Eurogamer: Did Nintendo download a Mario ROM and sell it back to us?

[allintospace]

To me this is inconceivable and in all honesty, I don't know what to think. Can there be any truth in this?

Video feature

Supporting article

I swear, the videogame industry has me so jaded.

Oh, and turn into a LTTP if old.

 

[firelogic]

Based on the information gathered, it looks like it's true. Someone was too lazy to get the game from their archive and just went to a ROM site. Or Nintendo really doesn't have an archived copy of their own game. I chalk it up to Nintendo being Nintendo.

 

[The Elite]

I don't really care if they sold a ROM back to us. It's their IP and as long as it runs as good as a retail cartridge I am fine with that.

 

[lazygecko]

Can't watch the video at the moment. Is this about the header in the file being viewed in a hex editor and saying the same thing as the old pirate ROM dump?

 

[wvnative]

I don't really see the issue with this. VC games and PS1/2 classics have always just been iso/rom dumps anyway. Does it matter where they got the ROM from?

 

[pa22word]

Not exactly uncommon for the industry.

It used to be pretty common for people to find pirate group messages hidden in steam games because publishers just downloaded the nocd key off the Internet and hit publish.

 

[purseowner]

I don't really see the issue with this. VC games and PS1/2 classics have always just been iso/rom dumps anyway. Does it matter where they got the ROM from?

You could play devil's advocate and argue the same for people illegally downloading ROMs of games they own.

 

[BLUElightCory]

I don't really care if they sold a ROM back to us. It's their IP and as long as it runs as good as a retail cartridge I am fine with that.

This is where I stand too. It's their property.

 

[pswii60]

Nintendo need to issue themselves with a takedown notice.

 

[feint_ruled]

I don't really see the issue with this. VC games and PS1/2 classics have always just been iso/rom dumps anyway. Does it matter where they got the ROM from?

It's not professional. It says they don't archive their own stuff properly. And how can they be sure the ROM has not been altered in anyway? Obscenities added, for example. It's a very silly and risky move on their part, if true.

 

[lazygecko]

Not exactly uncommon for the industry.

It used to be pretty common for people to find pirate group messages hidden in steam games because publishers just downloaded the nocd key off the Internet and hit publish.

I mean, even if the executable has been fiddled with, it's still the property of the rights holder and they should be able to do what they want with it. So why reinvent the wheel when working on a rerelease that shouldn't require a disc?

 

[Dr. Zoidberg]

Is this on the Wii/Wii U or from the NES Classic?

If it's the latter, didn't they farm that development out?

how can they be sure the ROM has not been altered in anyway? Obscenities added, for example.

I'm pretty sure they playtest the games before they are published to the console. Even VC games.

 

[Mass_Pincup]

Standard laziness from Nintendo, wouldn't be surprised if it hands up being true.

 

[firelogic]

Can't watch the video at the moment. Is this about the header in the file being viewed in a hex editor and saying the same thing as the old pirate ROM dump?

Yes it's about the header info that was found but it goes a little further questioning Nintendo's stance on emulation and ROMs in general and how they're against all emulation but the VC is an emulator.

 

[Rncewind]

seems something that nintendo would do

 

[Nibel]

Download all the roms Nintendo

Download them all BUT make them available to your users in some way that makes sense

 

[-shadow-]

That'd be something. I think that technically they'd be allowed to do so, but it's weird.

 

[farisr]

I mean, even if the executable has been fiddled with, it's still the property of the rights holder and they should be able to do what they want with it. So why reinvent the wheel when working on a rerelease that shouldn't require a disc?

Because of this:

And how can they be sure the ROM has not been altered in anyway? Obscenities added, for example. It's a very silly and risky move on their part, if true.

 

[qko]

Is this on the Wii/Wii U or from the NES Classic?

If it's the latter, didn't they farm that development out?

This is VC from the Wii, 10 years ago

 

[pswii60]

It's not professional. It says they don't archive their own stuff properly. And how can they be sure the ROM has not been altered in anyway? Obscenities added, for example. It's a very silly and risky move on their part, if true.

We're talking about the early 90s, and there's a good chance they didn't archive their stuff well back then. It's not just Nintendo, Sega infamously lost the Panzer Dragoon source code.

But clearly they're a bit better at it these days, with remasters of N64 and Gamecube games released in recent years.

 

[rav]

I always check out headers and fileformats people have made when working in fileformats. Why create a new fileformat that's proprietary when there is already a standard?

In the video they say they internally developed it, if they dumped the rom, and for rom chip 2 use the same handling as an already established digital format for a hardware rom, or could have used other tools (open source) that were already established for decades.

edit: I think Eurogamer is trying to make a big deal out of nothing, and trying to use the argument to power an argument about piracy.

 

[corn_fest]

Funny how some people are anal about wasting time ripping their own bitwise-identical ROMs of games they own when even Nintendo doesn't give a fuck.

 

[Rncewind]

Download all the roms Nintendo

Download them all BUT make them available to your users in some way that makes sense

you gonna get one each week, and you gonna eat it!

 

[prag16]

Eh, as long as it works who cares. They own the IP. Hell, it took 10 years for anybody to notice. You can say lolnintendo but other than that, meh.

 

[NolbertoS]

Well, when Nintendo owns the IP, its not considers piracy is it. It would be like saying Walt Disney selling consumers a bootleg version of their animated movies to consumers, when they own that IP of the movie

 

[pa22word]

I mean, even if the executable has been fiddled with, it's still the property of the rights holder and they should be able to do what they want with it. So why reinvent the wheel when working on a rerelease that shouldn't require a disc?

I honestly don't care either way.

It was just always amusing to see links to the specific Torrent they got it from hidden in an ini, or skidrow links in unencrypted readme's.

 

[Princess Viola]

I don't mind this, it's their IP after all.

Hell, wasn't there like an iOS or other mobile version of one of the Genesis Sonic games that Sega released that literally had the 'RIPPED BY [person]' text still on the title screen or something?

 

[wvnative]

It's not professional. It says they don't archive their own stuff properly. And how can they be sure the ROM has not been altered in anyway? Obscenities added, for example. It's a very silly and risky move on their part, if true.

I'm sure the games are extensively tested before they click upload.

I mean I agree its unprofessional but it doesn't really affect anyone does it? As long as its indeed the original game and not a ROM hack who cares how they uploaded it to the store? Its their property.

Seems like they (eurogamer) are just trying to stir people up over nothing. It's nothing.

 

[Makonero]

Standard laziness from Nintendo, wouldn't be surprised if it hands up being true.

say what you want about nintendo

lazy isn't one of their standard qualities

 

[AR15mex]

I just watched and woow, I mean is not ethical, but I guess its legal...

 

[Vic20]

To me, this is more hilarious than offensive. Another fun fact for the gaming history books!

 

[Karish]

I don't really care if they sold a ROM back to us. It's their IP and as long as it runs as good as a retail cartridge I am fine with that.

This.

 

[BigDes]

It's not professional. It says they don't archive their own stuff properly. And how can they be sure the ROM has not been altered in anyway? Obscenities added, for example. It's a very silly and risky move on their part, if true.

Most videogame companies never archived their stuff properly especially back in the NES/SNES days, it probably still goes on.

I read a story of how SE lost their FF7 masters a few years ago, for instance.

It is amazingly shitty but its not unique

 

[Skyzard]

"Nintendo downloading a rom is okay because they own it."

I own lots of Mario titles too.

 

[NSESN]

If it means faster VC releases i would accept Nintendo downloading millions of roms from internet

 

[Omegasquash]

I mean...it's their IP. A little lazy maybe, but I can't honestly fault them for this.

 

[pswii60]

I wonder if they downloaded it over P2P, newsgroups or a file sharing site?

I've no idea what any of these things are btw.

 

[Hanmik]

They have an article also...

this is the sticking point

Nintendo's stance on emulation has always been a rigid one. As far as the company is concerned, if you're downloading and playing games from unofficial sources, you're a software pirate.

"It's that simple and not open to debate," says its corporate FAQ.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2...o-download-a-mario-rom-and-sell-it-back-to-us

 

[Seik]

Hahaha wow!

Now I can say that my NES ROM library is even more legit than Nintendo's! XD

I dumped all my NES games with the Kazzo.

 

[ElFly]

"Nintendo downloading a rom is okay because they own it."

I own lots of Mario titles too.

you can download them but gotta delete before 24h

 

[captmcblack]

I mean...I dunno if there's a more pure way of providing a "legit dump" of the game than a clean ROM of the game. No need - or even a way - to reinvent the wheel.

Like, how else would they provide a copy of that game, short of literally reprogramming it?

That said, it's hilarious if true.

 

[MUnited83]

They've done this more than once.

 

[Catvoca]

Seems like they (eurogamer) are just trying to stir people up over nothing. It's nothing.

It's hardly about stirring people up, it's more about promoting a discussion about emulators, piracy and videogame conservation. That's what most of the video is talking about.

 

[Version 3.0]

Doesn't matter in practice, but it's does expose hypocrisy on Nintendo's part if they are benefiting from the community's archiving efforts, which they consider 100% theft.

 

[Caelus]

Whatever.

Really, this just means they should release more VC games since the process isn't as painstaking.

 

[rav]

Well, when Nintendo owns the IP, its not considers piracy is it. It would be like saying Walt Disney selling consumers a bootleg version of their animated movies to consumers, when they own that IP of the movie

Except that the data / content is actually bit for bit identical to the rom? (or movie frames in your analogy) Using the term bootleg usually refers to some other way of manufacturing a likeness or near copy rather than an identical copy. (Early DVD era most bootlegs were from Inverse-Telecine (Camera 30fps source to 24fps output.) And to make an argument here, it's hard work to digitize things, especially from another format.

The identical bits they're talking about are for a header container format that doesn't exist in the NES cartridge. But exists because of a file format from the original guys working on nes file formats for PC.

IOW: One way or another they were going to have to solve the same problems with rom chip 2( or more) and have some sort of way to differentiate between different chips, My main point is why make a new standard when one already exists.

 

[lyrick]

"Nintendo downloading a rom is okay because they own it."

I own lots of Mario titles too.

Going to need to see the documents. I'm guessing you probably just own a bunch of plastic shit.

 

[ReyVGM]

Pssst, guys. You've seen all those Arcade collection packages companies like Taito, Konami, Atari, etc. make?

All ROM dumps, and some even use MAME.

 

[feint_ruled]

I'm sure the games are extensively tested before they click upload.

Can you be sure though? If they took one massive shortcut, why would they do all that other due diligence?

Of course, it's not a big deal. More funny than anything.

 

[hivycox]

Why is it that now after the switch event even the smallest things are used to create a negative buzz around Nintendo? Why is there so much hate?

On topic: it's their IP so they can do what they want!