This is where I stand. If it isn't for sale through a digital storefront or physically available for purchase for less than a new game costs (70 USD) It's fair game for emulation. Also anything available on NSO or Xbox gamepass or any other subscription service that isn't available for individual purchase is also fair game. So when the wii U eshop is shutdown in 2 months, the only ethical way to play Ocarina of Time will be to emulate it. Paying infinitely for subscriptions to access games without having any ownership of them is theft, full stop. What will happen to NSO games when that service inevitably shuts down? I doubt Nintendo will let people continue to access those games. At least with the Wii u you can play the games you bought and downloaded after the eshop shuts down. Also having to pay over 100 USD for Paper Mario the Thousand Year Door is ridiculous. Nintendo hasn't rereleased it since the original gamecube version. Emulation is the only way you can play it without getting breaking the bank. So if Sega doesn't want people to pirate Panzer Dragoon Saga, they should make it available for purchase. The advent of itunes making so many songs available for purchase in one place put a dent in music piracy. Games publishers should do the same if they want to deter people from playing off of emulators.
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Re: Talking Point: Where Do You Stand On "Ethical Emulation"?
This is where I stand. If it isn't for sale through a digital storefront or physically available for purchase for less than a new game costs (70 USD) It's fair game for emulation. Also anything available on NSO or Xbox gamepass or any other subscription service that isn't available for individual purchase is also fair game. So when the wii U eshop is shutdown in 2 months, the only ethical way to play Ocarina of Time will be to emulate it. Paying infinitely for subscriptions to access games without having any ownership of them is theft, full stop. What will happen to NSO games when that service inevitably shuts down? I doubt Nintendo will let people continue to access those games. At least with the Wii u you can play the games you bought and downloaded after the eshop shuts down. Also having to pay over 100 USD for Paper Mario the Thousand Year Door is ridiculous. Nintendo hasn't rereleased it since the original gamecube version. Emulation is the only way you can play it without getting breaking the bank. So if Sega doesn't want people to pirate Panzer Dragoon Saga, they should make it available for purchase. The advent of itunes making so many songs available for purchase in one place put a dent in music piracy. Games publishers should do the same if they want to deter people from playing off of emulators.