GitHub link to Nintendo’s claim - all the details you need are here
The emulator forks which are being taken down are as follows:
Despite this, the one fork that continues, and will continue without takedown is Ryubing - by Greemdev. This is created by an original member of the Ryujinx team. It’s safe, the code is beyond reproach (and violates zero laws or Nintendo code) and actually brings helpful updates.
Still…shitty news. And more indication that the Switch 2’s architecture will be damn similar to that of this current Switch. Them taking emulators down means the upcoming games have a solid chance of being emulatable on release. But…that’s my own (and others’) conjecture, so we’ll see when the time comes.
Why are they hosting their code on Github? Switch to Codeberg or maybe self host. And yes I know Github has the most users but they’re dealing with something radioactive.
Codeberg can suffer from the same DMCA requests but at least is not managed by Microsoft. To really avoid(or ignore) DMCAs you need to self-host/use a vps for your own version control tool like Forgejo/GitLab or use a decentralized one like Radicle.
What gives them the right to take down emulators? It’s just code someone wrote that happens to be able to interpret bytes from a switch cartridge?
Why wouldn’t they take down a company like analogue for example for making a hardware level gameboy emulator?
IIRC, part of the argument is that Switch games are encrypted, and the emulator uses real Switch keys to read the games. So Nintendo claims that by using official Nintendo Switch keys, it is violating Nintendo’s copyright and is subject to DMCA claims.
The argument is shaky at best. But the problem with DMCA is that combating it actually requires taking the claimant to court. So that’s a prohibitively long and difficult process, just to be able to go “hey Nintendo doesn’t actually have any claim here. Restore my repo.” Especially when Nintendo has a known history of drawing out long legal battles to exhaust defendants’ time+resources.
Just legal bullying. Good luck fighting an army of lawyers that are also lobbying the system. That being said all of that would be civil suits so if emulator creators don’t earn money they don’t have much to lose but the ability to continue the work.
Nintendo got one guy’s paychecks garnished for the rest of his life. So even if you have no money there is a lot to lose.
Just a reminder don’t have emulators on GitHub. They work with big companies to make sure they are taken down. Forks do nothing to help since it’s easy for them to find now.
Just a reminder don’t have emulators on GitHub.
I don’t like GitHub, but this is simply untrue. We host the PCSX2 project on GitHub, and GitHub even donated some amount at one point to the project. The following major, top-of-class video game console emulators (non-exhaustive) are officially hosted on GitHub:
PlayStation:
- DuckStation (PSX/PSOne)
- PCSX2 (PS2)
- RPCS3 (PS3)
- shadPS4 (PS4)
- PPSSPP (PSP)
- Vita3K (PS Vita)
Xbox:
- xemu (Xbox)
- Xenia (Xbox 360)
Nintendo:
- Mesen (NES etc.)
- bsnes-hd (SNES)
- Mupen64Plus-Next (N64)
- Dolphin (GC/Wii)
- Cemu (Wii U)
- SameBoy (GB/GBC)
- mGBA (GBA)
- melonDS (NDS)
Sega:
- Genesis Plus GX (libretro core for multiple)
- Flycast (Dreamcast)
Atari:
- Stella (Atari 2600)
- Atari800 (Atari 8-bit/Atari 5200)
- A7800 (Atari 7800)
Misc:
- BizHawk
- MAME
- ares
- higan
Keep in mind that I’ve only chosen what I believe is the top one or one of the top ones from major consoles. If I could pick multiple per console, this list would be a mile long.
We are literally in a thread about a takedown in GH. But if you go to other sites, they have the repo up.
Suyu, Nuzu, Uzuy, Torzu, and Sudachi have all been taken down. Youtube-dl got taken down until public outcry. The number of takedowns since 2022 have only increased over the years. 2024 being the highest amount.
I’m glad the repos above are not yet being taken down, I truly am. But GitHub is just Microsoft at the end of the day.
We are also on platforms (Lemmy/piefed) that have chosen codeberg over GitHub for their main git hosting.
Probably just a case of the corporate lawyers haven’t noticed those ones yet.
Bruh what? 💀 I chose the highest-profile and arguably best emulators for each major system, let alone that almost every other modern one uses GitHub too. If all of these emulators are flying under the corporate radar, I will deliberately inject myself with rabies and die a slow, agonizing death. I couldn’t come up with this shit if I got cross-faded on meth and fentanyl.
Legitimately shocked that this abject fucking nonsense got three upvotes.
Sorry I accidently insulted your mother or something 😅
Simply untrue.
These are known, and you’d better believe Nintendo knows everything there is to know about each and every emulator that exists. They tried pressuring the team behind Cemu years ago, but it ended up being pointless.
Some of these are years and years and years old.
Self host, codeberg, make mirrors everywhere
Why is Ryubing beyond reproach? I don’t see them doing anything differently than Ryujinx.
Didn’t Nintendo just come out and say emulators weren’t illegal?
Correct. Nishiura said that emulators are not illegal. Depending on how it is used ;P
Anybody got a link to a codeberg fork that looks reliable ?
Nintendo playing whac-a-mole with these forks
I have no issue with emulating games. But I also have no issue of a company trying to stop their games from being emulated.
You have no issue with a company trying to illegally prevent people doing something legal?
Is it only for emulation? Stopping emulation is the illegal part.
how is pirating games legal?
Emulation isn’t piracy and you’re allowed to back up physical games you own. That’s legally your right.
Technically, you’re allowed to make copies for personal use unless doing so requires bypassing DRM, encryption, or some other lockout mechanism.
Emulation is still not piracy and neither is making a personal backup, but if making that backup requires anything more than a standard disc drive or a cart reader then it is a DMCA violation.
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lets say you have spend 10 years making a game. and you put it on steam for $10. but wait. you are making $0 dollars because everyone is just pirating it, and then demanding you make a second one.
Show me how this happening to Nintendo.
Didn’t tears of the kingdom got pirated in like 1 week within release? That must have affected sales in some degree
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Emulation = online piracy
Did I say that? I did not. I said the game was pirated in 1 week which it definitely happened unless everyone who emulated it was using it legally.
I have no issue with emulating games. But I also have no issue of a company trying to stop their games from being emulated.
This was literally your starting argument and what I was objecting to. You have talked about piracy in all follow ups. How else am I supposed to read this? You are equating them. You use them interchangeably to defend Nintendo’s behavior.
If you’re going to sit on a fence, what’s the point in doing it on a public forum? What does that do?
Fuck Nintendo
Indeed
