We recently reported that Game Freak suffered a security breach which led to a huge amount of confidential data being leaked such as game source codes and internal design documents.

During the cyber attack, the hackers also obtained native PC builds of Pokémon Legends Arceus as well as builds of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl.

Now these official PC versions of the games have been cracked and are available to find online meaning they can be played on PC without the need for emulation though it seems compatibility may be an isuse with specific Nvidia cards and drivers being required.

The builds of Pokémon BDSP appear to be close to final debug builds, and Pokémon Legends Arceus is an early prototype build. These PC editions, made during internal testing and development of the games were most likely never intended to be publically released on PC and their releases are sure to further infuriate Nintendo and Game Freak who have already seen so much data leak.

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[Xzi]

And they will be insta-taken down

Sure, in the same way Yuzu and and Ryujinx were "taken down," but can still be found via a million different mirrors and hosts on the internet.

Anyone actually worth their salt in the decomp scene will avoid these like the plague because it'll only make it radioactive.

No shortage of people who just don't care, and no shortage of people who want to stick it to Nintendo for being so overly-litigious and anti-consumer either. If they have to find a home with the warez/piracy scene instead, that's what will happen.

If Nintendo really wants to reduce emulation and piracy, their only option is to provide an alternative. Short of that, they have nobody to blame but themselves for creating a service vacuum.

 

[BlusterBong]

No shortage of people who just don't care, and no shortage of people who want to stick it to Nintendo for being so overly-litigious and anti-consumer either. If they have to find a home with the warez/piracy scene instead, that's what will happen.

So people like you who should be mocked and bullied for all of eternity and blamed for why shit like the switch emulators are taken down becuase of thier insistance that they absoulutely need to "Prove a Point" about how evil the big bad corporation is instead of laying as low as possible.

Sure, in the same way Yuzu and and Ryujinx were "taken down," but can still be found via a million different mirrors and hosts on the internet.

If Nintendo really wants to reduce emulation and piracy, their only option is to provide an alternative. Short of that, they have nobody to blame but themselves.

You say that and yet they are still very much successful staying in the present and focusing on the future, and even if thier online "sucks", it's also very sucessful at the same time. Might I remind you that they actually did kill switch emulation by nature of the Yuzu devs being fucking idiots with using the Switch SDK while having the very blatantly same ideology that brought us where we are now to the point that not even the forks are able to survive because of the combination of Yuzu Team's idiocy and the switch emulation scene's toxic attitude, plus the Ryujinx dev being total sellouts. It doesn't matter if there's mirrors out there if the thing that is mirrored was taken down for a reason.

You very clearly don't even know how decompilations, let alone OPEN-SOURCE SOFTWARE works becuase putting in proprietary shit without permission is a very easy way to get in trouble with corporations like WinAmp did when they open sourced an earlier version of it's software while leaving all of the proprietatry shit while adding an assinine licesnce in to the point they had to re-close the source a week after they open-sourced it.

 

[Xzi]

So people like you who should be mocked and bullied for all of eternity and blamed for why shit like the switch emulators are taken down becuase of thier insistance that they absoulutely need to "Prove a Point" about how evil the big bad corporation is instead of laying as low as possible.

Don't be naive, Nintendo's legal department didn't go after Switch emulation because the scene suddenly got more mainstream attention, they went after Switch emulation because it has always been Nintendo's stance that emulation shouldn't exist. They were also worried that it might only take slight tweaks to Yuzu/Ryujinx in order to get them to emulate Switch 2 games.

You very clearly don't even know how decompilations, let alone OPEN-SOURCE SOFTWARE works becuase putting proprietary shit is a very easy way to get in trouble with corporations like WinAmp did when they open sourced an earlier version of it's software while leaving all of the proprietatry shit while adding an assinine licesnce in to the point they had to re-close the source a week after they open-sourced it.

Why would the type of person who bases their project on illegally-obtained source code care? Pokemon games already play flawlessly or at least better than Switch via emulation, native PC ports would basically be released just for fun/notoriety.

 

[Snintendog]

There's also the fact that Microsoft has been putting all of thier chips on acquiring other studios to make thier games (something they've been doing since Bungie and the OG Xbox days) AND on Game Pass to the point that MS' own leaked documents all but admitted that they are trying to exit out of the console manufacturing industry as fast as they possibly can, and in Sony's case for Spider Man 2 since they're putting a PC Port now to try and further recoup costs, they also need to deal with the unoffical PC port that already exists that doesn't have the forced PSN account requirements that's only there to harvest data away from you and sell it to advertisers

That's not how consumers moving to the next product works, the Wii U didn't sell becuase of people thinking it was an Add-On to the Wii becuase of how they advertised it at first, and Nintendo's other consoles prove your point wrong even more as the SNES/Super Famicom while selling 49.1 million compared to the NES/Original Famicom's 61.91million while being more of the same, it's still much closer than the almost half the 9th Gen Playstation and Xbox console gaps have to thier previous gen counterpart. The Nintendo 64 dispite it being one of the first 3D consoles still sold reasonably close to the SNES 32.93 million, and so on with the GameCube's 21.74 million even if it was more of the same things the N64 was to some degree. The Wii sold as much as it did becuase of the shift to casuals and the Switch still did sell mainly to the casual market, which the handheld PC market is not targeting, as they're targeting the hardcore gamers who have High-End PCs anyways.

Honestly i am seeing the Console Market dying. The Big 3 are all unable to compete against PC. Steam has Taken the Hardcore Crowd Easily. Their Prosumer practices and service makes the 60$ for PSN and XBL look Disgusting and it makes NO the Joke that NO has been since the Wii days the 35$ and 60$ variants only Further this.

There is the fact that Thanks to the Drugs that Minecraft Roblox and Fortnight are to kids the casuals already are coming to PC Seeing the Services there far better and the huge Backlog available an additional boon regardless of the PC Power. That and the PC is increasingly becoming more important for schools (COOF COOF)

Market Wise all three are In danger of losing customers that arent Die hards to PC right now. Economically. Xbox(Microsoft) is already leaning into Xbox being a companion to PC and FAILING The windows Monopoly is getting ready to burst lots of dissatisfaction around win 11 and general incompetence of the company. Despite Buying a ton of companies they are only doing multiplats not driving their console with them...though looking at their recent games they wont be drawing anyone.

Playstation(Sony) is Hemorrhaging Money in all their divisions right now. Movies are dead, Music is dead, Appliances are Outdated, TVs are rapidly evolving draining their income in RnD, Gaming is over inflated and another huge drain leaving only their animation division... which is also being seen as a western monopoly in terms of distribution rights.Their Lack of Exclusive only worsening has they are doing what Sega did in its console death throes. Their Antagonistic practicies on PC is placing a black mark on them regardless.

Nintendo is doing the best of them. they keep budget to a reasonable level for their AAA (except gamefreak) They have their Exclusives still driving their fans to their consoles. And the switch was a Huge initial success. and due to their new incompotent CEO Shuntaro they are pissing away all their good will from LONG time fans and NEW ones alike. They could coast for a generation or two if they keep this pace up even with another few Flop Gens like wii U. But it seems this is unlikely they are choosing to sue EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN. Probably would sue the SUN since Mario had it in their game and its "Patented". Even long time super fans

Steam the only Driving force on PC worth a Damn. Does nothing and wins. Avoid Scandals make minor Improvements over and over again as they Slowly become a major Competetor. The Fact they are now in the Hardware business should scare most since Mobile is Untapped and Switch left a huge vaccum of power with its... NOTHING DONE. The Freedom of the Deck also atract Plenty of others including older fans with the big E unnofically supported but allowed. The Fact Steam is working on ways for GOG and EPIC to played in Steam OS natively should be a huge red flag for the Big 3.

 

[BlusterBong]

Why would the type of person who bases their project on illegally-obtained source code care? These games already play flawlessly or at least better than Switch via emulation, native PC ports would basically be released just for fun/notoriety.

Do you have brain damage?

We've seen plenty of full decomp projects lately, and given time, the source code found in these leaks will lead to more of them. There's nothing to gain for Nintendo if they just sit around with their thumbs up their asses and wait for those projects to pop up one after the other, but they would make millions, if not billions, by releasing some of the Pokemon games on PC sooner.

you said it yourself, now lay in the grave you dug yourself because by your logic we shouldn't care where the source code comes from becuase "hey!, we'll be getting more decomps out of it so fuck Nintendo!".

Don't be naive, Nintendo's legal department didn't go after Switch emulation because the scene suddenly got more mainstream attention, they went after Switch emulation because it has always been Nintendo's stance that emulation shouldn't exist. They were also worried that it might only take slight tweaks to Yuzu/Ryujinx in order to get them to emulate Switch 2 games.

Do you have any actual proof of this that isn't just your own N. D. S. driven thoughts?, like any legal statements or anything from the leaks that say so, or even something actually said by a higher up?, because if not I owe you a grand total of nothing.

 

[ChronosNotashi]

Steam the only Driving force on PC worth a Damn. Does nothing and wins. Avoid Scandals make minor Improvements over and over again as they Slowly become a major Competetor. The Fact they are now in the Hardware business should scare most since Mobile is Untapped and Switch left a huge vaccum of power with its... NOTHING DONE. The Freedom of the Deck also atract Plenty of others including older fans with the big E unnofically supported but allowed. The Fact Steam is working on ways for GOG and EPIC to played in Steam OS natively should be a huge red flag for the Big 3.

Considering all of this regarding the PC market, it's going to be a real shame if Gabe dies before grooming a proper successor, or the successor burns away ALL of the good will Valve built up all these years - all in pursuit of the same unsustainable growth that Sony and Microsoft chased after. Let us hope that this doesn't happen, but I'm personally going to be prepared for that potential scenario rather than be taken by surprise.

 

[Snintendog]

Considering all of this regarding the PC market, it's going to be a real shame if Gabe dies before grooming a proper successor, or the successor burns away ALL of the good will Valve built up all these years - all in pursuit of the same unsustainable growth that Sony and Microsoft chased after.

Your argument Requires a healthy man to die and have someone not already being ready to take his place. With how much though Gabe does to his policies and typically being 10 years early to most developments shows he isn't short sighted.

 

[MayorBryce]

We've seen plenty of full decomp projects lately, and given time, the source code found in these leaks will lead to more of them. There's nothing to gain for Nintendo if they just sit around with their thumbs up their asses and wait for those projects to pop up one after the other, but they would make millions, if not billions, by releasing some of the Pokemon games on PC sooner.

You’re forgetting the reason why Nintendo is doing so well. Nintendo makes great first-party games and releases them exclusively for the Switch. Tons of people buy the console to play the new game. Third party devs see the success of the Switch and decide to port their games to it. Nintendo continues hammering out successes and third part devs jump on to ride the success of the console.

Nintendo is not only a software publisher, they're also a hardware seller. Doesn't matter how good the games if the console doesn't sell (see, Nintendo Wii U). Microsoft is in the dilemma of putting all their cards in Game Pass, so people don't pay much money for these hundred-million-dollar games; and that they're trying to juggle both the PC space via Windows, and the console space via Xbox. Playstation would be doing well if they could actually hold onto their titles, but they release them all to PC eventually anyway, so why buy the $800 PS5 Pro when I can wait a year and get it for my PC? Nintendo works because they have 1) IPs everyone loves and will buy and 2) A cheap console to play them on. No need for an expensive PC rig, the console is all-in-one, and you know the game you're getting is a good one.

If Nintendo released their games on PC, they'd lose a lot of console customers, and even giving the Steam Deck their customers! The games might sell better, but they'd lose millions in hardware sales, and Steam Deck would make more money.

 

[Xzi]

Do you have brain damage?

Does Nintendo? Why else would they keep flushing billions of dollars and all their customer good will down the toilet?

by your logic we shouldn't care where the source code comes from

Correct, so long as Nintendo is only giving players on other platforms one option, they're going to keep utilizing that option. It's an easily-remedied issue, just provide another option. Piracy, as ever, remains a service problem.

 

[MayorBryce]

I'll also add that decomp projects can take years, even decades, to accomplish. SM64 is the most famous example, and that game came out in 1996 and was the biggest game for the N64. The odds that someone will decompile a console-exclusive game to run on PC are very slim to begin with, and that they'll do so any time soon makes it worse.

 

[ChronosNotashi]

Your argument Requires a healthy man to die and have someone not already being ready to take his place. With how much though Gabe does to his policies and typically being 10 years early to most developments shows he isn't short sighted.

Just because Gabe Newell is the picture of health right now, doesn't necessarily mean his health won't suddenly take a nosedive in a way that prevents him from performing his duties with Valve. I've seen and heard scenarios like that, where one day someone's looking perfectly fine and healthy, and then the next they've taken to bed very ill...or passed away during the night before. And there's always the chance that his successor could be manipulated into opposing his legacy and following the same path every other Western AAA company is walking.

Like I said above, I'd rather be prepared for the possible scenario noted, than be taken completely by surprise if and when things don't go the way everyone's hoping they'll go in the event of Gabe Newell's death. Though you're free to pretend that everything will work out perfectly in the end regardless.

 

[MayorBryce]

Correct, so long as Nintendo is only giving players on other platforms one option, they're going to keep utilizing that option. It's an easily-remedied issue, just provide another option. Piracy, as ever, remains a service problem.

In this case, it isn't a service problem. The Switch is the easiest and cheapest way to get into games: $300 for the console (far less than the $500 or more for competitor's consoles or $1000+ for a decent PC) and $60 for the game (less than the $70 or more for a game on a different platform). It's incredibly easy to order a game or the console online or buy it through the eShop. Just because you can't play it on PC doesn't mean there's a service problem here.

Do you have any actual arguments that stand up to basic logic?

 

[Xzi]

Third party devs see the success of the Switch and decide to port their games to it. Nintendo continues hammering out successes and third part devs jump on to ride the success of the console.

The vast majority of those games started out on PC and other consoles before being ported to Switch, though. More platforms = more profit.

Playstation would be doing well if they could actually hold onto their titles, but they release them all to PC eventually anyway, so why buy the $800 PS5 Pro when I can wait a year and get it for my PC? If Nintendo released their games on PC, they'd lose a lot of console customers, and even giving the Steam Deck their customers! The games might sell better, but they'd lose millions in hardware sales, and Steam Deck would make more money.

The PS5 Pro is clearly a pricey niche product, but PS5 is still on track to sell better than PS4 in the same span of time. Some people are always going to prefer the simplicity of consoles, and that goes double for a device like Switch (2) which is a great companion device to desktop PC. Again, those sales are additive, and Nintendo doesn't even have to start by releasing their newest games, as long as they start somewhere.

 

[NostalgicMillennial]

based, and people are going to mod this game front and back

Sadly I doubt it. It's barely a game and just a proof of concept. not even alpha

 

[BlusterBong]

Correct, so long as Nintendo is only giving players on other platforms one option, they're going to keep utilizing that option. It's an easily-remedied issue, just provide another option. Piracy, as ever, remains a service problem.

Then let's put that logic to the test, why don't you make a PC port for the pokemon games that got thier source code leaked through this leak and when the ninjas come, see how long your arguments last in a court of law.

The vast majority of those games started out on PC and other consoles before being ported to Switch, though. More platforms = more profit.

Way to kill your own previous arguement about selling more on other platforms, idiot! Outside of Nintendo games, why would anyone who has a decent enough PC just buy the already existing PC version of a game that's being sold and not rely on a switch emulator that's not only going to become less and less reliable depending on how much longer the platform is supported and how well it handles on said emulator for a worse experience than just playing on PC with a good enough graphics configuration to make it run. They'll just buy the version best suited to thier preference and availability in terms of platform.

The PS5 Pro is clearly a pricey niche product, but PS5 is still on track to sell better than PS4 in the same span of time. Some people are always going to prefer the simplicity of consoles, and that goes double for a device like Switch (2) which is a great companion device to desktop PC. Again, those sales are additive, and Nintendo doesn't even have to start by releasing their newest games, as long as they start somewhere.

No it's not, people already were mocking the $700 price point since the PS5 Reveal, even more so since the "pro" has features that require a magnification glass to see, on TOP of the minimal upgrade and support for it being the same games everyone has been playing since the PS5 launched, and again THE PS5 HAS NO GAMES. Sony and MS has relied on brand recognition of the console to push units and not much else.

 

[ChronosNotashi]

In this case, it isn't a service problem. The Switch is the easiest and cheapest way to get into games: $300 for the console (far less than the $500 or more for competitor's consoles or $1000+ for a decent PC) and $60 for the game (less than the $70 or more for a game on a different platform). It's incredibly easy to order a game or the console online or buy it through the eShop. Just because you can't play it on PC doesn't mean there's a service problem here.

Do you have any actual arguments that stand up to basic logic?

I love how people always parrot Gabe's "Piracy is a service problem" line as if it's a cover-all for everything that isn't on Steam. As you said, the Switch is more affordable than even the Steam Deck (even the Switch OLED model is ~$50 less than the LCD Steam Deck model - and the Switch Light is half the price, if you don't plan to play the Switch docked; speaking of which, official Steam Deck dock is extra), has multiple games that are typically worth the purchase price, and is a much more accessible option for those looking to buy a new system.

That last part is of major importance, because while you can find a Switch system at more or less ANY major retailer in the U.S. in addition to Nintendo's online store, you can only purchase the Steam Deck new through Steam (even in the U.S.). Nevermind that the Steam Deck's means of accessibility is the most convenient option for handheld PCs - you have to go out of your way to find other handheld PCs from reputable manufacturers, with little guarantee that they'll be worth the higher price range (compared to Steam Deck) long-term.

Honestly, I'd say that PS5 exclusives would be more of a service issue than the Switch would be. At least, assuming it's a PS5 exclusive that won't be releasing on PC after a year, anyway. I'd say the same for Epic Games as well, considering that their practices tend towards the anti-consumer side more often than not.

Edit: I should also add that the Switch can at least run most of their games at an acceptable 30 FPS even undocked (even 60 FPS for some games - such as Splatoon 3 both docked and undocked in Story Mode, training areas, and multiplayer stages - i.e. the places where 60 FPS will actually make a difference), barring the Pokemon games which tend to be hit or miss. Meanwhile, the performance of games on the Steam Deck will vary, with some of the most recent games quickly finding themselves on the "Unsupported" list, due to requiring too many resources for the Steam Deck to run them properly, EVEN ON THE LOWEST SETTINGS.

 

[Xzi]

In this case, it isn't a service problem.

Nintendo disagrees with you there. You don't put this much time, energy, and resources into solving a non-problem. They can keep cutting one head off the hydra at a time for the rest of time if it really makes them feel better, but that doesn't change the fact that it remains a stupid strategy.

The Switch is the easiest and cheapest way to get into games

It's not. There are cheaper devices which can emulate every Nintendo console ever released, Switch included. If Valve can out-compete piracy with Steam, Nintendo has no excuse for why they can't do the same with their own service.

Just because you can't play it on PC doesn't mean there's a service problem here.

You can play it on PC though, there's no point in sticking your head in the sand and pretending otherwise.

 

[MayorBryce]

Again, those sales are additive, and Nintendo doesn't even have to start by releasing their newest games, as long as they start somewhere.

These sales are not additive. Let’s say 10 million people buy the new Mario Kart on PC for $60. Congrats, Nintendo made $600M! Except… they actually lost money here. Because, how many of those people would’ve bought the game on Switch 2 had it remained exclusive? Let’s say 50%. Assuming $400 for the console, that’s $2B solely from console sales, plus another $300M from game sales. So, 2.3B or 600M in profits?

 

[Xzi]

These sales are not additive. Let’s say 10 million people buy the new Mario Kart on PC for $60. Congrats, Nintendo made $600M! Except… they actually lost money here. Because, how many of those people would’ve bought the game on Switch 2 had it remained exclusive? Let’s say 50%. Assuming $400 for the console, that’s $2B solely from console sales, plus another $300M from game sales. So, 2.3B or 600M in profits?

Again, they could start with games from older systems which Nintendo does not even sell directly any more. That's pure profit from absolutely nothing. If we're talking about new games, you go with a one-year exclusivity period.

Kids and console gamers stuck in their ways are still gonna buy up new Nintendo consoles like crazy regardless. Likewise, there are tens of thousands of people who will never buy any hardware besides PC. There is zero downside to selling to both groups, especially given the potential for double-dippers.

 

[MayorBryce]

It's not. There are cheaper devices which can emulate every Nintendo console ever released, Switch included. If Valve can out-compete piracy with Steam, Nintendo has no excuse for why they can't do the same with their own service.

I’ll admit that most of Nintendos consoles can be easily emulated, but emulate for cheaper than the Switch outright? That can’t be done with where tech is at. Your phone is more than $300, your Steam Deck is more than $300. Nintendo out-competes piracy by making their games easily accessible through the Switch, and by occasionally shutting down emulators that pose a serious threat to sales. The latter is the exact same as a company shutting down a repacker.

Nintendo disagrees with you there. You don't put this much time, energy, and resources into solving a non-problem. They can keep cutting one head off the hydra at a time for the rest of time if it really makes them feel better, but that doesn't change the fact that it remains a stupid strategy.

The point of shutting down emulation is to prevent piracy, not because the PC space isn’t profitable.

Again, do you have any decent arguments?