Nintendo sends four DMCA takedowns to GitHub over Switch emulators and modchip firmware

Four notices, 144 repositories removed

Nintendo sent four DMCA takedown notices to GitHub targeting repositories tied to Switch piracy, according to the notice GitHub published on 6 November. The notices cover two Switch emulators, Yuzu and Citron Neo, and firmware used with modified chips such as the Picofly.

GitHub removed 144 repositories that hosted the modchip firmware. Such chips can be soldered onto the Switch motherboard and programmed with the firmware to bypass Nintendo's copy protection, Gamekult reported.

Nintendo's notice says the console and its games contain technical protection measures that let the console interact only with legitimate game files. According to the notice, these measures protect the games by stopping users from playing pirated copies and from copying and running Nintendo games illegally on unauthorised devices.

Not the first action against Yuzu

Nintendo has targeted these repositories before, including Yuzu. In 2024 the company had 8,500 copies of Yuzu removed, Gamekult reported.

The focus this time is the modchip firmware rather than the emulators alone. According to TorrentFreak, the firmware is still hosted elsewhere on GitHub, since not every copy can be removed despite Nintendo's efforts.

A changed emulation scene

The report also notes that emulation in 2026 differs from 2024. With the growth of AI, a wave of AI-made mods spread across social networks, and Anthropic blocked Claude from copying games outright.

Nintendo's latest notices follow a Switch 2 firmware update released this week. According to Gamekult, the update fixed the problem behind an exploit that led to the creation of many Switch 2 emulators online and to the piracy of games for the console.

Whether the takedowns reduce Switch piracy is not established. The firmware remains available elsewhere, and Nintendo has not said what further action it plans.