In spite of the dedicated and close knit communities I have encountered online. I get the feeling that most of the communities are relatively small compared to the greater scope of things. I have a feeling that most people on these communities are in their 20s to 30s with disposable income looking for some nostalgia fix.
Is emulation and retro gaming niche?
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I wouldn't say so, but then it depends on the 'subcommunities' you count within that. Like there's whole careers built on people who do challenge runs of older Pokemon games that people emulate on their PCs, so not that niche as a general rule. Depends where you look, I guess. There's probably a lot of nostalgia fuelling it but then there's also the aspect of being able to play games you can't/never could officially.
I don't know. What about the people who are younger and never had those retro games to begin with? Also, emulation is mainstream since they are sold as licensed products. Funny how before emulation was more like some kind of secret underground forbidden thing associated with piracy. Now and days, one trip to steam, playstation store, nintendo eshop... Loads of games easily downloadable that use emulation. 
It's just another side of gaming that allows easier access to the past. Instead of just reading about it or watching some video on it, you get to actually play it without the expensive headache of finding the really expensive console, controller and game to play it and hope that outdated hardware can wire it up to your modern tv using only HDMI ports. Or you know, step further, buy a hard to find tv to use it with.
It's just another side of gaming that allows easier access to the past. Instead of just reading about it or watching some video on it, you get to actually play it without the expensive headache of finding the really expensive console, controller and game to play it and hope that outdated hardware can wire it up to your modern tv using only HDMI ports. Or you know, step further, buy a hard to find tv to use it with.
I think emulation and retro gaming are two different things.
On one hand, emulation - software, dedicated devices, running every console you own on every other console you own, ripping your own ROMs and ISOs and so on - is pretty niche. It might be a big and well developed niche, but still far from being mainstream, and the majority of gamers doesn't take part.
On the other hand, retro gaming has been pretty mainstream the last decade, both with virtual console releases, collections and compilations of "classic" titles, consoles such as NES/SNES classic, Game & Watch, PS classic, Sega Genesis / 2 / Game Gear Mini; but also new games with retro aesthetics, various legacy sequels and "spiritual successors", and miscellaneous nostalgia bait. Retro gaming is pretty big these days.
On one hand, emulation - software, dedicated devices, running every console you own on every other console you own, ripping your own ROMs and ISOs and so on - is pretty niche. It might be a big and well developed niche, but still far from being mainstream, and the majority of gamers doesn't take part.
On the other hand, retro gaming has been pretty mainstream the last decade, both with virtual console releases, collections and compilations of "classic" titles, consoles such as NES/SNES classic, Game & Watch, PS classic, Sega Genesis / 2 / Game Gear Mini; but also new games with retro aesthetics, various legacy sequels and "spiritual successors", and miscellaneous nostalgia bait. Retro gaming is pretty big these days.
the retro community as a whole is huge, period. But as @Maximumbeans said, there are sub-communities. Anything not Nintendo tends to get pretty small. I am a Sega Master System lover, and despite it being a console that sold freaking well, the communities are tiny. An example that come to my mind is the Aztec Adventure/Nazca '88 "communities". I believe there are no more than 10 people today that actually treasure this game, and I'm counting myself.
There are, on other hand, some pretty obscure communities with surprising huge amount of people in with lots of activities happening all the time too. An example is that there is a tons of people into retro visual novels doing all kinds of exiting stuff like patches, translations, preservation job and so on.
There are, on other hand, some pretty obscure communities with surprising huge amount of people in with lots of activities happening all the time too. An example is that there is a tons of people into retro visual novels doing all kinds of exiting stuff like patches, translations, preservation job and so on.
I would say the sony emulation scenes is niche and the xbox emulation movement is obscure as well, I wonder why.
The gc wii community is small but dedicated.
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The gc wii community is small but dedicated.
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But retro gaming in general is slightly eclipsed by console gaming, and absolutely dwarfed by mobile gaming in terms of user base and revenue. Console and pc gaming will always be expensive if people want the latest technology and software, so less people will come and less revenue spent. Few people have consoles relative to the smartphone userbase.
Last edited by Deleted member 608654,
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