Switch emulator Yuzu responds to Nintendo's lawsuit

Tropic Haze – the company behind the emulation software Yuzu – has responded to Nintendo's summons that accuses the company of "illegally circumventing Nintendo's software encryption".

Earlier this week, Ed reported Nintendo was suing the creators of Switch emulator Yuzu, claiming more than one million copies of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom were pirated ahead of its release.

In the lawsuit, Nintendo claimed that by allowing Yuzu emulator users to play its games illegally by circumventing its software encryption, Tropic Haze facilitates piracy "at a colossal scale".

In its response, Tropic Haze has confirmed it has retained the services of an attorney from Pierce Atwood LLP, and committed to responding to the motion within 60 days of the date the paperwork was filed, which was 27th February, 2024.

Nintendo is seeking damages for alleged violations and for the emulator to be shut down. Neither Yuzu nor Tropic Haze's social media accounts have publicly commented on the lawsuit, and – at the time of writing – the emulator continues to be freely available from the official website.

Despite piracy, Tears of the Kingdom sold over 10 million units worldwide in three days to become the fastest-selling game in the series and – as per the most recent Nintendo earnings report – the game has now sold over 20 million copies since its release.

This is not the first time Nintendo has flexed its legal muscles, of course. Nintendo is notorious for clamping down on piracy, most notably with its lawsuit against hacker Gary Bowser, who said he believes his 40-month custodial sentence was designed to send a message to others who may cross the company.