In recent days, emulators are once again the center of attention. This after Nintendo's high-profile demand for Yuzu, an emulator capable of running various Switch titles. In addition to the closure of others dedicated to 3DS, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance games.
Of course this opened the doors to debate about the use of these programs and what it represents. On the one hand there is the illegality of using them to run easily accessible programs and on the other there is their use for the preservation of forgotten experiences.
Points to consider about the emulator debate
Emulators will continue to have a bad reputation if they are used for hacking
It should be clear that emulators are not always used with the best purposes in mind. Many of its users simply take advantage of them to play fairly new titles from their computer or other devices. In addition, many times they do not pay for these programs or they pay very minor amounts that surely do not go to the creators.
This was Yuzu's main problem. After all, it is an emulator for Nintendo Switch, a current console that is quite easy to get, just like its games. Even so, many preferred to pirate which affects Nintendo's sales.
On social networks there are many comments justifying the use of emulators for these purposes. Some argue that these provide a better experience, with the ability to increase frames per second and better performance. But what about people's work? Is it worth not rewarding them simply for running a game better?
In any case, companies should be required to have better hardware or better performance and refuse to pay for their games until they deliver the quality expected. But refusing to pay and also play is quite questionable to say the least. Unfortunately this is the main use given to emulators lately.
Everyone pays for some
As you may know, the closure and lawsuit of Yuzu also caused the emulator known as Citra to stop operating. This was dedicated to emulating Nintendo 3DS video games. This is where we enter more fully into the debate about emulators and their uses.
The Nintendo 3DS is a console that has been discontinued since 2020. There are no new games for her and getting the old ones can be an odyssey. Even digital ones, since Nintendo made the decision to close its eShop from 2023. Now there is no legal way to get many games that could practically disappear due to their exclusivity.
Emulators like Citra or Pizza Boy have more reason to exist and to a certain extent it is easier to support them. After all, their focus is on consoles and games that their own companies are already looking to leave behind. There you can totally confirm that these are conservation efforts.
Not to mention that when using these old game emulators there is a 'good' variable. After all, it is an opportunity for people to learn about these games, not to mention that there is a good chance that their users bought the original game at the time. They simply want to relive their memories on devices that are more at hand.
Unfortunately, because it is used more for piracy than for emulation, these lawsuits arise and these closures are caused. Because of a few, we could all be left unable to return to games of yesteryear that will simply be stuck on the consoles where they were released.
What's the point of fighting with these emulators if they are games abandoned by the companies?
It also has to be said that companies are somewhat to blame for the proliferation of emulators. The video game industry has been around for years, with many gems over several generations. However, it was not until recently that backward compatibility began to be practiced more.
Of course, this led programmers to look for ways to enjoy their favorite games even today. Also to the creation of rom sites dedicated to preserving and sharing some of the most beloved titles from consoles such as PS1, Super Nintendo or even Sega Saturn.
If the companies were not interested in returning to these games, how does it affect them if someone else rescues them? However, they no longer offer ways to purchase them.. Even so, there is a lot of effort to put an end to emulators and rom sites.
Plus again we enter this rather gray area. There are many people who bought these games at the time and simply want to play them again through emulators. Don't they have the right to buy the original? Who is affected if the sale of that game was already finalized years ago?
Heroes or threats?
It is likely that emulators will never get out of the bad reputation they are in, especially if they continue to be used for hacking. But it is evident that its existence is not entirely bad and can be very beneficial. Especially when we talk about game preservation.
There are titles that are very loved and remembered by many, that if it were not for these programs would no longer be playable by anyone. There we have examples like the Viewtiful Joethe games of power Rangers from Super Nintendo, translated versions of anime titles that never left Japan. All of them available thanks to the efforts of people who want to keep them alive.
Perhaps big companies should focus less on shutting down emulators and more on working together with them. After all, players are clearly very interested in the past. Why not give them the legal option and everyone be happy? Even better if there was a way to show that many of these games were already ours from the beginning. We know it sounds a bit idealistic, but it would undoubtedly be the best solution to this whole debate. What do you think?
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