The problem isn't a lack of feral reverse engineers and crackers. Console protections are like catnip to that crowd. The problem is the starting state is a lot worse.

Windows PE files aren't encrypted (Yes their content may be but the entry point and key loader would still need to be stored as cleartext) and can easily be copied and decompiled. The ability to run debuggers isn't locked behind having an undisclosed zero day or unpatched device. Arbitrary code execution is available by default. And the APIs aren't all NDAed

There are also competing digital market spaces. You can only buy through Sony on PlayStation.

The feral, passionate coders are the true heroes.

My console is offline 95% of the time, behind a slow connection 5% of the time. No physical media would mean not buying any new game. No new games means there's no point in buying the latest console to play new games.

tbh the wonders of the Feral PC Army include several groups writing console emulators. I am successfully running: Wii, Wii U, Switch, OG Xbox and PS3 emulators as we speak. I understand Xbox 360 and PS4 are also out there, but I haven't got 'round to them yet.

Interestingly, a lot of media for these emulators is just kind of laying around on the internet for anybody to download.

Also, on pc, anyone who wants a physical media are free to create them as they please (assuming no drm or piracy, of course)

It's different because you can CTRL-C CTRL-V a game

PC master race.

(sob) i love u guys

Thank u

I wish it was true for operation Lovecraft, the dev is a complete scammer making more than 100k a year and missing every launch window while making a closed beta game even worse with micro transactions battlepasses, all of it. He even added Denuvo to the goddamn thing because his always online bullshit was easily emulated. The F95 thread has like 1000 pages of discussion of the more than 10 years it has taken for the game to not release.

Fair

What a weird argument. People preserve all the digital games on consoles, too. The only somewhat fair argument would be that it's slightly easier to preserve games on PC, but really both have their own challenges. On PC you're fighting DRM, on consoles you're fighting the OS security to break in.

The only real excuse for digital only is DRM free, where you can backup your installers.

Oh really? Then where is my pirated version of Marvel Heroes?

for everyone on everything

Every Windows user on every x86-64 PC?

Not post-Windows users using Linux or macOS, the latter of which are ARM64 machines.

So, not everyone and not everything.

Where's the feral passion in getting off Microsoft's tit?