If you own a console game and play it on an emulator, is it still illegal?

[Hurr Durr Derp]

Just something I was wondering.

If you (legally) own a bunch of console games, but you use an emulator to play them on your PC, would it still be considered illegal? I'm guessing not since you paid for the games so I assume you're free to use them any way you want. Also, since most manufacturers actually lose money on console sales and make it back with game sales, buying the games but not the console would seem to be even more desirable to them.

Assuming you've got a PC powerful enough to handle an emulator plus a console game (which generally takes a hell of a lot more power than running a game in its native environment), and you're not interested in online stuff (which won't work unless you play it on the actual console), and you've got a suitable controller... Do you think there is any reason to buy a console when you could settle for buying just the games?

 

[Irridium]

I don't see anything wrong with it.

You didn't pirate them, so yeah, don't see anything wrong.

 

[delet]

Technically, yes. It's still illegal to have an emulator of the game.

The only difference owning the game makes is on how justified it makes you feel.

 

[lacktheknack]

If you dump the BIOS from your console directly into the emulator, then it's perfectly legal.

If you got the BIOS from the internet, then it isn't.

 

[Pimppeter2]

Legally: Yes

Socially: No

Many people will find it more acceptable, and not consider it pirating. But on the legal side of things it certainly doesn't matter

Do you think there is any reason to buy a console when you could settle for buying just the games?

Well it makes you look less foolish. Imagine explaining all of this to a non gaming friend/relative. You'll look bonkers.

 

[manythings]

I don't think it is illegal, it's certainly not approved of but you have purchased the product so you've paid to play. Maybe that won't hold up against scrutiny but it seems unreasonable to persecute a person who legally possesses the product.

 

[Gigaguy64]

Im not sure.
I though that if you had a physical copy of the game it was legal for you to have a ROM of it as "Backup" and playing it was fine too.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Emulators aren't technically legal but if you have a physical copy of the game I think you can say you paid your share to the developer.

 

[infinity_turtles]

It's not actually illegal to own an emulator. It is illegal to own one if you don't own the system. It's also illegal to dump the BIOS of your console(violates the EULA) or download someone else's BIOS, so if the emulator requires one, it's illegal to use it. Which I think is all kinds of messed up.

I don't think there's anything morally wrong with it though. But then, I'm one of those guys who equates torrent sites to very accessible libraries, so your mileage may vary.

 

[likalaruku]

If it's an old game that is no longer for sale outside of used copies & has not been ported to newer consoles, no one would care if it was illegal.

 

[garlicncow]

Where I live if you own the game it is legal to have it on your computer so long as you rip it yourself, ie, buy a game and you can download it because will there be a difference? cmon.

 

[CarpathianMuffin]

If you own the game, then I believe it's legal to get an emulator for it.

 

[Carlston]

I see it like this. As long as companies refuse to backward compatable any system made for more than a year...(ps3...)

They can suck it down. I paid for NES, Atari, games so long. If they no longer make a profit and I own the game and owned the system they no longer support...no support means freeware to me.


I don't care what they say, laws ect. I paid X amount of cash for the same game six times now?
I'm playing NES bionic commando on my pc without shame.

They have this odd corp ideals that if you play old games you won't by new ones? Get 700 games on a emulators.... bet you play most for 30 seconds and move onto the next...yeah you just horribly scared a videogame giants profits.

If Nintendo and the others cared, they would release greatest hits complimation more often. Not one game for 20 bucks, but 10-20 games for that. They are greedy, and if I want to play 10 minutes of Zelda 2? I have 3 copies laying around, plus a system...

I'll play it on whatever I want. 20 years old...they need better excuses for trying to exterminate the existance of the games I grew up with.

 

[fletch_talon]

It is illegal.
However, its not immoral.

HOWEVER.
Yes it should be legal to play games you own on an emulator, but to legally own the emulator you should own the console.

 

[Hurr Durr Derp]

If you dump the BIOS from your console directly into the emulator, then it's perfectly legal.

If you got the BIOS from the internet, then it isn't.

...but in that case, you still need to own the console, which defeats the purpose.

Do you think there is any reason to buy a console when you could settle for buying just the games?

Well it makes you look less foolish. Imagine explaining all of this to a non gaming friend/relative. You'll look bonkers.

It's all in the way you explain it. In essence it's not that much different from making a Windows-only game run on a Mac.

Im not sure.
I though that if you had a physical copy of the game it was legal for you to have a ROM of it as "Backup" and playing it was fine too.

It's not a matter of playing a ROM or 'backing up' a game... I'm talking about when I have the physical game, but not the console it's supposed to run on. I could just pop the disc in my PC and play it through an emulator, without having to resort to ROMs or whatever.



Most people seem to think it's not technically legal, which seems odd to me. Is it illegal to run a Windows game in Linux or on a Mac? I don't think so. Then why is it illegal to run (for example) a Playstation game on a PC?

 

[chozo_hybrid]

If you dump the BIOS from your console directly into the emulator, then it's perfectly legal.

If you got the BIOS from the internet, then it isn't.

...but in that case, you still need to own the console, which defeats the purpose.

That's the point, it's supposed to be with the console/s it's for. I'm pretty sure part of the user agreement that comes with games state that they are to be used with the proper equipment specified.

You don't own the game, you own what contains it and the right to play it in the specified way.

Most people seem to think it's not technically legal, which seems odd to me. Is it illegal to run a Windows game in Linux or on a Mac? I don't think so. Then why is it illegal to run (for example) a Playstation game on a PC?

When you run a game on those computers you tend to need an emulator, correct? Then it's the same as the console situation.

 

[tkioz]

It is illegal (not criminal though) but the better question is it immoral? In my personal opinion I say no it's not at all immoral. Format shifting (which is basically what emulation is) is always a murky area of the law, the line where it goes from fair use to piracy is very blurry.

For example, I own an N64 that I got the first week it came out, I purchased Mario Kart 64 the first week it came out, so I can honestly say I paid full price for these products, so I see nothing wrong with firing it up on my PC if I wanted, for entirely the same experience as what I'd get on my N64, even though the product is available (I think?) on the Wii network.

On the other side where does it stop being okay? I own VHS copies of all the Star Wars movies, so am I entitled to download a DVDRIP of them so I can watch them without dragging out a VCR? In this case I'd say no because I'm getting quality I didn't pay for.

So screw copyright law, do what you think is moral, but be honest with yourself.

 

[Reaper195]

It's not illegal, because you own the game.

 

[Kpt._Rob]

It might not necessarily be illegal, but that doesn't mean that you couldn't get royally fucked for doing it. Many of the groups that track down pirates file lawsuits through the pirate's ISP, and as a result the pirate doesn't even find out that they have been sued until it is too late to take the case to court, meaning that they get sued by default. So, if you're not worried about getting your ass royally sued, then go for it.