fan translations (Mother 3, Live a Live, etc)

My hope is that the games that I have no hope of obtaining due to their bloated prices (Earthbound, Suikoden Series, Lunar etc) eventually get released, physically or digitally, either one is fine.

[brunobb1]

Well, since the Playstation 1 is no longer avaible and I don't own a PS3 (I'm not going to buy one just to play PS1 games that's for sure), I don't think it's a big deal. If I bought Crash Bandicoot 2 used, they wouldn't get any money anyway. I buy games for my PS2 and Xbox360 because there are games avaible for them. Do you guys think that this justifies my need to use an emulator for ps1 games? Or am I just a stupid pirate?

[gamerdude21]

Emulation is currently the only feasible way to play some games. Why should someone overpay for a used copy of a rare game? I don't feel bad for the ones at all sitting on old, rare games that nobody wants to overpay for because people can just download roms/ISOs of them. Owning physical copies of the classics are reserved for collectors of old games, and not people who just want to play them.

[williamjones]

Nope, not for old ones, which I only can do. So its either buy a old game used or download it. Either someone is just getting enough money to keep a site up or go to a store and see them selling Link To The Past for $75. I mean, people make livings off of used games, thats not look down upon like emulation is, I dont get it.

[LeftyGuitar]

I don't think emulating is bad for the most part. Most people use emulation to play old games, which are hard to find or the systems and games for these old systems are very expensive or have broken down. Emulation can be very convinent for issues such as these. Arcades(MAME) are a great example of this. In America there aren't many arcades, and a lot of the cool games, you no longer see, so with MAME you can play all those arcade games you love, plus you're not using a whole bunch of money to play. You can also build your own MAME cab for the full arcade experience, but I'm getting off track there.

Anyways, I think the matter lies in a grey area as some have said. Game developers aren't really making money with old games, sure there is PSN and the virtual console, but Sony and Nintendo probably get very little sales from those. I emulate off and on, however I like having physical copies of games, plus the artwork on those cartirdges and CDs looks nice. For the most part, I don't think emulating is bad, only if you're "pirating" everything you want.

[brunobb1]

What do you mean by "pirating" everything we want?

[deadlegion]

What do you mean by "pirating" everything we want?

I think he means pirating all console games you want to play and emulating them.
Or in other words: not buying any retail games at all.

[skullpoker]

If you're that worried about it, a lot of the classic games are available on XBOX marketplace, Nintendo Shop Channel, etc.

[Combusto Dragon]

yeah, it's why i download and play PS1 Classics on my PS3 by using my PSN Cards

[LeftyGuitar]

I think he means pirating all console games you want to play and emulating them.
Or in other words: not buying any retail games at all.

Correct that is what I meant by pirating all the games you want. If you're not buying anything, then you're not supporting the game industry. Sure the game industry hasn't been all that glory in awhile, but a new generation of consoles is coming among us. Who knows what the future will hold. Although I am bit worried about everything going all digital, I like physical copies of things.