The Hydra lives on: How Nintendo’s war on emulators feeds the beast

Nintendo’s war on emulators has raged for decades, yet the emulation community continues to thrive. In late 2024, the company dealt a blow by targeting Ryujinx, one of the popular Switch emulators. Yuzu, another key Switch emulator, was shut down earlier the same year. Yet, these efforts did little to stop Nintendo Switch emulation. Developers quickly forked Yuzu and Ryujinx’s code, mirrored it on GitHub, and launched improved versions, ensuring the project’s survival.

Meanwhile, Nintendo console emulation apps like Dolphin, My Boy!, and Snes9xEX+ are among the best emulators on the Play Store. With the rise of Android gaming phones (devices powerful enough to run demanding titles), emulation has never been more accessible. But Nintendo is back at it again, targeting the Yuzu and Ryujinx Switch emulator forks that replaced the originals. Instead of squashing the emulation scene, Nintendo’s tactics bring it more attention, feeding the beast they aim to slay.

Nintendo faces the Hydra effect

Cutting one head spawns two more

With the Nintendo Switch 2 trailer recently dropping, it’s no wonder Nintendo has been going after Switch emulators like Ryujinx. Earlier in 2024, Nintendo scored a victory when developers of Yuzu settled a $2 million lawsuit out of court. However, the spirit of the Yuzu project lived on, with community developers creating over 8,000 forks in less than a week.

While specifics about Ryujinx remain unclear, Nintendo likely leveraged legal threats or financial settlements. These are common tactics in its anti-emulation playbook. Yet, the emulation community responded swiftly. Within hours, Ryujinx’s code was mirrored on GitHub, and developers launched forked versions that incorporated improvements. Far from eliminating the emulator, Nintendo’s actions ensured it lived on in new forms.

The comparison to the mythical Hydra (a creature that grows two heads for every one cut off) fits the emulation community. Open source projects thrive, by design, on decentralization. Targeting a single developer or project does little to halt the collective efforts of a global community driven by passion, innovation, and the desire to preserve gaming history.

Nintendo’s legal battles come at a cost

Protecting IP while alienating fans and creators

Nintendo’s aggressive legal tactics define its approach to emulation. From filing lawsuits against ROM-sharing websites to targeting developers of emulators like Dolphin, the company consistently protects its intellectual property at all costs. While these efforts safeguard Nintendo’s short-term financial interests, they come at a steep cost.

For decades, Nintendo cultivated a family-friendly image with beloved characters like Mario and Zelda. Yet, its harsh legal approach paints a different picture: a corporation willing to steamroll fans, preservationists, and small creators to maintain control over its IP. These actions fail to account for the collaborative and decentralized nature of emulation. Open source projects are not controlled by a single person or entity, making them almost impossible to permanently eliminate.

Beyond that, emulators serve purposes beyond piracy. Content creators rely on them to produce videos showcasing the games they love, like the thriving Zelda YouTubers who inspired me to buy a Nintendo Switch last year. Modders use emulators to create unique experiences, like replaying Breath of the Wild as Linkle, the non-canonical character from Hyrule Warriors spin-off games. Archivists employ emulation to preserve games that might otherwise disappear forever.

Emulation apps on platforms like the Google Play Store demonstrate how accessible and mainstream the technology has become. Popular emulators like Provenance are on their way to the Apple Store. Emulation is no longer relegated to niche PC gaming circles. Instead, it’s a widely accessible alternative for gamers, which Nintendo would benefit from working with instead of against.

Why some fans emulate games

It’s more than just piracy

Nintendo frames its war on emulation as a fight against piracy. While emulators can be used for that purpose, the motivations of most fans go beyond avoiding payment. Many turn to emulation for legitimate reasons that Nintendo ignores or refuses to address.

• Game preservation: According to a 2018 study by the Video Game History Foundation, 87% of classic games are no longer available for purchase. Emulation offers a lifeline to these games, ensuring they are not lost to time.
• Old technology and accessibility: Many older consoles are incompatible with modern TVs, and Nintendo doesn’t always make classic games available on newer platforms. Emulators allow fans to play these games on modern hardware.
• Mods and improvements: Emulation allows fans to improve their gaming experiences with features like 4K resolution, higher frame rates, and custom mods. These enhancements keep older games relevant and exciting for new audiences.

Nintendo’s aggressive legal strategy ignores these benefits, focusing on the potential for piracy, even though some fans emulate Nintendo’s consoles for reasons unrelated to theft.

Nintendo’s missed opportunity

There’s a case for coexistence

Nintendo’s aggressive stance against emulation ignores the potential benefits of working with the community rather than against it. By embracing emulation, Nintendo could generate goodwill, expand its audience, and protect its legacy. Allowing players to mod their games would foster creativity and engagement, as seen with other companies like Bethesda, which encourages modding in games like Skyrim. Partnering with archivists and preservationists would ensure that Nintendo’s rich library of titles is preserved for future generations and not lost to history.

These steps would align with Nintendo’s long-term interests while respecting the passion of its fanbase. However, the company seems unwilling to adapt its approach, prioritizing control and profits over collaboration.

Nintendo’s fighting a losing battle

Nintendo’s war on emulation is a battle it cannot win. Open source development ensures that every takedown inspires new projects, often more advanced than its predecessors. Meanwhile, emulation apps on platforms like the Play Store, combined with the power of modern Android gaming phones, make emulation more accessible than ever. You can emulate Nintendo’s GameCube and Wii across multiple platforms with the Dolphin emulator, and it runs on some Chromebooks.

Rather than alienating fans and content creators, Nintendo could embrace emulation as part of its ecosystem. Offering better official emulators that we can use on our hardware, supporting mods, and working to preserve its games would allow Nintendo to maintain its legacy without tarnishing its reputation. Until that happens, the Hydra will continue to grow, ensuring that emulation thrives despite Nintendo’s best efforts to suppress it.