Nintendo has been actively taking down YouTube videos that feature its games being emulated or modded, which has sparked significant discussion and concern within the gaming community.

  • Obinice@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    So you’re saying I should never buy anything from Nintendo?

    Cool cool cool, cool, cool.

  • Olgratin_Magmatoe@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    I wouldn’t be surprised if this backfires a bit. The reason most publishers/IP holders don’t go after videos on youtube and twitch is because it’s basically free advertisement for your game.

    If this behavior leads to people holding back on making nintendo based content, it could fuck them over in the long run. If you were a streamer or youtuber, would you feel particularly comfortable making videos and streaming nintendo games?

    I know I wouldn’t. There is no guarantee that nintendo actually puts effort into determining whether you are using an emulator or not. And even for the people who do use emulators, they may not be looking to continue making nintendo content.

    • tacosplease@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Nintendo is going after a lot of their biggest fans. It’s so obviously stupid, but they just keep doing it.

    • SSJMarx@lemm.ee
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      2 days ago

      They’ve been doing this for a long time, and it definitely has a depressive effect. Even a big gaming youtubers like Videogamedunkey has commented on how every single time he does a video about a Nintendo game it gets demonetized, and while he can afford to take the financial hit every now and then there are plenty of mid-tier creators who can’t.

  • GustavoM@lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

    Imagine being a long time Nintendo fan to end up being sued because playing their games (and sharing your experience with others) is now considered the same as stealing.

  • CaptPretentious@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    So the switch itself emulates older consoles… I could have swore I remember reading something like the anniversary bundle that they put out for a limited edition had a emulator that someone made.

  • Lvxferre@mander.xyz
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    4 days ago

    “So, those guys generate positive advertisement for our games. How do we stop it, and make sure that public opinion shifts to «Nintendo is cringe and you’re a loser if you play this shit»?”

    Also, what the fuck is with Japanese law, criminalising modding?

    • Capt. Wolf@lemmy.world
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      4 days ago

      Also, what the fuck is with Japanese law, criminalising modding?

      My best guess would be that they’re trying to get ahead of the recompiler scene before it catches a bigger foothold. But also, that lumps in the entire rom hacking and fan translation community, which I’m sure they view as perpetuating the piracy of their games.

      • woelkchen@lemmy.world
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        4 days ago

        My best guess would be that they’re trying to get ahead of the recompiler scene before it catches a bigger foothold.

        If AI-generating images from copyrighted training material is legal, then generating source code from copyrighted binary code is as well.

      • Prunebutt@slrpnk.net
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        4 days ago

        It’s probably not about that but rather to destroy the secondary market of modchips and save-file editors in Japan.

      • AndrewZabar@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        Nonetheless, the best thing would be to let those kinds of fans do what they do, because it is free advertising. But no, they’d rather be right than pragmatic, so they shoot themselves in the foot. Meanwhile, if they’re so worried that these guys have that kind of serious reach and influence - aren’t those the people they shouldn’t piss on??

      • grue@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        I don’t care what bullshit justification they try to come up with for it; the bottom line is that it violates computer owners’ property rights.

        It is absolutely unconscionable, ass-backwards, Bizarro-world bullshit to privilege temporary fake Imaginary Property (IP) over and above actual property!

    • tigeruppercut@lemmy.zip
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      4 days ago

      Typical Japanese bullshittery. I watch sumo, and even when there was no official way to watch outside Japan the sumo association would get youtube accounts showing matches taken down. Tons of industries are still run by technological dinosaurs.

      • Varyag@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        4 days ago

        Japan was already living in the 2000’s back in the 80’s. The problem is that 40 years later, they’re still living and thinking in the exact same way.

        • papalonian@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          “Japan has had the best 2000s tech since the 80s” I think is the succinct phrase you were looking for

    • x4740N@lemm.ee
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      2 days ago

      You sure is Nintendo of Japan and not Nintendo of america that’s doing it because the american office would use american jurisdiction

      Also, what the fuck is with Japanese law, criminalising modding?

      You state that this is Japanese law but what is clearly happeing here is nintendo abusing laws, please correct that statement of yours because your unfairly criticising the Japanese government for the actions of nintendo

      • Lvxferre@mander.xyz
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        2 days ago

        It is the result of Japanese law. Further info here (in English) and here (in Japanese).

        As such, yes, the Japanese government is also to blame. Plus any other government playing along with this crap, be it from USA or Brazil or whatever.

      • mPony@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        the current U.S. Supreme Court wouldn’t give you democracy, even though the American military has killed tens of thousands of people around the world in its name.

        • ivanafterall@lemmy.world
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          3 days ago

          Could I at least get a barrel of oil? No need to beat around the bush (heh), I’ll take what I can get.

    • Kalysta@lemm.ee
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      2 days ago

      I would assume a company such as sony or nintendo lobbied for that law.

  • GeneralInterest@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    If someone has bought a Switch game legally, then it’s legal to dump that game to a PC and play it on a Switch emulator, right?

    Sure you could say that very few people dump their own games, but those that do are doing everything legally I think?

    • dan@upvote.au
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      2 days ago

      it’s legal to dump that game to a PC and play it on a Switch emulator, right?

      Depends on where you live. Copyright law varies significantly from country to country.

      In the USA, section 117 of the copyright act lets you create a copy for archival/backup purposes only. What I’m unsure about (and don’t know if there’s any relevant caselaw) is whether bypassing copy protection to create the copy violates the DMCA.

      The equivalent Australian copyright law explicitly states that you can use the backup copy instead of the original one. The US law doesn’t (all it says is that you can make an archival copy, not how you can use the archival copy), so it’s a grey area.

      Both laws are for “computer software”, but you could easily argue that a video game is computer software.

      • Cethin@lemmy.zip
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        2 days ago

        I don’t see any way you could argue a video game isn’t computer software. It literally just is.

        • dan@upvote.au
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          2 days ago

          Nintendo could try make up something like “it’s not computer software since the Switch is a console, not a computer” or something like that. Not a great argument, but they have good lawyers and could probably convince a court that it’s true.

          • phx@lemmy.ca
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            2 days ago

            But the game is running on a computer with the emulator which still strongly lends to it being software

            • helpmyusernamewontfi@lemmy.today
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              2 days ago

              I think I somewhat recall during the peak Wii U disaster era, during shareholder meetings Nintendo would call the games for the system “Software”. So, that’d definitely backfire on them I’m sure

    • LordGimp@lemm.ee
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      2 days ago

      Nah. From Nintendo’s position, you don’t “own” the game. They do. All you bought is a license to play the game on a Nintendo approved console. By ripping the game from the switch dump, you are violating the license you bought by copying their software without permission.

      From a practical perspective, fuckem. Your paid money to play the game and if you decide to play it on something else you own, go nuts.

    • SSJMarx@lemm.ee
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      2 days ago

      IIRC this is what is currently protected in American law, but the problem is that in the time between now and the Sony/Bleem lawsuit Congress passed the DMCA, which has a provision making it illegal to bypass copyright protection. When emulating any modern console, you are naturally required to bypass the copyright protection on the game, which Nintendo would argue makes it illegal to do.

      Maybe you could get around this with some kind of emulation scheme that requires the console to be plugged into your PC, like the emulator uses the console’s official hardware for the copyright check and then just takes over rendering the game.

  • Hudomi@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    With all these news recently, you could think Nintendo wants to be hated. It’s truly shameful how the company has fallen since Iwata is gone.

    • Microw@lemm.ee
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      3 days ago

      Nintendo has gone after youtubers and content creators for 15+ years. They are infamous for it.

    • samus12345@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      On the plus side, it makes me feel extra good when I load their games onto my hacked Switch! Echoes of Wisdom was fun, but felt really short. I would have felt cheated if I’d spent $60 on it.

      • hakase@lemm.ee
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        3 days ago

        I mean, its predecessor was a basic-ass remake of a ten hour, thirty year old Game Boy game that also cost $60.

        • SSJMarx@lemm.ee
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          3 days ago

          I love that game, but I fucking hate the remake’s artstyle. Its completely put me off from trying Echoes even though the premise and gameplay of that one seem right up my alley.

          • samus12345@lemmy.world
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            2 days ago

            I don’t mind the art style, other than the ugly-ass blur filter applied to the bottom of the screen. Fortunately, you can remove it if you’re playing it emulated or on a hacked Switch.