UnNews:Nintendo sues Nintendo over Game Boy emulator
Saturday, November 29, 2014
KYOTO, Japan- Video gaming giant Nintendo released a Game Boy emulator for smartphones and tablets, apparently wanting to sell its back-catalog of games to gamers yet again. The modern take on their breakaway 1990s classic is for players to download games, which will include Super Mario and Donkey Kong Land games, to their smartphone or to be able to play them on a plane during a trip. Nintendo has not commercially sold the games in over a decade, so this renewed interest could generate some money and unfiltered nostalgia.
However, Nintendo noted its strong anti-piracy measure, stating explicitly in the instructions manuals of their games that it is illegal to create backups or "archival copies" of the games, and also to download games onto an emulator for play. Nintendo unsuccessfully sued emulator makers, and also lost a lawsuit to PocketFami when they made a clone of the Nintendo Entertainment System, due to the patents on the console expiring, rendering the consoles legal.
Due to this Game Boy emulator violating Nintendo's hard-line policy against emulation, Nintendo is suing Nintendo over its use of intellectual property owned by Nintendo for commercial gain, noting the many years the Game Boy was around to keep kids out of their mothers' hair on trips and when out and about. Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime said that
| “ | We simply cannot stand our emulation of these treasured Game Boy classics, allowing players to play these games once more on a modern screen at a fraction of retail price. We should be able to sell these games. So, guys, don't buy this pirated hack. Get yourselves a real Game Boy. Wait, we don't sell those anymore? Get one from a yard sale. Just be sure to get plenty of batteries. | ” |
Nintendo is yet again litigating against piracy of their antiquated games, but in the twist of the decade, is railing against not some Chinese pirate company or bored computer science major, but the video gaming giant Nintendo. It has yet to be seen exactly what legal action Nintendo will attempt to take.
Sources[edit | edit source]
- Darrell Etherington "Nintendo Patents Game Boy Emulation For Use In Mobile Devices, In-Flight Entertainment" Techcrunch, November 28, 2014
