Hark, Pokéfans! Nintendo has just bagged a patent that details mobile game console emulation across a smorgasbord of devices.
Envisioned is a system where Game Boy titles could be played on mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, as well as more obscure interfaces like seat-back displays on airplanes and trains.
Of course, emulation’s nothing new – computers and Android phones have long had the ability to replicate Game Boy hardware in a virtual environment.
In fact the Google Play Store is chock full of such emulators, including various Game Boy devices.
What’s interesting here though is that Nintendo would be legitimising the entire process.
Currently, unless you own a physical copy of a game, it’s illegal to download and play a virtual ROM of the title.
If Nintendo was backing the process, both the emulator and the ROMs would all be above board, legally speaking – although there’s a good chance it’ll charge a premium for the officiated service.
It wouldn’t be particularly difficult to implement either – the processing power required to churn out Game Boy standard graphics is minimal by today’s standards, and most modern handsets can run classic titles with ease.
Users can already play SNES, NES, and Game Boy titles on the Wii, Wii U, and 3DS, so it’s not as if Nintendo is dead set against reviving classics either.
Of course, it’s entirely possible Nintendo might not even make use of the patent, although a sales boon from emulated ROMs would hardly be unwelcome at Nintendo HQ.
Read More: Samsung Galaxy S6 release date
Via: TechCrunch
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
