Google has recently put its foot down when it comes to videogame
emulators for the Android. Nesoid, Snesoid and N64oid are just several
of the emulators that Google has removed from its listings. This isn’t
the first time that Google has made a move against emulators, though,
as it had previously taken down Sega system emulators for the Android.

Emulators have long been in existence as the PC has dozens of
emulators that copy all kinds of videogame devices. But emulators
appearing in platforms such as the Android is relatively new. Despite
this, the emulators that Google has removed from its listings have
already become some of the most popular apps that the Android has.

Creating emulators isn’t generally accepted as already illegal but
emulators also rely on the creation of ROMs based on licensed games.
Game companies maintain that these ROMs are copies of their games and
are therefore illegal. With Google’s latest move, it is likely that
other companies could crack down on videogame emulators appearing in
mobile devices in similar fashion. However, even with such a move, the
emulators and the illegal ROMs that people create will still likely be
available for download in private sites online.