Android Market's most popular emulators disappear

[Terminator02]

If you're an Android gamer, chances are you've heard of Nesoid, Snesoid, Gensoid, N64oid, Ataroid, Gearoid and Gameboid: they're all video game console emulators developed by yongzh, and many ranked among the most popular paid apps on the Android Market. This week, they've got something else in common, too -- they've all been abruptly removed. Following a complaint from Sega, two emulators were nixed late last month, but we're hearing that Google has since revoked yongzh's developer privileges, just like PSX4Droid comrade-in-arms ZodTTD. We're currently reaching out to both yongzh and Google for comment, and hope to hear back soon, but it's looking like a bleak week for the emulation community.

Update: We got in touch with yongzh (or Yong Zhang, as he's known in real life) to discuss the matter, and he confirms that his developer account has been removed and his apps pulled without warning -- cutting off his primary source of income and leaving him with an inbox stuffed with worried email from customers. He has, however, already migrated a number of emulators to third-party app store SlideME, where they'll be free for a while, allowing existing customers to get updates without paying a second time, and likely helping a number of new individuals to mooch off his troubles. He's not too optimistic about his prospects at SlideME, though. [/p]

Source (Engadget)

yongzh at SlideME

latest PSX4Droid from ZodTTD's blog

 

[XAlexBlitz209X]

I'm glad for [censored] because it still has these apps including n64oid

 

[_Chaz_]

I'm glad for [censored] because it still has these apps including n64oid

What a constructive post, I just doubt anyone wants to pay $500 for some emulators.

Besides, they're being ported over to a third-party app store like the first post said.

 

[Terminator02]

and they're free at slideME right now, i'm downloading them from the SAM app as i type

 

[Blaze163]

Meh. Emulators are kinda crappy on my phone anyway. My SNES emulator works ok, even plays Starwing, but it's slow and for reasons unknown doesn't support multi-touch, so I have to stop moving in order to shoot anything, and can't barrel roll to the side. My PSP's SNES emulator plays everything except Starwing pretty much perfectly. So why would I bother with the phone one? Starfox 64 will be out on 3DS soon anyway, giving me the complete package.

 

[Danny600kill]

I guess these things happen and he knew it was a possibility as there is always going to be copyright issues when it comes to things like this, I'm sure I read something about the Sega emulators a few weeks back as Sega was going to release some of their classic games on the marketplace

Oh well if you can still get them then no real problem has been caused

 

[Tonitonichopchop]

Oh well if you can still get them then no real problem has been caused

Except that this guy lost his primary income source.

 

[prowler]

It's nothing to do with Nintendo or other companies, this man is using open source (licensed) code and charging for it.

Edit: spelling.

 

[SamAsh07]

Bad news for Android users

Lets see what happens in the coming days.

 

[Danny600kill]

Oh well if you can still get them then no real problem has been caused

Except that this guy lost his primary income source.

Sorry didn't specify no real problem to the users

Shame about him losing money though, especially in this day and age

 

[DSGamer64]

Making money off emulators that play copyrighted material, how could anyone even put them up on their store for money? The guy is just another crook by selling his product which runs illegal copies of games, that's worse then those of us who pirate, at least we aren't paying for emulators to do it.

 

[Danny600kill]

Making money off emulators that play copyrighted material, how could anyone even put them up on their store for money? The guy is just another crook by selling his product which runs illegal copies of games, that's worse then those of us who pirate, at least we aren't paying for emulators to do it.

Yes but he could of intended it to be used for homebrew games made for that system ect which are not illegal

 

[m3rox]

Oh well if you can still get them then no real problem has been caused

Except that this guy lost his primary income source.


His own fault.

QUOTE(DSGamer64 @ May 29 2011, 11:03 PM)

Making money off emulators that play copyrighted material, how could anyone even put them up on their store for money? The guy is just another crook by selling his product which runs illegal copies of games, that's worse then those of us who pirate, at least we aren't paying for emulators to do it.

Yes but he could of intended it to be used for homebrew games made for that system ect which are not illegal

Oh ffs, I'm sick and tired of this bs argument. Everyone and their grandmother knows that the only reason an emulator is created is to run copy-written roms.

 

[Terminator02]

Making money off emulators that play copyrighted material, how could anyone even put them up on their store for money? The guy is just another crook by selling his product which runs illegal copies of games, that's worse then those of us who pirate, at least we aren't paying for emulators to do it.

Yes but he could of intended it to be used for homebrew games made for that system ect which are not illegal

lol, that's a joke, his apps used to come with ROM Gripper as an add on, which downloaded official games for free, ROM gripper got pulled a while ago

 

[Danny600kill]

Making money off emulators that play copyrighted material, how could anyone even put them up on their store for money? The guy is just another crook by selling his product which runs illegal copies of games, that's worse then those of us who pirate, at least we aren't paying for emulators to do it.

Yes but he could of intended it to be used for homebrew games made for that system ect which are not illegal

lol, that's a joke, his apps used to come with ROM Gripper as an add on, which downloaded official games for free, ROM gripper got pulled a while ago

I know I have it on my HTC Desire

But in legal terms he could say he never intended it to be used for illegal roms

''Oh ffs, I'm sick and tired of this bs argument. Everyone and their grandmother knows that the only reason an emulator is created is to run copy-written roms. ''

We all know what we use it for and why they do it but but they have to say that to save their back in legal cases, so the argument is never going to end because the moment they admit the real intention they have something to be sued over

 

[jalaneme]

these are real dark times for android, real dark times, 1st it was the psx emu and now all of them? no way man, next time i buy a phone it will be linux open-source that way i can do the hell i want with it.

 

[Danny600kill]

these are real dark times for android, real dark times, 1st it was the psx emu and now all of them? no way man, next time i buy a phone it will be linux open-source that way i can do the hell i want with it.

Oh yes because the whole of the android user base bought them for Emulators which are still available, and because it's android doesn't change the choice to take it off, they would still try if it was Linux, it would just be a bit more difficult but then remember if it was a linux open source phone then it would have a very minimal customer base and so you would not take in money like people like HTC or even Apple do with their Phones

 

[Terminator02]

you can't do what ever the hell you want with it if there are no apps for it (referring to MeeGo)

P.S. Android is linux-based and open source

 

[granville]

I have to agree with some people. His emulators are solid and all, but he is effectively taking free open source code and charging people for it. Snesoid is a port of SNES9x, and the authors at the official website are rather irritated over it. Someone else made a free port of snes9x- snes9x ex. Specifically made to show people that it's not supposed to cost anything.

I wanted to mention though- yongzh removed n64oid himself due to complaints that the preliminary releases weren't compatible or fast enough. He intended to remove it and work on it for a month or two before rereleasing it back on the market in a fixed form. I would assume that this new crackdown will be his end.

 

[Blaze163]

If anyone's interested, you can get a touch controlled remake of NES classic Duck Hunt on the Android App Market. Same graphics, same music, same gameplay. Just no light gun. Worth a look. Can't shoot the dog though

So it's not all doom and gloom. There are other emulators around anyway.