The highly controversial PlayStation 2 emulator for Android devices, AetherSX2, has been removed from the Google Play Store starting from March 10th, 2024.

This doesn't come as a surprise for many, though, as the AetherSX2 emulator halted development entirely back in 2023, with the developer specifically mentioning the "neverending impersonating, complaints, demands, and now death threats". Although, it took almost a year for the actual emulator app to be taken down from the Play Store, following the discontinuation of the project.

While AetherSX2 has suspended development a long time ago, and the Play Store will no longer offer the emulator, there's currently a community effort put into patching certain the latest available AetherSX2 version into a better and more developed application, following the original creator stepping down from the project. This new version is titled "NetherSX2", and has been going strong for the past year for those still seeking to have a followup to the AetherSX2 project.

Source

 

[Kioku]

Totally forgot about this. Nice to see there’s some efforts to keep it up though.

 

[Segger]

Always a shame seeing these projects disappear but at least a follow-up exists. Sad that this wasn't even brought down by litigation like yuzu but instead community turmoil.

 

[AdenTheThird]

Another one bites the dust...

 

[Afeohtan]

Interesting how development halted sometime around when DuckStation made a comeback. Not to mention that the UI on the Android versions are nearly identical...

 

[LeyendaV]

This was already dead ages ago. The only reason it wasn't removed till now was because the dev was collecting cash with the extremely intrusive in-app ads.
NetherSX2 is the only way to actually use it.

 

[JaNDeRPeiCH]

NetherSX2 is like a revanced app.

Why patching the AetherSX2? I dont undestand it.I prefer the NetherSX2 to be a standlone apk and nothing to connect to AetherSX2.

 

[Dontuuch17]

Interesting how development halted sometime around when DuckStation made a comeback. Not to mention that the UI on the Android versions are nearly identical...

Yea, there's a long running rumor it's the same dev.

 

[SDA]

This time it was the community's fault, not the big company's. Much like that time when an English patch for a PlayStation game, Germs: Nerawareta Machi was released, and so many people ranted over it that the author had to delete it from download.

Unforgivable if I do say so myself.

 

[Kioku]

This time it was the community's fault, not the big company's. Much like that time when an English patch for a PlayStation game, Germs: Nerawareta Machi was released, and so many people ranted over it that the author had to delete it from download.

Unforgivable if I do say so myself.

At some point devs have to stop doing things for the community and just do it because they want to and enjoy it. You can’t please everyone, and it really seems there will always be antagonists somewhere.

 

[Xdqwerty]

Why controversial?

 

[Marc_LFD]

Death threats? Who tf is sending that shit and why??

It's just unnecessary hate.

 

[ShadowOne333]

Death threats? Who tf is sending that shit and why??

It's just unnecessary hate.

Tbh at this point, if you haven't gotten death threats online, you just haven't internet'd well enough.

 

[The Catboy]

Considering what this project turned into, nothing of value was lost.

 

[Xdqwerty]

Death threats? Who tf is sending that shit and why??

It's just unnecessary hate.

I bet those were by some people who wanted it to run on their potato phones or smh

 

[The Catboy]

Death threats? Who tf is sending that shit and why??

It's just unnecessary hate.

I’ve gotten death threats on GBAtemp from some crack head. I was getting death threats on Twitter for being a VTuber. I literally got a death threat on YouTube because someone assumed I am a trans woman. People on the internet are unhinged and unhealthy.

 

[HalfScoper]

I'd rather use a downgraded APK of before AetherSX2 introduced ads, instead of using that trash calling itself NetherSX2, even though I despise the dev of AetherSX2 for being so pathetic to not being able to ignore people.

 

[RyanTheArchivist]

Always a shame seeing these projects disappear but at least a follow-up exists. Sad that this wasn't even brought down by litigation like yuzu but instead community turmoil.

It's especially interesting seeing the Yuzu situation wasn't just a random target. Like looking into it I cannot say I am shocked in the absolute slightest. That project had some clear management issues that caused it's downfall. However its seeming like it has scared away a bunch of other devs.

 

[tcrtk]

Hope pirate wins over the big Company original emulator is best anyway why they must take everything down like xbox retail modu its stupid i mean that so now I must pay for dev mode how to do that without computer? I have only phone and xbox to do with

 

[Xdqwerty]

Hope pirate wins over the big Company original emulator is best anyway why they must take everything down like xbox retail modu its stupid i mean that so now I must pay for dev mode how to do that without computer? I have only phone and xbox to do with

Idk what did you say but i agree