Eli5 why with digital console gaming becoming more and more popular, why haven’t we seen an explosion in the piracy market for them?
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In the late 80’s-early 90s we see the introduction of “Home Computers” and “Home Entertaining systems” (like Atari), alongside the huge and expensive “computers” used by governments and corporations., made exclusively by IBM
Each machine using their own complex architecture and software.
Then a very simple Operating System (the crucial software interacting with the phisical hardware bits) was released, claiming to be able to turn a “home computer” into a “personal computer”. A PC and and u could write, compile and run your own program, at home!!
**Ms-dos and Windows** created the market of “IBM compatible computers” , setting the standards and protocols starting a the mass adoption of PC into homes.
Standards and common protocols grew exponentially, as new programs and games were written to run on ANY hardware maker using the new operating system, making it possible for people to learn
Game consoles like Nintendo, Sega (and Apple) instead **never split the hardware and software parts,** continuing to improve it on a very private/secret/expensive way.
tldr: Pirating consoles is more difficult (or improbable) because they use proprietary tools on both hardware and software, making it hard to “poke around” and trying to make it do what you want.
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