The whole point of this thread is that he's gone back to making repros as close as he can to the originals without any indication that they're counterfeit. This has led to at least hundreds of people to pay hundreds of dollars or more for what they believed to be authentic copies of Sapphire, to the point where they were found in Japanese shops. If he's going about it the same as before, then he's been selling these as legit across the internet for a while already.
PCEWorks' "QUINTESSENTIAL BOOTLEGS" includes the latest revision to make his Sapphire counterfeit guide-proof:
https://pceworks.wordpress.com/2016/11/03/quintessential-works/
Akumajo Dracula X "raw" version (no unique packaging):
https://pceworks.wordpress.com/2016/11/02/akumajo-dracula-x/
Spriggan, Spriggan mkII, Steam Hearts, Nexzr, and Super Real Mahjong PII-III Custom Special, all without unique packaging or PCEWorks branding:
https://pceworks.wordpress.com/2016/12/18/xmas-double-feature/
...
I still haven't seen any pics of the insides of the latest PCEWorks games, so we don't even know yet if they're branded or not. I just want people to be aware that the number titles you might be buying on eBay without even suspecting could be bootlegs has suddenly increased dramatically and at this rate, will include any PCE game worth more than $60 by the end of 2017.
If you actually take a look at the screenshots of the CDs and the back of the manuals in *all* of those new packages, they *all* have a PCEWorks logo on them that distinguishes them from the original games.
He's made the *outside* look just like the originals, which is a lousy move, but the games can be distinguished from the originals by opening up the jewel case and looking at the CD.
As I said earlier ... "caveat emptor".
The moral aspect of whether selling bootlegs of any kind is a parallel issue. The bootleg HuCards are not passable whatsoever and if they stopped tomorrow, they wouldn't be flipped as authentic for years afterward.
OK, again, ignoring the moral issue of bootlegging for the moment ... his new-production CDs can't be sold as authentic, either, if you to open up the jewel case and look at the face of the CD.
I thought that this forum was for game-players and looked down on sealed-in-box collectards???
Many published PC Engine homebrew games have various copyrighted logos on them which are used without permission. This site has ads and uses various copyrighted media without permission and once sold Turbo goods. I don't think that it is exactly the same as selling PCEWorks games, but if you believe that making money from using someone else's intellectual property without permission is stealing, then it all is.
Technically, buying and selling used games is robbing publishers, especially today with all of the scalping going on.
Huh? Now you're taking your argument a bit too far.
There are various laws in place for "fair-use" of certain items, and legitimately-produced games come under the doctrine of "first-sale".
Publishers already price-in the effect of second-hand sales of legitimate games into their pricing model.
People using Hudson or NECs trademarked logos, or their CD boot code that's on every homebrew CD, *is* a "naughty", and the owners of those trademarks/code could legally stop the homebrew folks any thime that they wished to do so.
I don't think that many people here think that any kind of bootlegging is fine, but you also can't really be involved in anything related to old games today without supporting some form of copyright infringement. The PRGE had bootlegs sold at most booths which were selling games. Many tables were for businesses which only sold bootlegs. One a$$hole was selling only bootleg Everdrives, without even changing the name. He probably just bought those crappy Chinese knock-offs in bulk and put his ugly labels on them.
So we're in a video-game world where bootleg production of old out-of-print games has become "normal".
This is my point ... I don't like it, I don't support it, but I have a hard time feeling much "outrage" anymore when it *is* obviously supported by so many folks here.
If the original copyright owners don't care enough to send out a C&D, then what is my standing to try to fight their battle for them?
Remember ... Konami *was* informed about the PCEWorks release of DraculaX, and basically just said "cool" and then did nothing to stop Tobias.