EarthBound Never Coming to the Virtual Console

[InfiniteAmmo]

There's a recent report out of Starmen.net's campaign (http://theinfiniteammo.com/2009/02/16/earthbound-is-never-coming-to-the-virtual-console/) to get EarthBound on the Virtual Console, and the news is grim:


"EB was, and will continue to be, withheld due to legal issues. It doesn’t matter what anyone’s opinions are on copyright law or fair use; the fact is that Nintendo’s lawyers have a huge amount of leverage over the release of any game they’re uncomfortable with, and EarthBound made them pretty uncomfortable. As long as [Nintendo of Japan] remains unwilling to approve changes to the game, EarthBound will stay buried.”

Gah. I really want EarthBound!

[Gusj]

That's disappointing.
Luckily for me I found out how to play it on my Wii, but illegally of course.

[AspectVoid]

I don't get it. What would make them uncomfortable about Earthbound? It was one of the best games on the SNES.

[Froggy]

So how were they able to license the characters for use in Brawl?

[T-Rex Commando]

Download it illegally and tell Nintendo to shove it where the angry sun that chases you through the entire goddamn level don't shine.

[thenumber5]

the same thing that stops Them from Puting out a lot of shows from the 70/80's on DVD, if you reference anything the people who own the rights to it will sue you for most of the profits. Why can never have WKRP in Cincinnati in any format

[lockwoodx]

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e399/Iron_Onion/Funny%20Stuff/NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.jpg

[MADxMrMike]

So what I'm I missing here? I've never played it so why are there legal issues with this game?

[MADxMrMike]

Stupid iPhone... I meant what AM I missing.

[Froggy]

Stupid iPhone... I meant what AM I missing.

Sure, okay. We all know you're actually a lolcat.

[Kigomaru]

the same thing that stops Them from Puting out a lot of shows from the 70/80's on DVD, if you reference anything the people who own the rights to it will sue you for most of the profits. Why can never have WKRP in Cincinnati in any format

What are you talking about? You mean this WKRP? (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8238258&st=WKRP+in+Cinncinnatti&type=product&id=1625182)

I believe the reason they are not re-releasing it has to do with translation issues that were present in the original. The game that we got in the US was not really the first in the series. (An article about the tranlsation differences) (http://www.lostlevels.org/200407/200407-earthbound.shtml) Of course this is just my speculation, still sad to not get it on VC, I would like to see the entire series make it.

[netcraazzy]

So what I'm I missing here? I've never played it so why are there legal issues with this game?

I've never played this game either but I found this in the linked article;

"It sucks hard, but the reasons make sense. EarthBound has a LOT of pop culture references. “Hearing that any game is constantly referencing bands like The Beatles is enough to make any modern IP lawyer wring his hands,” Starmen.net says on their site."

[Syl]

You can always just retranslate it. Square-enix has been rather fond of this lately; and nintendo has some of the absolute best in-house translations in the industry. (Paper Mario; Mario and Luigi)

[Ozena]

Never did really get into Earthbound, although my bud is religious about it.

Then again, I don't even own a Wii.

[JazGalaxy]

Never did really get into Earthbound, although my bud is religious about it.

Then again, I don't even own a Wii.

Off the top of my head, I really can't think of any pop culture references at all.

O_o

I mean, there were parodies, like the Blues Brothers and whatnot but I can't think of them ever talking about anything outright.

For those who never played it, it's almost unplayable (even when it was new) for those who don't LOVE the angle that it's coming from. But if you do, it's one of the most hilarious videogames ever made. In fact, aside from Adventure games, I think it might be one of the ONLY funny games ever made.

[InfiniteAmmo]

Thanks for reading the linked article, netcraazzy.

Since my original post made it a bit unclear, I fixed it:

"It sucks hard, but the reasons make sense. EarthBound has a LOT of pop culture references, especially when it comes to the game's music. "Hearing that any game is constantly referencing bands like The Beatles is enough to make any modern IP lawyer wring his hands," Starmen.net says on their site."

Theeere we go. Hope that makes NCL's lawyers' concerns more clear.

[thenumber5]

Not that WKRP, that WKRP had all it music pulled out and filled in with in house music and Lines redubed to remove references to said bands

[JazGalaxy]

What are you talking about? You mean this WKRP? (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8238258&st=WKRP+in+Cinncinnatti&type=product&id=1625182)

I believe the reason they are not re-releasing it has to do with translation issues that were present in the original. The game that we got in the US was not really the first in the series. (An article about the tranlsation differences) (http://www.lostlevels.org/200407/200407-earthbound.shtml) Of course this is just my speculation, still sad to not get it on VC, I would like to see the entire series make it.

Oh, in looking at this, I guess I should comment:

Earthbound, as this artcile is referring to it, is not the Earthbound that any American would know, or would be available on the virtual console. This Earthbound is the article writer presumptuously retitling "Mother 1" which never came out in American as "Earthbound" and although he never writes it, assumedly retitling the game we know as "Earthbound" as "Earthbound 2".

So, to be clear, I'm assuming the game we are talking about never coming to the Wii Virtual Console is "Mother 2/Earthbound" which came out in the states.

[InfiniteAmmo]

Earthbound, as this artcile is referring to it, is not the Earthbound that any American would know, or would be available on the virtual console. This Earthbound is the article writer presumptuously retitling "Mother 1" which never came out in American as "Earthbound" and although he never writes it, assumedly retitling the game we know as "Earthbound" as "Earthbound 2".


Let's simply that overwrought sentence: Only 1 EarthBound game was ever released in the USA: EarthBound for the SNES.

That's the game that Starmen.net and I are referring to. Not Mother 1, not Mother 3. Neither of those two were ever released in the US.

[InfiniteAmmo]

Also, Jaz, that article that Kigomaru linked has NOTHING to do with EarthBound for the SNES or it being on the VC at all. It's all about Mother 1 and the so-called "EarthBound Zero" NES ROM. Not entirely sure why he posted it.

[Kigomaru]

Also, Jaz, that article that Kigomaru linked has NOTHING to do with EarthBound for the SNES or it being on the VC at all. It's all about Mother 1 and the so-called "EarthBound Zero" NES ROM. Not entirely sure why he posted it.

I was confused, I'll admit that, I thought this was about the lack of possibility that Mother 1 (as earthbound zero or some other similar name) being "Officially" transalted and brought to VC as has happend with 1 or two other games that originally were not previously release state side. Sorry for the confusion, and I hope I'm not adding to that.