Nintendo Reiterates Strict Policy on Online Emulation Following New Patent Licensing Developments
“Although you cannot assert that an emulator is unlawful on its own, it can become illicit depending on its usage.”
The standard overseer of Nintendo’s intellectual property department has elaborated on the company’s webpage regarding emulation.
Koji Nishiura – who is also a licensed patent attorney – delivered a presentation at Japan’s Association of Copyright for Computer Software during the Tokyo eSports Festa 2025 last week titled “The Significance of Intellectual Property Rights in the Gaming Sector.”
According to reports by Denfaminicogamer (via Automaton), Nishiura stated that even though emulation software itself is not inherently illegal, an emulator may “become illegal based on its usage.”
For instance, if an emulator duplicated a game or linked to websites where users could download pirated titles, that could constitute copyright violation. Additionally, if an emulator circumvented game encryption or “technical protection measures,” that could infringe upon Japan’s Unfair Competition Prevention Act.
Nishiura emphasized that it is the misuse of emulators that motivates Nintendo’s efforts to target emulation developers like Yuzu – not