Nintendo Museum in Japan may be using emulators to run its classic games, sparking online controversy. This twist comes just as the gaming giant has ramped up its aggressive legal war against emulators and piracy.
The Nintendo Museum, which opened on October 2, 2024, in Uji City, celebrates the company’s long history, from its origins in making Hanafuda cards to becoming a global video game powerhouse. Visitors can interact with various exhibits showcasing iconic Nintendo products and play classic games.
However, this celebration of Nintendo’s legacy coincides with the company’s fierce crackdown on emulators. Earlier this year, Nintendo filed lawsuits against major emulator developers, including Yuzu and Ryujinx, citing piracy concerns.
In March, Yuzu developers settled with Nintendo for $2.4 million, leading to the project’s shutdown. In October, Ryujinx, another popular emulator, ceased operations following a direct agreement with Nintendo.
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— Chris (@ChrisMack32) October 14, 2024
Despite this hardline stance, a clip circulating on X (formerly known as Twitter) allegedly shows a game running at the museum suddenly cutting off, followed by the recognizable “device disconnected” sound heard when a USB device is unplugged from a Windows PC.
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Many fans immediately speculated that this suggests the museum might be using emulators on PCs to showcase old games. The viral clip has sparked debate, with some accusing Nintendo of hypocrisy.
If true, this incident reveals a double standard – Nintendo harshly condemns emulators in the gaming community, yet might be using them to run their displays.
Nintendo’s public stance against third-party emulation doesn’t negate their ability to emulate internally. Nintendo has a history of developing its internal emulation technologies through its subsidiary, Nintendo European Research & Development (NERD). This includes emulators for various retro consoles, such as the NES, SNES, and Game Boy for platforms like the Nintendo Switch Online service.
We reached out to Nintendo for comment on the circulating video and whether emulators are indeed being used at the museum. At the time of writing, Nintendo has yet to respond.