New Switch Emulator Citron Surfaces After Yuzu and Suyu Shutdowns, But Legal Storm Looms
citron nintendo switch emulator, A new player has emerged in the world of Nintendo Switch emulators: Citron. Following the shutdown of Yuzu earlier this year, and its successor Suyu, Citron now takes its place, offering early access on Android. While the emulator is based on the same source code as Yuzu, it brings a few minor upgrades and optimizations, making it slightly distinct from its predecessors.
What sets Citron apart, however, is the way its developer, Zephyron, is presenting the software. In a curious twist, Citron is billed not as a Nintendo Switch emulator but as a Nintendo Homebrew Emulator” intended for educational purposes only. A disclaimer on the site shifts any legal responsibility to users, suggesting that they are solely responsible for how the emulator is used.
Despite this, Citron also includes a warning urging users not to load pirated or unauthorized games. This could be seen as an attempt to avoid legal issues, but it might not be enough to keep Nintendo legal team at bay. After all, the emulator still allows users to upload their own keys, effectively sidestepping any restrictions. This echoes the approach of Suyu, which also promised to avoid piracy while leaving the door wide open for it.
Whether Citron will escape the legal repercussions that have plagued its predecessors remains to be seen, but given Nintendo’s track record, it seems unlikely that this subtle shift in presentation will be enough to avoid the company’s wrath. As we’ve seen before, chopping off one head often leads to two more growing back and with Ryujinx also seeing new offshoots, this battle is far from over.
It’s clear that the cat-and-mouse game between emulators and Nintendo’s legal team is far from finished, and Citron may just be the latest chapter in this ongoing saga.
