are emulators illegal in Japan?

[NicoDemo]

I'm from Brazil, but I have a japanese friend, and I got really confused because she didn't know what emulators were until I introduced It to her.

She told me her mother is very strict when It comes to games, and she wouldn’t allow her to buy any other console, so she wants to buy a gaming PC.
I'm kinda worried tbh, because I don't if donwloading ROMs to play on an emulator is considered piracy in any way, and I don't know exactly how Japan treats piracy (I don't think It's accepted tho)
Does anyone know how to answer my questions? can someone help me?

 

[fake-kun]

They ARE heavily stigmatized, but I'm not sure about illegal.

 

[sunofpearl89]

You aren't going to get in trouble for emulating games in Japan. Pirating games will probably get you in trouble.

If you're pirating things using peer-to-peer software you should know the risks associated with doing so in your country. If you don't want to get caught, use a VPN.

Also, I'll add that some emulators like Xebra and SSF are developed by hobbyists in Japan. If it's illegal, it's not enforced unless you're distributing the software (esp for profit, Nintendo'll crucify you).

 

[loopy]

The question is phrased wrong. Nintendo uses emulation themselves, emulation is not illegal.
Piracy is illegal in Japan, but it illegal almost everywhere.

Your question seems to be: will she be more likely to get into trouble for pirating videogames in japan, and to what extend is it more likely.
Seeing as the Japanese people being the way they tend to be, her peers might get angry at her if she admits to pirating videogames. That is really the main and most realistic thing she should be concerned about.

But in a worst case, but definitely more unlikely scenario,
if she tells the wrong person, that person might be japanese enough to try to get law enforcement involved over it. seeing as japanese law enforcement has enough free time on their hands and the culture there is such that it wouldnt be entirely inconceivable that law enforcement could raid her house over it.
So she should keep quiet about it.

 

[NicoDemo]

The question is phrased wrong. Nintendo uses emulation themselves, its not illegal.
Piracy is illegal in Japan, but it illegal almost everywhere.

Your question seems to be: will she be more likely to get into trouble for pirating videogames in japan, and to what extend is it more likely.
Seeing as Japanese being the way they tend to be, her peers might get angry at her if she admits to pirating videogames, and if she tells the wrong person, that person might be japanese enough to try to get lawenforcement involved over it. And seeing as japanese law enforcement has enough free time on their hands and the culture there is such that it wouldnt be entirely inconceivable that law enforcement could raid her house over it.
So she should keep quiet about it.

I probably phrased It wrong, english is not my first langue... sorry.
My question is that I don't know if downloading ROMs to play on an emulator is considered piracy... I hope It's not, but if It's indeed considered piracy, I can't tell if It's legal...

 

[loopy]

I don't know if downloading ROMs to play on an emulator is considered piracy...

It is piracy.

 

[NicoDemo]

It is.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[ThePeon]

Emulators in it self is not illegal but pirating 20-30 years old games are even if Nintards and Sany don´t want to sell you old games they rather have does games be dead and forgotten.


But if you don´t tell any one no one will know. So it´s not illegal if no one knows about it. Companies can go frick them self they don´t wanna sell old games then acquire them how ever you can.

 

[retro-gamer]

Not the emulators are illegal but if you play the games on it and you don't own them that is punishable .

 

[fake-kun]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Why are you acting so shocked?

 

[Iguana-0]

i dunno. If Japan doesn't like what i do then oh well.

 

[otogirisou]

yes

 

[OPT1MUS]

As far as I know - according to what a japanese friend told me long ago - emulators are not strictly illegal, unless they contain links to specific websites where pirated games can be downloaded. AND, like someone said, if you play games you don't own, well it goes without saying...

 

[rsgauna1986]

Buenas noches, de acuerdo a la postura historica de Nintendo, si eres dueño del juego -legalmente-, emularlo no es ilegal tampoco bajar la rom del cartucho / memoria, siempre que no compartas lo mismos y borres los roms despues de jugar. Ahora bien, en japon abundan tiendas donde por pocos yenes podes comprar consolas y juegos de practicamente cualquier generacion, ni hablar de exclusivas como la Satelliwiew o la Sega Pico. // Good evening, according to Nintendo's historical stance, if you own the game—legally—emulating it isn't illegal, nor is downloading the ROM from the cartridge/memory, as long as you don't share them and delete them after playing. However, in Japan, there are plenty of stores where you can buy consoles and games from practically any generation for just a few yen, not to mention exclusives like the Satelliwiew or the Sega Pico.

 

[SpcDaicon]

Ter/desenvolver um emulador não é bem pirataria em si, o que um emulador faz é justamente emular um console para rodar jogos.

As próprias empresas que desenvolvem consoles usam emuladores para poder rodar jogos antigos em consoles novos. Por exemplo, um PS3 não roda nativamente jogos dos PS anteriores mas tem um emulador próprio da Sony para rodar jogos de PS1 e PS2 que podem ser comprados na PS Store. A mesma coisa com a Nintendo quando vc comprava jogos de Virtual Console para rodar jogos antigos nos consoles mais recentes.

O problema de pirataria com emulação sãos os BIOS para fazer o emulador funcionar tanto que vários sites que fornecem emuladores não fornecem os BIOS para evitar qualquer problema legal.

Agora, qualquer coisa com ROMs ou ISOs de jogos, só de baixar é pirataria, não tem como escapar. Jogos são, em sua essência, programas feitos para rodar em hardwares específicos e um emulador é basicamente um programa que simula um console para que fazer com que o jogo ache que está rodando em seu hardware original.

Há um "porém". Nada impede que você compre um jogo, extraia ele em seu computador e rode ele em um emulador. Isso não é pirataria pq vc, de fato, comprou o software.

Em relação ao Japão, pelo que se fala, os caras são beeem rigorosos em questão de pirataria de jogos e realmente vão atrás das pessoas então é bom ter bastante cuidado se for navegar os sete mares por lá.

 

[Zooey]

I'm from Brazil, but I have a japanese friend, and I got really confused because she didn't know what emulators were until I introduced It to her.

Most people dont know what Emulation is. They automatically just assume only on a Nintendo console can you play Nintendo games.

 

[moonbits]

piracy can get you in trouble there

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

I'm actually not surprised... Renting cartridges used to be heavily illegal during the Famicom era as well.

 

[Frickinfrik]

No. Not everyone knows about emulation. Also emulation isn’t illegal. Especially since major game companies do it all the time. Though in some instances, emulation is in this legal gray area. Emulating games isn’t illegal, but selling ROMs of games that you don’t own is illegal.

 

[davylucasmnc4]

Ter/desenvolver um emulador não é bem pirataria em si, o que um emulador faz é justamente emular um console para rodar jogos.

As próprias empresas que desenvolvem consoles usam emuladores para poder rodar jogos antigos em consoles novos. Por exemplo, um PS3 não roda nativamente jogos dos PS anteriores mas tem um emulador próprio da Sony para rodar jogos de PS1 e PS2 que podem ser comprados na PS Store. A mesma coisa com a Nintendo quando vc comprava jogos de Virtual Console para rodar jogos antigos nos consoles mais recentes.

O problema de pirataria com emulação sãos os BIOS para fazer o emulador funcionar tanto que vários sites que fornecem emuladores não fornecem os BIOS para evitar qualquer problema legal.

Agora, qualquer coisa com ROMs ou ISOs de jogos, só de baixar é pirataria, não tem como escapar. Jogos são, em sua essência, programas feitos para rodar em hardwares específicos e um emulador é basicamente um programa que simula um console para que fazer com que o jogo ache que está rodando em seu hardware original.

Há um "porém". Nada impede que você compre um jogo, extraia ele em seu computador e rode ele em um emulador. Isso não é pirataria pq vc, de fato, comprou o software.

Em relação ao Japão, pelo que se fala, os caras são beeem rigorosos em questão de pirataria de jogos e realmente vão atrás das pessoas então é bom ter bastante cuidado se for navegar os sete mares por lá.

sim, não é tão banalizado feito Brasil com os cara vendendo a céu aberto e em luz do dia nos camelos 3 por 10.

 

[Action_Hank]

My son, do you really think Nintendo is going to let their games go for free in the land of the rising sun?

 

[Nelson2001]

Buenas noches, de acuerdo a la postura historica de Nintendo, si eres dueño del juego -legalmente-, emularlo no es ilegal tampoco bajar la rom del cartucho / memoria, siempre que no compartas lo mismos y borres los roms despues de jugar. Ahora bien, en japon abundan tiendas donde por pocos yenes podes comprar consolas y juegos de practicamente cualquier generacion, ni hablar de exclusivas como la Satelliwiew o la Sega Pico. // Good evening, according to Nintendo's historical stance, if you own the game—legally—emulating it isn't illegal, nor is downloading the ROM from the cartridge/memory, as long as you don't share them and delete them after playing. However, in Japan, there are plenty of stores where you can buy consoles and games from practically any generation for just a few yen, not to mention exclusives like the Satelliwiew or the Sega Pico.

Oh Otro Comentario en Español, Increíble.
Oh Another Comment in Spanish, Incredible.

 

[Ikagura]

But if you don´t tell any one no one will know. So it´s not illegal if no one knows about it.

I'd argue that committing a crime is still illegal even if you manage to never get caught. I wouldn't use that argument because that would justify actually harmful things.

Of course, for the lesser ones like emulation it's better to keep it shut (because newsflash, advertising a program that may be used to illegal ends may attract lawyers).

Emulating games isn’t illegal, but selling ROMs of games that you don’t own is illegal.

And even if you own the games you are ought to dump them manually.

 

[ThePeon]

I'd argue that committing a crime is still illegal even.

As the DnD rouge would say it would not be a crime if there was not witness alive. hehe

 

[dr grim]

like everywhere emulation and downloading roms is a very gray area.

some games are heavily protected by their compagnies ( nintendo ) some other doesn't have a license or publisher to claim anything on it.

if you don't want any trouble, try abandonware sites at first.