Nintendo Switch emulator Ryujinx has apparently halted development and been taken offline, following a reported contact from Nintendo to its creator.
This development comes after the well-known shutdown of another Switch emulator earlier this year – Yuzu, where Nintendo pursued legal action resulting in a settlement that led to Yuzu’s creator agreeing to discontinue the project.
Following observations that Ryujinx’s Github and download pages were displaying errors or blank spaces, a message posted on the emulator’s Discord server by a developer known as riperiperi, explaining the situation, has been shared on Ryujinx’s Twitter account.
“Yesterday, [Ryujinx’s lead developer] gdkchan was contacted by Nintendo and offered an agreement to cease work on the project, dissolve the organization, and relinquish control of all related assets,” the message stated. “While awaiting confirmation on his decision, the organization was dissolved, indicating the likely outcome.”
“These words are my own. I don’t want to speak for anyone else here, so please keep that in mind,” riperiperi added, before expressing what appears to be a farewell to the project. As of now, Ryujinx’s Patreon page and website homepage remain active.
Both The Verge and Kotaku’s Ethan Gach attempted to contact Nintendo for comment on this matter, but the console manufacturer declined to provide a statement, directing them to representatives of the ESA (Entertainment Software Association) instead, who also refrained from commenting on behalf of Nintendo. Gach also received a general statement from the ESA regarding copyright piracy.
