Welp, it looks like the dust’s already settled over the legal fisticuffs between Nintendo and the popular Switch Emulator Yuzu. The final decision between both parties has come down to an agreement to settle. And boy, howdy, what a whooping settlement it is; spoiler alert! It’s a one-sided stomp-fest!
Now, let’s get this outta the way so we can all continue to fanboy, gush, and fawn over the upcoming Switch successor eluding us until 2025. So, settle in and put on your thinking hats. Here we go!
How Did Nintendo Smash Tropic Haze, The Company Behind Yuzu With A Lawsuit?
Look, we’ll not get into a whole lot of technical and legal jargon and just give it to you straight, capeesh? Here’s what y’all need to know about the lawsuit between Nintendo and the company that created the Switch emulator Yuzu, Tropic Haze.
- The Switch emulation wasn’t the major reason Nintendo went after the Tropic Haze. It was the circumventing of the system’s hardware safety and operating software safeguards. They caused the leaks of in-development or pre-release stages of blockbuster hits like The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom.
- The leaks were clear-cut indications of piracy. Heck, according to Nintendo’s own words in the lawsuit, more than a million downloads of their latest Zelda game’s offering were illegal. Now, y’all know, regardless of the performance being better on Yuzu, it’s still not the licensed hardware to play the game on. The Switch is.
- This prompted the legal battle between the two companies. Or, to be more precise, it caused Nintendo to come out with all guns blazing at Yuzu. Y’all gotta understand, regardless of the game preservation objective and good intentions, Tropic Haze had a Patreon, which earned them a pretty penny of $30,000/month. The company was selling this emulation OS to its patrons. Making money off of Nintendo’s I.P. illegally? That’s a big no-no.
What Happens Now?
Nintendo had a strong case from the start, so naturally, it filed for immediate stoppage of the distribution of the Switch emulator, Yuzu. Nintendo also came after the company’s website, social media platforms, and even Patreon. Whether or not Tropic Haze had the feasibility to fight the lawsuit is irrelevant now. In the latest update, the company relented and agreed to Nintendo’s demands.
All of Yuzu’s distribution, development, and existing progress will cease, and its control will be handed to Nintendo. The owners/creators of the emulator will also pay a whooping sum of $2.4 million to Nintendo for loss of revenue. That about sums up the broad terms of the settlement of the lawsuit. The court will most likely sign off on the settlement since both parties have agreed on the terms.
Will Nintendo Switch Emulators Stop After Yuzu No Longer Exists?
Now, we get to the big question on everyone’s mind. Will the lawsuit prevent others from creating a similar emulator for Nintendo Switch like Yuzu? Here’s the long and short of it: No! The emulator for Nintendo hardware will not end; the reason is that it’s one company that’s gone down.
There are no doubts in our minds that since the emulation has been backed up and is in the hands of previous Patreon buyers of Yuzu, there will be different iterations in the future. It’s all about the waiting game and seeing how things proceed after the heat dies down. It’s a question of when, not if if you will.
Final Thoughts On the Nintendo Switch Emulator Yuzu Ending
Well, there you have it, folks. Our take on the lawsuit that’s got everybody buzzing. Honestly, we believe the proceedings are equivalent to total pwnage where Nintendo whooped the Switch emulator, Yuzu, on the behind. Hey, it’s harsh but true and needed to be said. We’re not in the habit of sugarcoating things.
Besides, the emulation wave doesn’t stop just because Yuzu’s not around. It’s like Kain from Legacy Of Kain said, ‘As long as a single one of us stands, we are legion.’ Anyway, in other lawsuit gaming news, Call Of Duty megastar OpTic has sued Activision for an eye-opening $680 million. So, that happened; what are your thoughts on the two lawsuits? Tell us in the comments below. We’re gonna take off now, so until next time, happy gaming!