I'll admit, while I don't actually watch bombcast, what most people are probably here for. I do like game communities, and more importantly to this site in particular, game and culture preservation, and this site has one of the best databases on the net outside of GameFAQs.
Sites like this have helped me discover some really great, obscure titles, that are really close to my heart now, all the more that they are so unappreciated.
But, some of these games, by virtue of being obscure, often times "retro" games, are the most in danger of being lost to history. Not as much as some things like unreleased carts and such. But are still not in a good position.
Keio Flying Squadron is a game I've had a great time with, both the SEGA CD STG/SHMUP, and the SEGA Saturn platformer with SHMUP sections. There's apparently another SEGA Saturn game I haven't tried, and a Sony PlayStation board game, said board game I haven't found quite so memorable as the former SEGA titles.
But these are rare, and obscure, and expensive, and in danger of disappearing. A copy of Keio Flying Squadron or Keiou Yuugekitai for the SEGA CD is worth are much as $1,000, or more. I can't afford that, no one can reasonably afford that. That isn't the price of a game you want to play, that is a rare collector's price. To play such a copy is almost offensive, given how rare and precious to game history it is, now.
There is now no way to affordably own a copy of this game now. And worse yet, no way for people reasonably play this part of game history. People should be able to play these games. People should not be expected to play $1000 or more to do so. And doing so could damage a historical artifact of SEGA and JVC gaming, that too few can even have access to now, much less in the future, where physical copies of the game may not even exist. For anyone to enjoy legally.
And worse yet, I don't know what to do or what can be done about it. I would prefer to, well, go through the official channels, "do the right" thing instead of what is bannable on %90 of gaming websites. Which means contacting anyone who can preserve these games, and beg them to do so. That that they can be done so legally, and not through illegal means like EmuParadise.
I've been so worried I went ahead and contacted JVC via phone, they only have extension numbers for hardware. But I went ahead and asked one of their hardware number people if they have a line or anyone to talk to about their copyright and intellectual property. They said no, no one over the phone is tasked to handle anything remotely like this. But I was given an email. Which I have now sent to them. Still no response.
I don't know what to do, or who to contact. How do you best sleuth the rights to long abandoned IPs and find who to contact in order to beg them to provide legal means of enjoying their games?
To clarify, this isn't just true of one game. It's just one of the rarest and most expensive game franchises I love. I also have an interest in the Magical Pop'n and Cotton franchise, among others. Magical Pop'n is not super rare and valuable, you and affordably find SFC copies, still. I'm still worried about it as a long abandoned IP. Not as much as Keio Flying Squadron/Keiou Yuugekitai, but it's still on my mind.
What is one supposed to do if one wants to be enjoyed, in well, the widespread fashion they deserve, rather than dying forever? At this point, I'm worried JVC isn't going to get back with me, and this will all have been fruitless, I would have been better off, and had no choice but to break the law and take to the high seas, so speak.
Believe me, I want to buy, and support Keio Flying Squadron. But not for $1,300. Nor would I feel morally right for playing such a copy, even if I could. Such games need to be preserved in museums, not horded in my home. What if my house burned down? Then there would be one less precious copy of gaming history out there.
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