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- In a recent lawsuit against a streamer, Nintendo says even linking to an emulator is a ‘trafficking offense.’
- The company has also previously claimed that any emulation is illegal and legal action will be taken.
- It has already shut down two of the most popular Nintendo emulation software over the current year.
Nintendo has always held an extreme view against emulation, with any attempts—whether you own the game ROM or not—being considered completely illegal. It is always quick to take legal action and shut down emulators before they can get out of control. However, not only does the company declare emulators to be fully illegal, but even linking to one could land you in trouble now.
Recent findings suggest that Nintendo may go as far as to claim that even linking to an emulator can be considered a ‘trafficking offense’ in its new lawsuit against a streamer who live-streamed pirated games.
Why it matters: Nintendo’s extreme claims have caught the gaming industry off-guard. They show the company’s absolutely harsh stance against any act of emulation. It has already shut down major emulation platforms over the year.
As uncovered by the YouTuber Video Game Esoterica, the lawsuit states that you are not advised to link to an emulator. There is literally no legal use case for Switch emulation—yes, that also includes acts of game preservation.
The mere act of linking to a Nintendo Switch emulator is a ‘trafficking offense.’
The claims made in the lawsuit are seemingly quite absurd, but mostly in formal verbatim. Esoterica says that Nintendo allegedly used this ideal case to promote its extreme views, asserting that emulation is fully illegal.
For those not in the know, Nintendo has already shut down Yuzu and Ryujinix emulators earlier this year. And it also continues to sue anyone who promotes piracy.
While some argue that emulation software promotes piracy and breaches Nintendo guidelines, others still argue that the company is too harsh against emulation. But what are your thoughts about the giant conglomerate’s stance? Do let us know your opinions in the comments below or join the discussion on the official Tech4Gamers forum.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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