Abacus wrote:On another note, just scanning around online, it does seem that the ps classic is the modders' console of choice.
I'm guessing that's a combination of the fact there are loads of them, that Sony seem to have been pretty slack with their own software security (seemingly using a third party emulator themselves), having accessible USB ports, and also having chips that are capable of delivering better performance than their own included software demonstrated.
I've seen some people on YouTube install a raspberry pi inside it, which looks like a fun project for people who are into that sort of thing, but seems to me that in that case you're basically just getting the classic for the shell.
I've not installed Autobleem yet, but that seems like a fun and relatively simple project to do, not least because even if you don't use it to play any other games you have, you can use it to improve the display options for the games that come with the machine. So, I might give it a go to see how it works.
The one thing I've been thinking about, though is the copyright position if I did download other stuff, or just play one of the preloaded sticks from amazon or wherever. Mainly I've been thinking that it's weird that there is almost no other way to play some of these games.
As one example; one of the preloaded packs you can buy on one of the true blue sticks is a little known (and little missed) game called Batman and Robin, based on the terrible (and little missed) film. Now, already that is a mess of image rights and licensing agreements.
But however bad it was, to some kid somewhere at the time that will be one of their favourite games, and as an adult they'll want to play it for the nostalgia rush. Yet, no-one is selling it digitally anywhere, so you can't play it. Unless you still own the disc and a machine that supports it, that game is lost forever.
And yet at the same time, no-one is making any money off it either. According to wiki, it was released under licence by Acclaim (now deceased), and developed by a studio they worked with called Probe Entertainment (also no more).
On going bust, Acclaim sold on their remaining IPs to others, but I doubt that included this game, as it was licenced by Warner Bros and DC Comics. Neither of whom seen under any immediate rush to release that game anywhere else, even if they were able to, themselves.
So, who loses out by them including this game? Not anyone involved in making or licensing it, not Sony who have already sold you the console and aren't selling extra games (and probably couldn't unravel the rights here even if they were).
Probably just you if you play it, I suspect
This is exactly why emulation is so important, especially for less popular or just flat out "bad" games. There's no danger of Super Mario Bros ever disappearing, but something like this Batman and Robin game would have sold poorly, and be caught up in such a tangle of rights messes that it's just not worth the money and time to sort it out and re-release it. Meaning that eventually, all the physical copies will be dead and only emulation will remain to make it playable.
Most companies don't care enough about the preservation of these things to do anything about it.