Why (Maybe) EarthEound Is Not Virtual Console Bound (Possibly)
Like many fans of the series, I was quite happy when it hit that there was an ESRB rating for a Virtual Console release of EarthBound. Ecstatic in fact. As the months crawl by, and the consistant lack of EarthBound related content from Nintendo has always left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. Seriously, with the ravenous group of fans that follow the game, and the relative lack of effort required to launch a VC game, you would think that NoA would jump on the chance to push the "release" button, right?
Well, turns out that this matter is a bit more complicated than previously anticipated. EarthBound is a reference heavy game. Extremely heavy, it's a lot of the game's appeal. Nintendo of America, however does not agree with this. Legal basically wanted to "sanitize" some of the more obvious references to keep them safe from any legal issues that might arise in the future, even if the game has already run the release gambit once. Now the hiccup, Nintendo Limited (Japan) said no to modifications. So we've reached an impasse.
Maybe they could reach an agreement? Probably not. We can keep our fingers crossed, but the ultimate word on the ESRB rating?
The VC rating was a mistake.
Sorry fans, it looks like you're going to have to drop that $90 on the SNES cartridge if you want to play the original title. Or get the GBA version and learn Japanese. You know the drill.
The Sad Story of EarthBound on the Virtual Console [Starmen.net]
Asterick
Posted to Video Games on 17 February 2009
· Comments (7)
Other stuff like this: earthbound, esrb, nintendo limited, nintendo of america, screwed, virtual console
What exactly are these references that they don't want to change and are having problems with? I don't remember them.
Also you can sell this for $90 on ebay. I will have to get my copy out there.
And I was right to hold my breath after hearing it was on the ESRB list. Unfortunately it's not guarantee for a release.
That having been said, it's sad to hear this. It's a delightful game, one that I hope will eventually see re-release.
My heart... she is breaking. I should have expected this, and yet I foolishly hoped. Silly me.
Times like this, I don't feel the slightest bit bad about downloading a ROM to play it. If Nintendo doesn't want my money for the game then they can't complain that I'm somehow costing them money by emulating it. They want to have their cake and eat it too, but sorry...not this time.
well, there's still the solution of installing the homebrew channel and snes9x...
Seriously, what ARE these references? Egypt? Nessie? Gang members? Tony being gay? Tubbos? The game seemed pretty clean back in the day.
I can't help but agree with Shin Gallon on this one.
Earthbound is a title that is currently in major demand on the VC and they just keep denying gamers by releasing a ton of WiiWare titles and VC games that are in no demand whatsoever at all.
I understand that they cannot release all the goods from the get-go or there would be nothing but scraps left. But going from three VC releases a week, to the current state of two shovel-Ware titles and just one bummer VC title, is just plain inexcusable.