Nintendo has long been known for its aggressive legal stance against emulation and piracy, a reputation further solidified by recent legal actions and public statements from its representatives. In March 2024, the developers of the Nintendo Switch emulator Yuzu were compelled to pay $2.4 million in damages following a settlement with Nintendo. Later, in October 2024, the development of another Switch emulator, Ryujinx, was halted after receiving communication from Nintendo. The year prior, in 2023, the team behind Dolphin, an emulator for Gamecube and Wii, faced legal hurdles when advised against a full release on Steam due to pressure from Nintendo's lawyers.

A high-profile case from 2023 involved Gary Bowser, a member of Team Xecuter, who was convicted of fraud for selling devices that circumvented the Nintendo Switch's anti-piracy measures. Bowser was ordered to repay Nintendo $14.5 million, a debt he will be servicing for the rest of his life.

At the Tokyo eSports Festa 2025, Koji Nishiura, a patent attorney and Assistant Manager of Nintendo's Intellectual Property Division, shed light on the company's approach to piracy and emulation. Speaking alongside representatives from Capcom and Sega, Nishiura clarified that while emulators are not inherently illegal, their use can lead to legal issues. He noted that if an emulator copies a game's program or disables a console's security features, it could be considered copyright infringement. This perspective is influenced by Japan's Unfair Competition Prevention Act (UCPA), which, while only enforceable within Japan, shapes Nintendo's global legal strategy.

The discussion highlighted the case of the Nintendo DS "R4" card, which allowed users to play pirated games. After a concerted effort by Nintendo and 50 other software companies, the sale of R4 cards was outlawed in Japan in 2009 under the UCPA.

Nishiura also addressed the role of "reach apps," tools that enable the download of pirated software within emulators or other software, citing examples like the 3DS's "Freeshop" and the Switch's "Tinfoil." These tools, he argued, also infringe on copyright laws.

Nintendo's legal filings in the Yuzu lawsuit claimed that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was pirated one million times, facilitated by Yuzu's Patreon page, which allegedly provided subscribers with early access and unreleased features, generating significant monthly revenue for the developers.

Nintendo's ongoing legal battles and public statements underscore its commitment to protecting its intellectual property and combating piracy and unauthorized emulation.