Are Pokemon Emulators Illegal?

basilmarket.com forums : Chat | 15 posts archived

thread starter Spork Jul 08 2009 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Well, are they? If so, do they often give you viruses or likewise? I'm considering playing one for fun.

KItachi 07/08/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Did you buy it? I dun fink so hun.

Doomsday777 07/08/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Is running around the streets of downtown LA illegal? There's your answer.

FreeSamples 07/08/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

I think they are but it hasn't stopped me :P I love my emulator.

KItachi 07/08/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Doomsday777 said: "Is running around the streets of downtown LA illegal? There's your answer." Doing drugs is illegal. People do it anyways.

BakaNakama 07/08/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Well it's not like you'll get caught or anything.

Akkine 07/08/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

I'm Ash Ketchum.

ScaniaSin 07/08/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Emulators are illegal.

pavchka 07/08/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

I don't know, but uh... I've been using a VisualBoy Advance for years and it's safe. (but it only plays GameBoy and GBA games)

tommysauce 07/08/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

No viruses unless you download something other than VisualBoyAdvance because that's probably the most common emulator that people are familiar of.

AcesHye 07/08/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

ScaniaSin said: "Emulators are illegal." They used to be, a lot of games have run their copyright down, including the first gen pokemon games.

roninmedia Jul 08 2009 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

^ Not exactly. A work that is created (fixed in tangible form for the first time) on or after January 1, 1978, is automatically protected from the moment of its creation and is ordinarily given a term enduring for the author's life plus an additional 70 years after the author's death. In the case of "a joint work prepared by two or more authors who did not work for hire," the term lasts for 70 years after the last surviving author's death. For works made for hire, and for anonymous and pseudonymous works (unless the author's identity is revealed in Copyright Office records), the duration of copyright will be 95 years from publication or 120 years from creation, whichever is shorter. Also emulators are not illegal if you own an actual physical copy of the game. For example, I use a Playstation emulator to play Final Fantasy Tactics but I own the original disc.

COChaos 07/08/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

It's not illegal if you know the loophole (which hardly anyone worries about) as for getting viruses, if you get it from a shady site, you might get infected, so stick with name brands.

NightSin22 Jul 08 2009 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

No. The program itself is completely legal. It is only illegal if misused, or used specifically for an illegal purpose.

Dhaos 07/08/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Well many years of using an emulator, nothing has happened.