With the demise of Yuzu, the largest Switch emulator was lost. Now, a new project is set to take its place.
It was a devastating verdict for the popular Switch emulator Yuzu. After Nintendo sued Tropic Haze, the developers behind Yuzu, the team not only had to pay $2.4 million in damages to the video game giant, but also had to shut down all projects related to Nintendo's products.
Now, however, another team has taken it upon themselves to keep Yuzu alive, in the form of a new emulator.
Suyu: The New Switch Emulator
Despite Yuzu's massive defeat in court, another team is now daring to step into Nintendo's crosshairs. "Suyu" is the name of the new project that aims to take over the legacy of the Switch emulator. Have you noticed? "Suyu" sounds like "sue you." Yes, I had the same reaction. The developers behind Suyu are well aware that they are treading on thin ice with this project.
The team has made it their mission to let all the hard work that was put into Yuzu bear fruit with their emulator. Suyu is based on Yuzu's source code. But how exactly do the developers plan to ensure that they don't suffer the same fate as Tropic Haze?
What Suyu Aims To Do Better Than Yuzu
In an interview with Arstechnica, one of the people in charge explains their approach. "Sharpie" says that they plan to forego any form of monetization from the outset, while Yuzu, for example, financed itself through its Patreon page. This makes sense, as Nintendo emphasized in its lawsuit that Tropic Haze made profit from the intellectual property of others.
In addition, Suyu does not provide step-by-step instructions for installing ROMs, thereby distancing itself from providers who distribute illegal ROM hacks. They make this clear on their Github page.
Note: We do not support or condone piracy in any form. In order to use suyu, you'll need keys from your real Switch system, and games which you have legally obtained and paid for. We do not intend to make money or profit from this project.
Currently, the new Switch emulator is not yet completed, and the developers are still working on removing "all references to Yuzu and Tropic Haze from the source code".
Another problem that spelled doom for Yuzu was the creation of "title.keys". With these, the developers bypassed the encryption of Nintendo's security system, which is of course not allowed. Suyu, on the other hand, relies on users having to use their own "prod.keys". Whether these really only come from legally purchased games, the developers cannot check, but at least the responsibility then lies with the users.
So you have to wait if you want to check out the new emulator yourself. Despite the measures, it remains to be seen whether Nintendo will not find a way to cut off this project as well.