I know this entire incident has been inconvenient for everyone involved, and it is entirely our fault we never should have linked directly to a ROM downloading site in the first place, and Nintendo was only protecting their IP.
Openemu 2.0.4 update#
So, an update to GBA4iOS will be out shortly, and with this update the website and download links will be up again for everyone. I’ll do my best to bring it back up once we’ve updated the app, but no promises I may need to find another host for GBA4iOS’ code. However, along with the website, the GBA4iOS GitHub repo was also shut down. In addition to the modification of the in-app web browser, Paul and I have been removing other copyright infringing aspects of the app-such as the use of the Game Boy Advance logo in some controller skins-but we should be finishing that up shortly. When can you expect GBA4iOS to be available for download again? I’d expect it to be available in the next few days. GBA4iOS’ primary focus has always been to give everyone the best emulation experience on iOS, and not to promote piracy hopefully with the removal of the direct links to a ROM downloading site this focus will become more clear. We debated the best course of action to follow, and eventually decided this would be best for our users, and also would allow us to bring GBA4iOS back as soon as possible. Instead, the web browser will take users directly to Google, allowing them to use the in-app web browser for a multitude of other reasons, such as looking up game tutorials. With this information, we’ve decided to no longer point users to any particular ROM downloading site in a future 2.0.4 update. Nowhere in the notice does Nintendo cite the app’s ability to play ROMs, which makes sense, considering emulation itself is perfectly legal in the United States. Many of you had guessed that the reason Nintendo issued the DMCA takedown request was because GBA4iOS pointed directly to a ROM downloading site, and after carefully reading the DMCA notice it appears this is the case. This web site hosts a downloadable mobile application for iOS that provides users with access to unauthorized and illegal copies of Nintendo’s copyright-protected video games in violation of Nintendo’s exclusive rights. While reading through the DMCA notice (the entirety of which can be found here), one particular section stood out, which I’ve reproduced below (emphasis mine): You can find details on the counter-notice procedure here: If we do not receive counter-notice within 14 days, the repo cannot be reinstated.Īpparently, Nintendo had issued a DMCA takedown notice to GitHub (my website host) requesting that access to be disabled.
If you do not believe you are violating these copyrights you can file counter-notice to have the repos reinstated. We received a DMCA takedown notice regarding your GitHub Pages site As such, we have disabled the page. Last Tuesday, May 13th, I received the following email from GitHub: Hopefully, by the time you are done reading this, any questions you may have about GBA4iOS’ future will be answered, and you may resume happily playing your favorite Game Boy games.
As such, I’ve written this blog post in an effort to fill everyone in on why GBA4iOS was taken down, what Paul and I are doing to put GBA4iOS back up for download again, and also to correct some misinformation intentionally being spread in order to tarnish the reputation of GBA4iOS, Paul, and myself. While my partner Paul Thorsen and I have been hard at work responding to these issues, we have failed to communicate exactly what was going on, and what steps we were taking to bring GBA4iOS back from its untimely DMCA death. Many of you have shared your concerns over the future of GBA4iOS in regards to some events that have happened in the past week.
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