Microsoft has denied a developer’s NES emulator application for the Windows Phone 7 Market. While Neowin’s users actually understand why this isn’t allowed, as many others do, the developer thinks that it is an abomination! What is your take on emulators and ROM’s? Should you be able to legally download the emulator but the ROM’s be pirated (which they all are, unless you rip them yourself)?
For its part, Microsoft gives a strong indication as to its stance on game emulation on Windows Phone devices. In a post on the official App Hub forums (also quoted on Mr Bettcher’s YouTube page), it is stated that:
”Microsoft takes intellectual property rights very seriously. If you post a game/image/source that uses unauthorized intellectual property, we will delete it immediately. This includes technologies that are clearly intended to enable unauthorized use of intellectual property, such as game console emulators.”