Re: I've experienced a "Blackout"!
I know what you mean. I simply used EMG as a guide to what these pups sound like just like when someone says for example, that a Dimarzio Super Distortion sounds similar to a Duncan Distortion. I don't think those sound alike but I could see someone putting them in the same category when talking about of aggressive, high output passive pups. I recently heard the Metal LiveWire for the first time and I would also state that it's very EMG sounding, in that it's a hi-fi type of tone.
I don't think it's a bad idea for someone to make an active line of pups that start off where another's left off. Sh!t, that's what every pup manufacturer does anyway, right? I mean, how many pups out there exist that are supposed to sound like vintage P.A.F.'s.....exactly, tons! No difference here with regards to actives. The Duncan "Blackouts" have that inherent active tone (clear hi-fi-type tone) but the distortion character is different from the EMG's. It's crunchy whereas the EMG's are fuzzy.
BTW, I don't really play videogames but I see my brother play KOTOR all the time and I enjoy it that way!