Nintendo of America has initiated a legal battle against Tropic Haze, the developer of the renowned Switch emulator, Yuzu. According to a report by Game File journalist, Stephen Totilo, the console producer argues that the “defendant and its representatives knowingly allow Yuzu's use for circumvention purposes and aid piracy on a massive scale.”
NEW: Nintendo is suing the creators of popular Switch emulator Yuzu, saying their tech illegally circumvents Nintendo's software encryption and facilitates piracy.
— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) February 27, 2024
Seeks damages for alleged violations and a shutdown of the emulator. pic.twitter.com/SGZVI6Cs0x
Yuzu gives users the opportunity to play pirated Switch games on different platforms such as Windows, Linux, or Android systems, Nintendo alleges. The lawsuit prominently notes that last year’s highly anticipated Switch game, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, was illicitly downloaded over a million times in the week and a half prior to its official launch in May.
The document from Nintendo states, “With access to Yuzu, users can effortlessly acquire and play unauthorized versions of virtually every Nintendo Switch game, without spending any money on Nintendo or any of the numerous game developers and publishers selling games for the Nintendo Switch.” It goes on to assert that in essence, Yuzu transforms ordinary computing devices into mediums for severe infringement of intellectual property by violating Nintendo's and other entities' copyrights.
The damages Nintendo is claiming are based on alleged breaches, and it is also requesting the emulator’s cessation. Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was admittedly the second highest-selling game last year, selling over 20 million units. This was a record only surpassed by Hogwarts Legacy.
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