Gaming Why Does Nintendo hate Rom sites?

[xplicid_yt]

It's confusing to me because rom sites have been around for years why does Nintendo feel the need to go "lets kill these rom sites"

 

[8BitWonder]

They go after rom sites because they're distributing dumps of their copyrighted content.
They do this to protect their sales and IPs.

 

[Enkuler]

Because they think shutting ROM sites down will bring more sales to their Virtual Console and SNES Classic.

 

[xplicid_yt]

Because they think shutting ROM sites down will bring more sales to their Virtual Console and SNES Classic.

Isn't virtual console only accessed on the wii shopping channel?

 

[Enkuler]

Isn't virtual console only accessed on the wii shopping channel?

3DS and Wii U too. Though not on the Switch... yet? Or maybe it's also available on the Switch and I wasn't even aware of that.

 

[8BitWonder]

Isn't virtual console only accessed on the wii shopping channel?

Virtual console exists on multiple Nintendo platforms; Wii, WiiU, 3DS, Switch (in the future I think? Might be that weird arcade thing that comes with an online subscription).

 

[Enryx25]

Nintendo Switch Online is the new Virtual Console.

 

[TotalInsanity4]

Virtual console exists on multiple Nintendo platforms; Wii, WiiU, 3DS, Switch (in the future I think? Might be that weird arcade thing that comes with an online subscription).

The Switch already has Arcade Classics, which is kind of the same thing but specifically for Nintendo's arcade cabinets

 

[xplicid_yt]

Should come to the switch but I think they will have a firewall or antivirus to prevent hackers cause this would stop the whole rom thing in the first place

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

The Switch already has Arcade Classics, which is kind of the same thing but specifically for Nintendo's arcade cabinets

Ill subscribe to your youtube channel

 

[godreborn]

my theory on the virtual console and the switch is that Nintendo doesn't want the switch and the 3ds to compete with each other when it comes to the vc...just a theory though.

 

[Maeson]

If you look, these last years they've been going at it around the time of the releases of NES Mini, SNES Mini and now the Switch Online service, with its "free" NES games with online features, although supposedly they would expand to other systems. They also said that Switch wont have a "Virtual Console" in the same way the Wii had, so who knows what they'll do.

Personally I kinda doubt they'll do a good job about offering good retro-game stuff with Switch, even if they had a typical VC system on play. Back in the Wii days they put quite a bit of effort to have a good selection of games, and companies with these old games found in that a way to make money and give new commercial life to these games. Good for both. We even got quite a few obscure games, it was great (Except if you lived in Europe/Australia, fuck 50hz).

But that's not going to happen again. Maybe Nintendo lost interest with the Wii U, maybe the other companies found better to make mediocre ports of their games themselves, like Capcom and Squeenix, maybe both, but the selection on that system was much more shallow. Soon we will lose all the Wii VC (and Wiiware) content, and with that Wii U will also loose more than 200 exclusive games through the Virtual Console on Wii, almost all of them third party stuff.

By now companies like Sega have their own plans, like Sega Ages on Switch, or their deal with AtGames to make mediocre Mega Drive knock-offs with Roms installed. You have Capcom selling collections (ironically, the Disney NES collection wasn't on a Nintendo platform, which would have made the most money), and Hamster doing their Archive Arcades. And then we're starting to see ports of Wii games, like Go Vacation or the DeBlob games, among others. I hate to say it, but I think there's no place for Virtual Console any more. Other companies have their own ways to make money out of old games, making Nintendo's VC ecosystem rather useless for them.

Maybe if you only care about a tiny chunk of Nintendo-owned games, and while that could be okay, that's disappointing when a decade ago we were getting things like freakin' Castlevania: Rondo of Blood for first time outside Japan. Of course, that always-desired Game Cube VC could still be interesting, but not even close to what we had. We may not even be able to buy the games themselves, and will only be a gamepass style service.

And all this becomes even more disappointing when you think about a Wii-like effort for a VC system on a HD portable device with mutiple controller options, easy multiplayer access for a good chunk of the systems it could support, and other perks the Switch has.

...

Anyway, those sites weren't only being attacked by Nintendo lately, other big ones were alongside them (because as I said, selling old games became way more viable thanks to VC in the first place). Another company that forced those sites to remove their games was for example Square Enix, in many of them you couldn't find most of their old games, or had their links removed, which is kinda funny because that company doesn't get mentioned as much.

I understand them going against such places, it's their copyright and all that. Legally they're obviously in their right to claim their stuff. Not to mention certain places were heavily trying to make a profit out of hosting ROMS and getting way too popular to ignore them. But at the same time I can't help but to think it's quite hypocritical to some extent, too.

Emulation has benefited them in several cases. I highly doubt Nintendo would be making profits of series like Mother (through VC releases) or an even better example, Fire Emblem if interest for those franchises weren't ignited thanks to emulation letting the creation of fandom outside Japan. And does anyone really think those NES and SNES Minis would have sold as much if they weren't easily hack-able and it was possible to expand the number of games by inserting ROMS?

Nostalgia only gets you so far; yet NES Mini was the biggest unit seller in the US back in June of this year.
Yes, it sold more than the Switch and PS4.

Heck, let's go full circle. The Virtual Console wouldn't have existed and become profitable for them if interest around old games wasn't maintained and expanded thanks of emulation in a big, big part.

 

[GreyWolf]

Nintendo doesn't like ROM sites because those ROMs are copyrighted and licensed. You wouldn't like them either if what you used to earn a living was on them.

 

[XofDiAcme]

It does not. It is just enforcing its rights as copyright holder. However, any action by Nintendo is
futile. All dumps are preserved by independent sites. Nintendo targets these ROM sites because of
its Classic Series consoles, Virtual Console DLCs, and because these sites make a ton profit on ads.
It is no different from its Youtube Partnership Program fiasco. Remember it is Nintendo, the same
company that created the "Seal of Quality", legally fought Tengen and Emulators. And sold an
upgraded Gamecube with motion controls in the 7th Generation. They are just greedy bastards, but
they are in all there right to be so. And to be honest it always works for them, consumers are just a
bunch of sheep really. Captain Toad for $50. Fuck that, the Wii U version costs between $15-$20 bucks
on eBay.

 

[FAST6191]

It does not. It is just enforcing its rights as copyright holder. However, any action by Nintendo is
futile. All dumps are preserved by independent sites. Nintendo targets these ROM sites because of
its Classic Series consoles, Virtual Console DLCs, and because these sites make a ton profit on ads.
It is no different from its Youtube Partnership Program fiasco. Remember it is Nintendo, the same
company that created the "Seal of Quality", legally fought Tengen and Emulators. And sold an
upgraded Gamecube with motion controls in the 7th Generation. They are just greedy bastards, but
they are in all there right to be so. And to be honest it always works for them, consumers are just a
bunch of sheep really. Captain Toad for $50. Fuck that, the Wii U version costs between $15-$20 bucks
on eBay.

Kicking it old school with fixed length lines? Fair enough.

Anyway to call it the same as the youtube stuff is not something I can even come close to getting behind.

Straight let's plays, longplays and the like don't really have a right to exist under copyright law and the fair use exemptions/exceptions to it, nor do I reckon it is a suitable candidate for a further exemption/exception. However most people recognise that for most games (especially not Nintendo's usual games -- you might skip or sideline a story game, doubtful smash brothers or mario kart is going to be too troubled here) they pose no threat to their market share*, and instead most companies would cream their jeans at the thought of being able to create the kind of borderline cult that is the Nintendo fanbase at times. To that end legally it is pretty sound, ethically yeah it could be justified, business/marketing wise... retarded to say the least in the eyes of most.

*I have seen some let's plays where they play like morons. That might trouble some things. Certainly one of the big reasons I don't watch things in the format.

Where did Nintendo fight emulators? I have seen Sony fight them but Nintendo other than grumbling about them, maybe shaking the odd fist and acting as a deterrent in some cases ( https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1023470/-It-s-Just-Emulation ) I have not seen take things to court or file lawsuits against emulation by itself. There was the recent one which bundled ROMs but that is bundled ROMs so no shocker there.

As for the matter of the OP then have they appointed new outside council or has said council not done any work for them recently? If they are allotted so many hours then maybe that. They also have a new CEO and getting people to have a look at such things and making it seem like they are being a new bold CEO is no different.