Turbo Grafx games drop off the Virtual Console

motdelbourt · 03/31/2012, 01:50 AM

It begins: http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/03/three_turbografx_16_games_dropped_from_vc

I'm kicking myself for not having picked up Silent Debuggers in particular. Unlike most I have a lot of good memories of that game. And I don't have my Turbo console anymore, so I rely on PC emulation and the Virtual Console for my Turbo fix. Sadly this could be a trend with some of the smaller publishers on Virtual Console.

motdelbourt · 03/31/2012, 01:58 AM

http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/03/europes_virtual_console_loses_6_games_this_month

SignOfZeta · 03/31/2012, 02:02 AM

Sigh...yep. This is the main reason why physical copies and non-legit emulation are still the best way to collect stuff. You never know when this shit is going to just vanish.

Samurai Ghost · 03/31/2012, 02:04 AM

I wonder what the reasoning is behind this... I mean, they can't be taking up much server space or bandwidth, so why delete games that you've already bothered to make available?

I personally don't care at all as I'd much rather play the real games on real hardware, but it seems kind of odd to me.

TheClash603 · 03/31/2012, 05:25 AM

Mortal Kombat 2 and Smash TV were two of the original Xbox Live games on the X360. I bought each of them, and they are no longer online either.

This made me upset because that means that I could never say to a friend "hey, download Smash TV so we can play through it together." No I am pretty much stuck with a game that cannot access one of its primary promises, online play.

TG16 games didn't have online play, but it is still shitty nonetheless.

Phyzikal Copie$ for Lyf3.

jperryss · 03/31/2012, 10:23 AM

Quote from: TheClash603 on 03/31/2012, 05:25 AMMortal Kombat 2 and Smash TV were two of the original Xbox Live games on the X360. I bought each of them, and they are no longer online either.

The irony is that the games are still out there. If you purchased them before and have to re-download them for some reason (new console) you can.

nat · 03/31/2012, 02:22 PM

What the hell? These games take up a matter of kilobytes on a server somewhere. They're so small you'd have to delete like 6 of them just to have enough space to store a single average-length MP3.

It doesn't make any sense whatsoever. Nintendo can't be that hard up for a couple kilobytes that they just can't afford the cost of keeping them around. Hell, even if they sold 1 (or 0!) copies a year on these titles, it takes more effort to remove them than to just leave them there.

This makes no sense, and it makes me angry even though I never had any plans to buy these on VC since I already own the originals.

VestCunt · 03/31/2012, 02:41 PM

I saw this on the wikipedia list of VC games last week. Data East seems to be withdrawing their North American licenses, as all three games (Bloody Wolf, Silent Debuggers, Drop Off) belong to them. The European games are Irem titles.

esteban · 03/31/2012, 05:55 PM

I feel as if the Wii's launch was only a year or two ago, but we've entered Wii's twilight period.

As far as the VC is concerned, I never really thought about what the terms of the licensing entailed. I shouldn't be surprised...

Quote from: guest on 03/31/2012, 02:41 PMI saw this on the wikipedia list of VC games last week. Data East seems to be withdrawing their North American licenses, as all three games (Bloody Wolf, Silent Debuggers, Drop Off) belong to them. The European games are Irem titles.

Drop Off is such a worthless title, Data East!

motdelbourt · 04/01/2012, 05:23 PM

Quote from: esteban on 03/31/2012, 05:55 PMI feel as if the Wii's launch was only a year or two ago, but we've entered Wii's twilight period.

As far as the VC is concerned, I never really thought about what the terms of the licensing entailed. I shouldn't be surprised...

Quote from: guest on 03/31/2012, 02:41 PMI saw this on the wikipedia list of VC games last week. Data East seems to be withdrawing their North American licenses, as all three games (Bloody Wolf, Silent Debuggers, Drop Off) belong to them. The European games are Irem titles.
Drop Off is such a worthless title, Data East!

Worse in a way is some of the Hudson WiiWare disappearing, since that stuff is really gone forever, unless it's hacked/emulated somewhere. The Military Madness WiiWare game was pretty much broken though, so I won't miss it. I'm thinking about picking up the WiiWare Adventure Island before it's too late though (maybe it already is)?

Samurai Ghost · 04/01/2012, 08:55 PM

Meh, that's another reason I'll never pay some middle-man to allow me to download some data I could just easily get myself for free. They can decide at any point just to pull the title and screw you. And unless there are some serious extras, what are you really paying for, really? Would you pay me $5 to let you download an ISO of Valis 2 for the DUO when you could just get it for free from another site? It's not like the creators of the game are getting any revenue from this.

If you want to do console emulation, just mod an Xbox and throw every ROM for every system up to the the Genesis/SNES along with some MAME on there and be done with it. I'll stick with physical copies thank you!

esteban · 04/02/2012, 02:31 AM

Quote from: Samurai Ghost on 04/01/2012, 08:55 PMMeh, that's another reason I'll never pay some middle-man to allow me to download some data I could just easily get myself for free. They can decide at any point just to pull the title and screw you. And unless there are some serious extras, what are you really paying for, really? Would you pay me $5 to let you download an ISO of Valis 2 for the DUO when you could just get it for free from another site? It's not like the creators of the game are getting any revenue from this.

If you want to do console emulation, just mod an Xbox and throw every ROM for every system up to the the Genesis/SNES along with some MAME on there and be done with it. I'll stick with physical copies thank you!

I'd pay $50 for Valis II since I deeply look forward to marrying each and every Red Book song on that beloved disc. I have to go Mormon/polygamist, but I feel it will be worth it.

I'm not joking. It's OK if you don't feel the same way, since I don't want to compete with you for the object of my desire.

Gogan · 04/02/2012, 01:41 PM

QuoteTurbo Grafx games drop off the Virtual Console

Good.

Duo_R · 04/03/2012, 02:57 AM

I am thinking it might be good to download Dyanstic Hero (US ver) if it is still there. I got the JP version but might be a good idea.

esteban · 04/03/2012, 05:50 AM

Quote from: Duo_R on 04/03/2012, 02:57 AMI am thinking it might be good to download Dyanstic Hero (US ver) if it is still there. I got the JP version but might be a good idea.

I think it would definitely be a good idea

.

SignOfZeta · 04/03/2012, 12:39 PM

Quote from: nat on 03/31/2012, 02:22 PMWhat the hell? These games take up a matter of kilobytes on a server somewhere. They're so small you'd have to delete like 6 of them just to have enough space to store a single average-length MP3.

It doesn't make any sense whatsoever. Nintendo can't be that hard up for a couple kilobytes that they just can't afford the cost of keeping them around. Hell, even if they sold 1 (or 0!) copies a year on these titles, it takes more effort to remove them than to just leave them there.

This makes no sense, and it makes me angry even though I never had any plans to buy these on VC since I already own the originals.

I'm sure the explaination has nothing whatsoever to do with server space, but rather rights.

thesteve · 04/03/2012, 03:14 PM

pulling games without intent to produce/sell them is just greed.
same with pulling old movies/tv shows/music off the web.
current production go for it

jeffhlewis · 04/03/2012, 04:14 PM

I'm fairly sure this has to do with the contractual rights and/or royalties involved to sell virtual console games rather than anything to do with space constraints.

There was a really good episode of Retronauts where they explained why it was so difficult to for companies to put retro games out there on platforms like VC or XBLA - a good example they gave was a movie game like Batman for the Sega Genesis, where they not only have to give royalties to publishers and producers but also the movie studio who owns the rights to the Batman franchise, DC Comics, etc - everyone gets a cut and a lot of times the $5 price tag doesn't cover the meager sales the title might generate. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the more obscure games sell in in the single digits some weeks, or even less.

motdelbourt · 04/03/2012, 11:00 PM

Getting off topic a little, but Nintendo was very negligent in promoting the Virtual Console/WiiWare service when the Turbo games were being added, and is even so to this day, although they have improved with 3DS Virtual Console. I wouldn't be surprised if some of these smaller companies like GMODE got burned.

jlued686 · 04/04/2012, 01:02 PM

I would argue that they have "improved" with the 3DS VC. As a 3DS owner, I can tell you that nearly every Thursday I am greeted with exactly zero releases on the VC. It's a nice box to check on their list of features, but they don't make any priority out of it at all.

The Wii VC has a pretty impressive list of titles. But that took about 6 years to amass. Nevertheless, it's a good way to introduce newer generations to old games. So I appreciate it for that.

GohanX · 04/04/2012, 04:49 PM

Hmmm, this makes me wonder if I need to go ahead and snatch up some of the TG16 PSN games so I can play it on my Vita.

Samurai Ghost · 04/05/2012, 01:48 AM

Quote from: JKM on 04/04/2012, 04:49 PMHmmm, this makes me wonder if I need to go ahead and snatch up some of the TG16 PSN games so I can play it on my Vita.

Or just throw the entire library of TG-16 games on a hacked PSP?

nat · 04/05/2012, 02:45 AM

I was just looking at the (US) VC today, and the TG-16 section is down to 56 titles. It was at 63 at its peak, so we've lost 7 games so far. I haven't had a chance to figure out what the other 4 are.

NecroPhile · 04/05/2012, 09:45 AM

Quote from: nat on 04/05/2012, 02:45 AMI was just looking at the (US) VC today, and the TG-16 section is down to 56 titles. It was at 63 at its peak, so we've lost 7 games so far. I have(haven't?) had a chance to figure out what the other 4 are.

R-Type, Vigilante, Ninja Spirit, and Legend of Hero Tonma are the other victims.

DragonmasterDan · 04/05/2012, 09:47 AM

Quote from: guest on 04/05/2012, 09:45 AMR-Type, Vigilante, Ninja Spirit, and Legend of Hero Tonma are the other victims.

That tells us that Hudson's sub-licensing deal with Irem presumably ran out.

VestCunt · 04/11/2012, 10:24 AM

It's pretty amazing that 40% of the library was released on VC. How long before someone sells their complete "Wii-Grafx" and makes bank?

bob · 04/19/2012, 08:49 AM

The home brew channel solves all of these problems

guyjin · 04/23/2012, 06:53 PM

well that's really fucking shitty.

DragonmasterDan · 05/02/2012, 09:24 AM

Quote from: guyjin on 04/23/2012, 06:53 PMwell that's really fucking shitty.

Yep, not only that but with Konami owning Hudson, I get the feeling there wouldn't be much of a push to restore the rights to those games any time soon.

esadajr · 07/27/2012, 05:39 PM

QuoteI'll stick with physical copies thank you!

Yeah, sell me something I can keep.

reno5 · 08/10/2012, 08:10 AM

Physical copies is the way to go. I do not own any roms. I prefer to buy games and then play what i have then buy more.

esteban · 08/10/2012, 10:43 AM

Quote from: reno5 on 08/10/2012, 08:10 AMPhysical copies is the way to go. I do not own any roms. I prefer to buy games and then play what i have then buy more.

Sure, but to play Dynastic Hero in English, I can understand someone playing it via the Virtual Console.

Then, subsequent playthroughs can be done with an actual Japanese CD-ROM.

ctophil · 08/19/2014, 03:16 PM

Quote from: reno5 on 08/10/2012, 08:10 AMPhysical copies is the way to go. I do not own any roms. I prefer to buy games and then play what i have then buy more.

I'm with you. I have almost every console that was released in America. And I buy the games to collect and have the physical copies. On Virtual Console, I only own Ys Book I & II for Turbografx-CD. At the time, I thought I would never buy a Turbografx-CD. But now that I do have a Turbo CD, I can care less about a virtual copy.

Like Steam, Xbox Live, PSN, Virtual Console, Origin, and every other system that carry virtual games, they could take down the games at any time either due to licensing issues, servers taken down, clear some space, or they believe the games no longer will sell. You don't really own these virtual games, you just bought the rights to play them.

PixyJunket · 10/18/2014, 08:40 AM

There were some hints about the Irem situation before they actually removed games, so I managed to grab Ninja Spirit and Hero Tonma before it happened and I'm very glad that I did, they are both really good games. I can't say I'm missing much from the others removed, though.

ishiyakazuo · 10/23/2014, 05:47 PM

Quote from: esteban on 04/02/2012, 02:31 AM
Quote from: Samurai Ghost on 04/01/2012, 08:55 PMMeh, that's another reason I'll never pay some middle-man to allow me to download some data I could just easily get myself for free. They can decide at any point just to pull the title and screw you. And unless there are some serious extras, what are you really paying for, really? Would you pay me $5 to let you download an ISO of Valis 2 for the DUO when you could just get it for free from another site? It's not like the creators of the game are getting any revenue from this.

If you want to do console emulation, just mod an Xbox and throw every ROM for every system up to the the Genesis/SNES along with some MAME on there and be done with it. I'll stick with physical copies thank you!
I'd pay $50 for Valis II since I deeply look forward to marrying each and every Red Book song on that beloved disc. I have to go Mormon/polygamist, but I feel it will be worth it.

I'm not joking. It's OK if you don't feel the same way, since I don't want to compete with you for the object of my desire.

I know this was said ages ago, but Valis II (and the first Valis) are (were?) available on the Japanese PlayStation Store under Game Archives.
Looks like they might be gone now. Dang it, expiring licenses, etc.! I was hoping they'd eventually put up Valis III and Valis IV.

esteban · 10/23/2014, 07:23 PM

Quote from: ishiyakazuo on 10/23/2014, 05:47 PM
Quote from: esteban on 04/02/2012, 02:31 AM
Quote from: Samurai Ghost on 04/01/2012, 08:55 PMMeh, that's another reason I'll never pay some middle-man to allow me to download some data I could just easily get myself for free. They can decide at any point just to pull the title and screw you. And unless there are some serious extras, what are you really paying for, really? Would you pay me $5 to let you download an ISO of Valis 2 for the DUO when you could just get it for free from another site? It's not like the creators of the game are getting any revenue from this.

If you want to do console emulation, just mod an Xbox and throw every ROM for every system up to the the Genesis/SNES along with some MAME on there and be done with it. I'll stick with physical copies thank you!
I'd pay $50 for Valis II since I deeply look forward to marrying each and every Red Book song on that beloved disc. I have to go Mormon/polygamist, but I feel it will be worth it.

I'm not joking. It's OK if you don't feel the same way, since I don't want to compete with you for the object of my desire.
I know this was said ages ago, but Valis II (and the first Valis) are (were?) available on the Japanese PlayStation Store under Game Archives.
Looks like they might be gone now. Dang it, expiring licenses, etc.! I was hoping they'd eventually put up Valis III and Valis IV.

I wish Sony released data/details for each title so we could see how many folks have actually downloaded each retro title.

I wan to to believe that the Valis series still has a few fans out there.

nat · 10/26/2014, 05:47 PM

The Valis series holds great nostalgia for me, especially that timeless Valis III cover art.

esteban · 10/26/2014, 05:48 PM

Quote from: nat on 10/26/2014, 05:47 PMThe Valis series holds great nostalgia for me, especially that timeless Valis III cover art.

Tranny Sandra Bullock is special for me, too.

NecroPhile · 10/27/2014, 12:40 PM

Quote from: esteban on 10/23/2014, 07:23 PMI want to believe that the Valis series still has a few fans out there.

Some day I'll acquire a copy of that elusive Valis X.

ishiyakazuo · 10/28/2014, 09:42 PM

Quote from: esteban on 10/23/2014, 07:23 PMI want to believe that the Valis series still has a few fans out there.

Dude, I played the living hell out of Valis III on Genesis as a kid. I even played SD Valis way too much to be healthy... cuz that game sucked. But I still played it because IT WAS VALIS. I didn't have a TG16 CD as a kid, so the Genesis versions were what I had. Now I've got Valis and Valis II on PS3

Quote from: guest on 10/27/2014, 12:40 PMSome day I'll acquire a copy of that elusive Valis X.

1) There are 5 of them in the Valis X series
2) Everyone says they suck (wouldn't know -- haven't played them)
3) They're hardly elusive... they go for like $5 each on Amazon.co.jp

NecroPhile · 10/29/2014, 09:33 AM

Quote from: ishiyakazuo on 10/28/2014, 09:42 PM1) There are 5 of them in the Valis X series
2) Everyone says they suck (wouldn't know -- haven't played them)
3) They're hardly elusive... they go for like $5 each on Amazon.co.jp

1) Goody, that's five times teh tittehs for me!
2) I don't give a fuck what others say.
3) I'm not in Japan, so they are indeed elusive compared to other games that I can easily pick up off of eBay, Amazon, or a local retailer.

Psycho Punch · 10/29/2014, 11:16 PM

Illusion Soft's 2006 PC hit Rapelay is hardly elusive. Some stuff is simply too hard to obtain outside of Japan -- and should remain so in my opinion.