In a surprising turn of events, Tropic Haze LLC, the company responsible for the popular Yuzu and Citra emulators, has shut down both projects and associated websites as part of a $2.4 million settlement with Nintendo.
The lawsuit was filed by Nintendo against Tropic Haze LLC, claiming that the Yuzu emulator, used to play Nintendo Switch games on PC, required files extracted from a real Switch device, which is not a lawful way to use the emulator. As a result, Citra, a 3DS emulator also developed by Tropic Haze LLC, was shut down as well.
While emulators themselves are legal, the issue arises when they require proprietary firmware and keys, as it raises legal concerns regarding copyright infringement. Despite the shutdown of these projects, there is speculation that Citra may resurface under a different name and Yuzu may find a way to reincarnate in the future.
This lawsuit and subsequent settlement shed light on the legal complications surrounding emulator use and copyright infringement. It serves as a reminder to developers and users alike to be mindful of the legal implications of their actions when it comes to creating and using emulators. Stay tuned for further updates on this evolving story.
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