Recently, Apple removed a decade-long ban on emulators for all iOS devices. Emulators are a software or hardware that can be downloaded on a device. Emulators allow one computer system to act as another. Emulators themselves are legal, but they are commonly used for illegal purposes, primarily for the piracy of video games. That said, what does this unban mean for the future of Apple devices and emulators?
Most emulators are used for ROMs. ROMs themselves are illegal because they are copies of video games, often older, more retro ones. Furthermore, ROMs are extremely easy to access and download. With that said, the emulators on the Apple store will expand these illegal activities. Although these emulators do not advertise the use of ROMs, the choice is still available. This creates a sort of legal loophole with the use of emulators and expands the problem of piracy. However, can this practice be justified?
ROMs are of course a form of piracy, but the emulators allowed on the Apple store are less advanced and are only able to emulate retro devices. Furthermore, these old games shared on these ROM sites are no longer being sold or are harder, more expensive, to buy. So, in the case of those who wish to play these games without wanting to spend large amounts of money, emulators and ROMs are a better alternative.
Moreover, one can argue that the preservation of these games are more secure than physical copies. Additionally, there has never been any legal action taken against these websites or individuals who download ROMs. These websites are sometimes shut down, but these video game companies do not take much action themselves. This could be because of how old these games are, if it were newer games being commonly pirated, then these companies would be much more likely to take legal action.
Overall, emulators are becoming more and more normalized. However, it is unlikely for these video games companies to ever allow ROMs legally. So, with this increase of emulators and ROM usage, it can be expected that video game companies will either be more strict on ROMs or continue to ignore the problem.
