What are your views on emulation?
I'm perfectly fine with it. I like to keep my gaming hobby a legit one, so yeah, if I'm emulating a game, it's because I own it. I also own the system I'm emulating (with the exception of the PS2, because my backwards compatible PS3 decided to break, long after I sold my original PS2). I emulate games because I like the flexibility it brings. The flexibility of graphics options, sound options, and control options. I have all of my consoles and my PC plugged into the same TV, so if I have the option of playing one of my legally purchased games on the PC with superior graphics, then you bet your ass I'm going to do it.
What benefits does emulation provide?
Everyone mentions game preservation. I guess that's true, but personally, it's the fact that I have the option to make a game better through emulation. That's the only reason I do it.
Does it impact game sales?
Emulation itself isn't responsible for any lost game sales. Maybe some console sales. Piracy is responsible for lost game sales. Emulation and piracy are different.
How do game creators feel about this?
I'm not a creator, so I don't know. I'm sure someone like Richard Garriot doesn't care that people can pirate his old Ultima games and play them on DOSBox. I'm sure EA cares, though. Or I can buy them on GOG.com and emulate them in DOSBox (which I have done). Both scenarios are emulation. Only one involves piracy. Interesting.
What are the legalities and ethics around emulation?
I'll be honest and say legally I don't know. Emulation seems to exist in a legally grey area. It's legal to use an emulator. It's legal to dump your own BIOS, but illegal to download a BIOS. It's "legal" to back up your Wii games, but "illegal" to download a Wii game you already own. Ethically, emulation is A-OK in my book. For me it all comes down to whether the creators are paid for their efforts when I play a game. I'll take the Wii example. I own a Wii. I also own a Wii U. So I own two systems capable of playing Wii games. Nintendo has my money. Two games I have emulated the most on Dolphin were Xenoblade and Skyward Sword. I can look to my right and see both of those games sitting on my shelf. I paid for them. Does it then matter that I had to acquire a Wii BIOS through shady means? Does it matter that I had to download the Skyward Sword ISO file to play it? Legally, I have broken the law. But ethically, I have done nothing wrong. I am playing a game that I have purchased, for a system that I have purchased. I just happen to be playing it on another piece of hardware because the results are more pleasing to the eye. I have since gotten a DVD drive that is capable of ripping Wii ISO files, so Xenoblade was ripped legally. So, if I were to delete my downloaded Zelda ISO and then rip it using this new drive, does that make everything better? Legally, I suppose it does. Ethically, there's no fucking difference. Not one bit. If I were to gain the means to dump my own BIOS and replace my current one with THE EXACT SAME FILE, I'd be OK in the eyes of the law, but otherwise nothing changes. Nintendo has long since gotten my money. That amount of money will never have changed no matter how I was able to go about playing these games on my PC. They are unaffected by my actions. If anybody here can tell me a legitimate reason why there is a difference, then maybe I'll change my tune. Otherwise, we're just arguing semantics. I pay my money to the creators. I play their game. End of transaction.
What percentage of those that use emulators are engaged in piracy?
Probably a lot, but I don't pretend to know. The only thing I can do is keep my own actions as legit as possible.
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