Xbox Is Suspending Players Caught Using Emulators - Gameranx
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It looks like Microsoft is cracking down hard for those found using emulators on the Xbox console lineup.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/2355803

For a good while, there was a bit of hype built around the Xbox Series S, in particular for the retro gaming scene. It was a cheaper device that offered a small form factor. Likewise, it allowed consumers to download emulators and enjoy various retro video games. But while this process was available, some consumers were skeptical. Of course, it didn’t take Microsoft too long before they outright banned emulators from being available in the marketplace, making it impossible to download and enjoy. That’s just the emulators being used in the Xbox Series X/S retail mode.

RETAIL MODE ON XBOX IS DEAD!

  • 15-day suspensions handed out to users of retail emulators as a warning shot from Microsoft.
  • Devs warning users to delete emulators
  • Retail Mode team disbanding and shutting down the Patreon. Sorry to bear the bad news. RT to warn others

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  • @[email protected]English
    44•11 months ago

    It is so annoying how companies insist on dictating what we can or cannot do with the hardware we’ve already paid for. It’s doubly annoying when you consider how it contributes to e-waste because it limits our ability to repurpose these things for other use cases. My old PS4 is just sitting in my closet gathering dust because I don’t have an old enough firmware that let’s me put Linux on it.

    I guess the fact that consoles are usually loss leaders are a major contributing factor to why these devices are so locked down, but still…In this case, Microsoft is preventing emulation enthusiasts from running in retail mode and partaking in their game store! Maybe they just don’t want the legal repercussions of dealing with Nintendo or something.

    If emulation is your jam, I highly recommend just building a small form factor PC or going with a mini-PC instead. More expensive in the short term, but less troubles and more flexibility in the long-term.

    • @[email protected]English
      12•11 months ago

      Games should be Public Domain after sales stop or 10 years after first release anyway.

    • dinckelEnglish
      3•11 months ago

      Pretty much every single console I own, with the except of the newest ones, have homebrew on them. I don’t even care about piracy, unless what i’m trying to get is purely unobtainable through normal means, or is stuck in the hands of scammers. All I want is quality of life utilities, themes and save managers, and potential backwards compatibility, like it is in the case of the PS3 (although I will admit that the video quality is very poor)

    • @[email protected]English
      2•11 months ago

      I highly recommend just building a small form factor PC or going with a mini-PC instead.

      We’re probably 3-5 months away from Raspberry Pi 4 boards being regularly back in stock. I’d say if you want a fairly turnkey solution for under $100 and can wait, just wait for them to be back in stock and load one up with RetroPi.

      Hell, If you don’t want to go past SNES/Genesis games, a rPi 3 will do just fine. I’ve got a couple I keep in the closet for when friends kids come over so they can play Dr. Mario and Mario Cart.

      • @[email protected]English
        2•11 months ago

        We’re probably 3-5 months away from Raspberry Pi 4 boards being regularly back in stock.

        This is very exciting news. During the pandemic I was tearing my hair out trying to find one. Do you have any recommendations for good cases to put the RPI4 in?

        • @[email protected]English
          4•11 months ago

          My experience with multiple cases over close to ten years is that none of them make a difference. Find out that you think looks cool. Unless it’s going in an already-hot enclosure, stay away from ones with fans since they tend to be pretty loud (unless you switch out for a noctua or similar).