Nintendo's Legal Expert Reveals Secrets on Piracy and Emulation

Nintendo's ongoing battle against piracy and emulation has gained attention after a recent discussion at the Tokyo eSports Festa 2025. Patent attorney Koji Nishiura, representing Nintendo, articulated the complexities surrounding the legality of emulators. While emulators themselves aren't inherently illegal, their usage could breach copyright laws if they replicate game programs or disable console security features. Nintendo's aggressive stance is evident from recent lawsuits concerning emulators like Yuzu and Ryujinx, alongside past actions targeting the notorious R4 card for the Nintendo DS. The company claims that games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom have faced significant piracy, further solidifying its legal approach to intellectual property protection.

Emulators are not illegal in themselves, but their legality depends on how they are used. Any emulator that copies a game program or bypasses security measures might infringe copyright laws.

The Nintendo Switch, launched in 2017, became a revolutionary console, merging handheld and home gaming. With an impressive library that includes iconic titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey, it has established itself as a favorite among gamers. The emergence of emulators has sparked significant debate, especially as developers aim to recreate the gaming experience on different platforms, often raising the ire of Nintendo, which fiercely protects its intellectual property. This ongoing conflict underscores the delicate balance between innovation and copyright enforcement in the gaming industry.