You guys have seen those All-In-One game emulation devices, right? They're generally shaped like N64 controllers, except that they have an AV cord that plugs directly into a television set. They are loaded up with about 100-500 ROMs, so you just plug it into your television set and you can play hundreds NES games for just the price of the device (something like twenty or thirty bucks I think). The games available are not old hackjobs, but primo stuff from major third parties. The fact that Nintendo-developed games are included should more or less tell you that there has been NO licensing agreement made between the software developers and the makers of these products. Nintendo would not give their old games to anyone, particularly when there are goofballs paying $20 a pop for them on GBA.
So anyhow, I used to figure that these emulation devices were just shady semi-legal Hong Kong imports because they were relegated to the underworld of flea markets and eBay auctions. But now I see them being sold at kiosks in MALLS! These guys are not some hard-to-catch, fly-by-night operation like a Malaysia eBay dealer or flea market stand. They sit at the same stand in the mall, day after day, reaping profits off of companies that are still alive and kicking.
The ESA/IDSA won't shut up about how much the industry is losing to piracy, but they seem pretty content to let pirates operate with impunity. This is despite the fact that some of their biggest constituents are losing money. Malls allow them to operate even though bigger and more important tenants (EB, Gamestop, KBToys) are losing money to them.
So what's the deal? Is it just a case of massive apathy on the part of the supposed watchdogs? Or have pirates found some kind of bizarre loophole that allows them to actually sell other people's games?
note: I would love to hear DJ Demon J's thoughts on this situation (even if he's not allowed to speak officially for his employers, his experiences should give him an interesting perspective). If the mods won't unban him (the original ban was over hokey stuff), can someone please send me his contact information?
So anyhow, I used to figure that these emulation devices were just shady semi-legal Hong Kong imports because they were relegated to the underworld of flea markets and eBay auctions. But now I see them being sold at kiosks in MALLS! These guys are not some hard-to-catch, fly-by-night operation like a Malaysia eBay dealer or flea market stand. They sit at the same stand in the mall, day after day, reaping profits off of companies that are still alive and kicking.
The ESA/IDSA won't shut up about how much the industry is losing to piracy, but they seem pretty content to let pirates operate with impunity. This is despite the fact that some of their biggest constituents are losing money. Malls allow them to operate even though bigger and more important tenants (EB, Gamestop, KBToys) are losing money to them.
So what's the deal? Is it just a case of massive apathy on the part of the supposed watchdogs? Or have pirates found some kind of bizarre loophole that allows them to actually sell other people's games?
note: I would love to hear DJ Demon J's thoughts on this situation (even if he's not allowed to speak officially for his employers, his experiences should give him an interesting perspective). If the mods won't unban him (the original ban was over hokey stuff), can someone please send me his contact information?
