It’s no secret that Nintendo is very stingy when it comes to its intellectual property. After all, the multinational Japanese video game company has already struck down thousands of YouTube videos for using its music, with content creator and soundtrack maker DeoxysPrime even receiving 500+ copyright claims over a week. Now, however, instead of going after clips using, say, the Mario theme song, Nintendo has nuked two highly popular Switch emulator Discord servers in Suyu and Sudachi.
For those unfamiliar, both Nintendo Switch emulator groups provide programs that allow users to experience Switch games without owning the console. By installing software provided by either organization, you can fully play titles like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Luigi’s Mansion 3, or Super Mario Odyssey on your preferred device. Naturally, this poses a problem because even though Suyu and Sudachi are non-profit entities that function purely on donations, they still fully use several of Nintendo’s properties. So, as initially reported by The Verge, Nintendo swiftly removed both Discord servers from existence.
Nintendo erases Suyu and Sudachi Switch emulator Discord servers
It is worth noting, though, that information around these latest takedowns is still murky. According to The Verge’s original article, Sudachi developer Jarrod Norwell claimed that the emails Discord sent to them mentioned that the removal of their account “had something to do with intellectual property” but that it lacked clear details. Of course, it’s also possible that some users were pirating software and games through now-deleted channels. However, since both servers have been erased, this is mere speculation, and we won’t know the whole picture until either Discord or Nintendo provides it themselves.
With the Nintendo Switch 2 release date also reportedly arriving in 2025, the Japanese video game company may become stricter in the leap-up to its launch. So, to avoid the wrath of its copyright strike machine, we recommend sticking with Nintendo’s officially licensed products.
