As expected, the Yuzu emulator scandal will have long-term and larger-scale consequences. This week, another developer decided to shut down his apps before Nintendo sues him. It's Davide Berra, the creator of the popular Pizza Emulators. Previously available on the Google Play Store, the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance emulators have now disappeared.
However, at first glance, the two cases don't seem to be related. The developer makes no mention of Yuzu, and explains that he has come to make this decision in order to “prioritize [his] family over the development of [his] apps.” On his Discord server, he states:
“My family comes first, and that is why I have chosen to prioritize my family over the development of my apps. I want to thank each and every one of you for your incredible support over the years. Your encouragement, feedback, and constant support have been an inspiration to me and my work.”
Could the Yuzu case have influenced Pizza Emulators?
It must be admitted, however, that the timing is unusual. Just a few days ago, Nintendo announced that it was filing a lawsuit against Tropic Haze, the creator of the Yuzu emulator. The emulator allowed Steam Deck owners to play Nintendo Switch titles. According to Nintendo, this is a practice that encourages players to pirate games before their release, and thus cause a considerable loss of revenue, as was the case for Zelda Tears of the Kingdom.
Before there was even a trial, Tropic Haze admitted the accusations, and offered to compensate Nintendo after shutting down its site and apps. Although the complaint has not yet been extended to other emulators, Davide Berra seems to be getting ahead of himself. The situation is not similar, however. The developer is targeting much older consoles, so there is no longer any risk of causing a circumvention of the traditional purchasing method.
We can see through this case how the case law concerning Yuzu could create a viable precedent to condemn future iterations of emulators. All that remains is to We will have to wait for the court decision to know for sure what the future holds for emulators, especially those that offer to copy the most recent consoles.
0 Comments