Video Game Emulation

Entrepreneurship in Cybersecurity Taliyah R., Kevin J., Courtney S. and Vince N.

Introduction

Have you ever thought about how much fun you had as a kid, playing your favorite video game? How many times have you wondered where you can get Super Mario Brothers 63 on Gamecube or searched for Space Invaders in an arcade? Curious, you investigate how you can play it again and where to find it…

Options

You have 1 of 3 options: either still have the game and console (if applicable), find it for an expensive price online or download a ROM file where you could potentially break the law and jeopardize your computer for viruses. Neither of those sound appealing?

Video Game Emulation: Remastering

What most publishing companies seem to be doing now is remastering a fan favorite of the past. They do this by fixing up the graphics and maintain the original gameplay with little to no additional content. After this process, companies begin to sell it for regular retail price. For example Kingdom Hearts (2002), was remastered in HD in 2017 and it sold for $60 each.

Video Game Emulation: Digital Purchase

A second approach to nostalgic gaming is digitally purchasing through a Microsoft or similar software engine. Companies such as Xbox has taken this approach and has been impressingly successful. They have also implemented a new software where clients can transfer their purchases to their next console i.e Playstation, Xbox, etc., so rather than purchasing an HD remake of a game, most games purchased digitally by a Microsoft account, follows you whenever you get a new console.

Video Game Emulation: Online Service

Lastly, the third approach would be a subscription service online, where you have access to a small library of NES and SNES games. These games are not remastered and are fundamentally the same as what they were during their initial release. They are also not available for purchase in stores and available exclusively through a prescription, as you can’t buy these individually.

Solution: Monthly Subscription

As such, a subscription service for PC, iOS, and Android, which will allow the legal emulation of retro games that will pay out to the rights holders of the games, to avoid any legal copywriting. Similar to how Spotify pays out by play, this will allow retro games to be accessed and enjoyed by the people and will allow developers and publishers to be paid for their original game blueprint. This platform will be agnostic and will allow you to play Xbox, PS1, SNES, NES, N64 games all under one roof.