A much-needed rethink on emulation, via Paper Mario in 2024

10:00 That is most likely debug code, and does not by itself mean that a 4K port is planned, just because 2160p and 1080p are referenced there.

So theorically, you could only buy video games, not the console, and emulate them on other console or pc.

I agree with you except for the fact that the high end hardware manufacturers are the ones who need to go to congress. It's the common working person that needs to have their voice heard. The developers of these emulators are normal people just like us, they just know more about software and hardware development. To me this is just like how farmers using John Deer equipment were barred from repairing their tractors.

My Wii U died from the bad Nand issue and when I called Nintendo to ask for repairs they told me I'm SOL and better look for a garage sale or eBay for a new one. I managed to get my account transferred to another Wii u but after doing that I can no longer make it through the setup process on the dying Wii U.

I personally do not enjoy emulation because of how complex it can be, I like playing on original hardware with proper controller and proper display like a CRT, and how we can’t push even higher frame rates on emulators. I would love to play Mario Galaxy and Paper Mario at 160hz rather than 60. But Nintendo’s demonization of emulation is something I can never defend. I emulate games on a CRT pc monitor and it’s close enough to the hardware even if I have to Jerry rig my own control schemes (ds with a Wacom drawing tablet, and I can never get over playing a GameCube game with a DualShock or keyboard). Emulation will eventually be the last way we can play these classic games when all our wiis die and our CRTs burst and our Wii notes degrade in the dirt.

The gamebanana 60fps mod messes up the game timings in Ryujinx, and the higher resolution mods cause reflections to corrupt, mess up lighting on some places, and certain places to crash (like hooktails castle).

I suspect that we're in the middle of an extended "format war" as existed between VHS and Betamax or Blu Ray and HD DVD, in this case between different computer architectures, bolstered by artificial "walled garden" environments created by hardware manufacturers to sell software (i.e. consoles and exclusivity). In the past few years, the actual hardware distinction between consoles and PC has become almost farcically small. The PS5 and Xbox Series X have almost identical hardware to each other, with this hardware more-or-less being PC hardware. At the same time, generational graphical leaps have gotten much much less impressive. I think these two things in combination indicate that we're reaching a plateau where the hardware will cease to be exciting or distinct, and much more focus will be put on the games themselves as platforms. This would mirror the way other forms of home media have basically settled on a stable method of consumption (streaming), and streaming platforms have replaced DVD and CD sales as the main axis of competition. I think this arrangement will seriously jeopardize the stability of the three major console producers' business models, and eventually lead to the end of hardware exclusivity.

at this point, i wonder how quickly will switch 2 be cracked. would be hilarious if dumped switch 2 roms work flawlessly on yuzu

Sadly, Nintendo’s current legal theory of pursuing the point about encryption keys is likely very solid. Lawyer and Youtuber Moony has multiple hours of legal analysis on the history of the emulation wars and Nintendo’s current stance. I would like to see this go to court, but Nintendo is in a very strong position and the emulation community would likely lose. Emulation of games you otherwise own is not even legal right now—it’s simple a legal gray area that Nintendo has not pursued on the level of individuals.

Would love to see more videos like this from you

Playing Paper Mario in 4k 120fps is absolutely amazing through Yuzu, and something that will never happen on a Nintendo console.

At the end of the day,it doesn't matter what you or anyone else (including myself) thinks of the defense of emulation (my own defense is that the games I've emulated are *no longer for sale*,are at least 10 years old and Nintendo/Sony/etc. aren't currently doing anything with them). NIntendo is a business and it is absolutely their right to take down emulator websites. We can't stop it. Maybe if they did something with those older titles and offered them for sale in a collection for something (as in,NOT on NSO and PLEASE not for $70-80),I would certainly buy into it.

a much needed opinion. i subbed. number 500 sub! open the champagne. just please no more concert videos

There is a bit of misinformation in the video: "nobody's gone to court yet really to argue whetver or not this is an undue burden to put on a consumer, is it illegal to own a Nintendo switch cartridge and then load its games on a different system because you bypassed a consumer specific set of keys or used someone else's keys." This is false. The funniest part, the previously mentioned emulator Yuzu, which was also mentioned to be discontinued has gone out of business because they were dragged in front of court to argue just about that and the profit they made from it. It didn't work out well for them. In fact, there were several less known cases and Nintendo won every single one of them, meaning that precedents are plenty by today. In regard of the encrypted keys, the facts are the following: - It is, very clearly illegal to circumvent technological protection measures, which includes the encrypted keys used not only by the Switch, but also the 3DS systems. The devs of Yuzu lost the case and it's an incredibly stable legal plan to rely on that. It's also very easy and cheap to implement on all future consoles and cartridges, meaning Nintendo is 100% sure to keep that practice in their business. - Emulation is legal*, several companies have lost some 20-30 years ago a case against emulation and there are only a few precedents to exists. The precedents are old, the video game industry got bigger and it wouldn't take much effort from publishers to lobby against its legality. It is, as of now, however, legal, but only as long as the publishers don't push against it. The world largely uses the laws of the USA, which is known for being an incredibly corrupt country when it comes to corporate lobby, I wouldn't bet my money on consumer rights protection.

So I have my XCI. How did you enable 60fps?

Emulation is always going to be absolutely valid, aside from that pirating nintendo games is not only correct but morally right.

It's not just games. If anything, I'm more sympathetic towards games producers as it's an Art project with no discrimination towards customers. Worse examples are the people/organizations behind so-called "standards" like HDMI. They don't allow you to use your expensive hardware with non-Microsoft operating systems (like Linux) to go over 30 FPS on your 120 FPS TV using AMD GPUs, even though the "illegal" technology/software exists.

Videogames are a complicated mess of stuff. Limiting it to a device is kinda how the market works. It's not all about making the prettiest thing on the fastest super computer you have on the market. Every game can't be gta5. People like to claim emulation when it comes to Nintendo games because they are popular, small and made for a certain audience. You rarely see people want to claim "emulation" for PlayStation games because they are huge complicated machine burning mess of tech. Visual Quality is not everything. Video games need ecosystems.

sick metroid 2 poster , wish i had V_V .... also pirating is always morally right

and i will have been completely in favor of your opinion completely if it wasnt for the fact that sadly, the people that would dump their own files and jailbreak their own system are a minority compare to the people that would just download the rom from a site somewhere... when a game like metroid dread is played before release by a shit ton of people, we sadly see that the rule of dumping our own files is not at all respected.