Another Retro Emulator Disappears from the App Store
Well, that was quick – following the takedown of a Gameboy emulator on the iOS App Store, it looks like another retro emulator has disappeared from the clutches of iPhone users, or at least those who haven’t managed to download it yet. “Bimmy,” an emulator for the Nintendo Entertainment System lasted barely a day before it was pulled from the App Store.
The app launched with a 99-cent price tag before being made available for free, although it was removed not too long after. While it was initially speculated that Apple removed the app due to violations, developer Tom Salvo himself decided to take down the emulator out of fear. As per his statement:
“I removed the app out of fear. No one reached out to me.”
Given Nintendo’s recent crackdown on third-party emulation apps for mobile devices, we can’t blame him. The Japanese gaming company was clear about its stance on using unofficial software to play its games, with several Nintendo emulation apps being subsequently removed by their developers from Google Play, perhaps out of fear of legal repercussions.
About a week ago, Apple updated its developer guidelines on the App Store, finally allowing developers to upload retro emulator apps. With that said though, we have yet to see an emulator stay on longer than a week.
Source: 9to5Mac