Ceph, I think you should check out this thread https://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=846&highlight=sapphire+laser+disc . Michael Helgeson makes some excellent points why it might not be a counterfit. I believe it's not a counterfit either mainly because of Michael's reasons, but I can't say I believe Fudoh's story about these alternate Sapphires being a second run by Hudson. I think it could be a possibility, but who knows? For now from the facts I have gathered, mainly from Michael, is that I believe it's not a counterfit.
I still think that they're bootlegs, but am very glad that they exist.
The reason most game bootlegs are lower quality is to make them worthwhile to buy.
Most of the major bootleg music cd/soundtrack publishers' disc are around the same quality that these Sapphire's sound like. Except with Sapphire, they didn't alter the images to make it look like they were distributing it instead of the original Japanese publishers.
And since the goal here was obviously to make a realistic looking copy, I'm not surprised that it looks as good as it does(but as inferior as it is to the real deal).
Since it doesn't have Ever-Anime or Son May or whatever all over it, that means that its not supposed to be a cheap copy, but a genuine counterfeit. And the only reason someone would got to the trouble of making a counterfeit and not just an Ever-Anime type copy is because of Sapphire's value.
Even if the print quality wasn't obviously reproduced, the fact that its not a real PC Engine disc is giveaway enough.
But like I said, I'm glad that they're out there. I just wish that people wouldn't sell them for hundreds of dollars as originals.
But if someone did buy it for $60, thinking it was an original and they just want to enjoy it for themselves, then it doesn't matter what it really is if it makes them happy(thinking that its real as it gathers dust on their shelf).
If someone buys one for $60 with the intention of jacking up the price and making a buck on someone elses' back, then let them find out what they were really buying when it shows up in the mail.
Whats legal and whats moral not only aren't equal, but are inconsistant within themselves.
Its
legal to reproduce video game system hardware like the NES and even ripp off the artistic likeness for profit(or not for profit).
But its
not legal to reproduce a game that hasn't been published in a decade and that the maker has no intention of ever selling again... for profit(
but it is legal for personal use or to giveway). Even though you're not taking money away from anyone, because the refuse to sell it.
Now, if you're going to just yell from behind "its illegal!", as people did about downloading/sharing free roms for years(before it was deemed legal), does that mean if a judge changes that tomorrow or if the copyright/trademark/etc runs out that you're all of a sudden okay with it?
And if not, if you're all about the moral aspect of this kinda stuff and you feel that getting something for free or paying someone other than the original owner for it is wrong, well its now legal a lot of the time, so you can't turn all the commies in.
What I don't get, is why aren't these people up in arms about no one paying licensing fees to cavemen or ancient egyptions or the authors of campfire songs or catchphrases?
The ridiculousness of nobody being able to even think of something they experienced without paying someone for it is getting out of hand. If they're going to sue clothing stores for playing cd music or the radio(or putting tariffs on cdrs, which of course are used for nothing other than stealing music), then they might as well sue you for replaying the same songs in your mind while you're flipping burgers at McDonalds.
