Android sideloading crackdown: Emulator devs weigh in

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It’s been a crazy week for emulation fans, so strap in because this is a long one.

1. Emulation devs respond to Android sideloading change

If you’ve ever set up an Android-based gaming handheld, you know that sideloading is an essential part of the process. Everything from frontends like ES DE to Switch emulators like Eden require you to manually download and install an APK, which Android devices make fairly simple.

But starting next year, that will change. Play Protect-certified devices will automatically block apps from installing, even outside of the Play Store, unless the app’s developer registers their real name, address, and maybe even government ID with Google.

So far, many have speculated that this may have a chilling effect on projects that exist on the edges of the legal gray areas of emulation.

But what do devs think? After all, this will affect them more than the average user. I contacted a few popular emulator developers for comment, and here’s what they had to say.

Trixarian, the developer behind the PS2 emulator NetherSX2 and the upcoming EtherealSX2 follow-up, isn’t terribly concerned. He has already committed to registering as a hobbyist so his apps can be sideloaded, provided it isn’t cost-prohibitive. He wrote:

"It's more than just the cost involved since we are losing essential freedoms and selling points of the Android Platform - the ability to freely sideload and quick prototyping since we're now forced to sign all our applications. This has been an issue with Android for a few years now since it's been slowly introducing policies that hinder a developer's ability to develop for the platform while limiting the freedoms of the userbase. One day Google will take a step too far and most likely kill the platform entirely. A death by a thousand cuts so to speak."

As for his personal privacy, he had this to say:

“Google already has a large amount of my personal information, and I had to go through a verification process with them several times to use their various services over the years… so this isn't really something new to me.”

He continues:

“There's always a risk of harassment, especially within the emulation and romhacking scene. More so considering that Google themselves was hacked earlier this month and that leaked information can be misused for harassment campaigns. We've already seen that done to a Retroid staff member when his private information was leaked on reddit last year due to the Mini's screen controversy. It's fine to be passionate, but people need to realize when they're crossing a line.”

Jarrod Norwell, who developed the Switch emulator Sudachi before moving on to the iOS app Folium, has a unique take. He is one of the few emulation developers who openly uses his name and face online, while it doesn’t appear to have had many negative consequences, he is aware of the risks. He writes:

"I’m almost certain it will discourage developers from making not only emulators but also apps or works in general available to the public. I’ve recently seen a post on r/iOSProgramming where they were asking how to hide their name as they were worried about receiving death threats.​My name and face is displayed pretty much everywhere now and I personally don’t have an issue with providing Apple with my name, address or any information and would have no issue doing so with Google too. I’ve been doing this since 2010 and have not once received a death threat or anything of the kind. Some people however, have gone out of their way to message me on more personal platforms … which is by no means acceptable."

Azahar member OpenSauce, who maintains the Android version of the app, had strong feelings about the change, despite Azahar not being significantly affected (it’s already on the Play Store):

"For myself and many others, the primary selling point of Android has always been its openness, but with Google closing off Android's development earlier this year and now this, this core value of being free and open platform is quickly fading.​Users should know what they are getting into when they install an APK from the internet, and should be ensuring that it comes from a reputable source as you would on any other operating system. A warning to inform users would be understandable, but completely disabling the ability to install apps from developers who haven't been vetted by Google is unacceptable. Wrapping billions of global Android users in bubblewrap to save a minority of uninformed users from themselves isn't a solution to the problem. Could you imagine if Windows made signing mandatory for software to run? It would be a disaster!​I can only interpret this change from Google as overtly malicious. I believe that it is an intentional attack on the freedom of Android users disguised as an attempt to make users safer, when all it does in reality is increase Google's progressively tightening grip on the Android ecosystem. I can't see it as anything else."

This change has proven extremely unpopular among Android enthusiasts, so here’s to hoping the decision is reversed before it takes hold next year.

In any case, it will only affect Play Protect-certified devices, so gaming handhelds from AYANEO, AYN, Retroid, and ANBERNIC will still be able to sideload APKs, provided developers are still willing to work on them.

2. MagicX reveals more crazy handheld designs

On a more lighthearted note, MagicX unveiled its roadmap for 2025/26, with two devices slated to land in 2025. Granted, the company has pushed back, reworked, or even abandoned releases in the past, so take this with a grain of salt.

The MagicX One35, a horizontal handheld with two d-pads, is planned for a September release. The idea is that the 3.5-inch screen can be used horizontally with the left d-pad, or vertically using the right d-pad. Tate all the way!

The MagicX Retro 45 is slated for December, although we still haven’t gotten a full look at the design. It’s intended to be a Nintendo 64 emulation device, complete with four C buttons in the upper right.

As for 2026, the most interesting device there is the Retro DS, seen above. It has two screens: a larger 4.1-inch, 1280×720 panel and a smaller 3.4-inch, 960×720 panel. Overall, the layout is almost identical to a 2DS, but with screens that allow for 3x upscaling.

It’s clearly a 3DS emulation machine, with a design that's unique, to say the least. MagicX-M-Sean describes it as “a bit like a butterfly” on Discord, promising that it’s more comfortable than it looks. Having used the DS-focused MagicX Zero 40, I believe him. I was shocked by how comfortable that handheld is, despite the lumpy appearance.

Speaking of the Zero 40, the Two58 appears to be a follow-up of sorts. It has a larger 5.8-inch screen with a much less vertical aspect ratio and a more powerful Dimensity 7350 SoC. The company claims this is enough for 3x to 4x upscaling on 3DS emulation, and the mockup shows retro 4:3 games running at a decent 4.6-inch size, too. Granted, the design is ugly as sin.

The other interesting devices were two unpictured “Whirl” handhelds, described by MagicX-M-Sean as “Literally, a device that can rotate.” Could these finally revive the LG Wing design and pick up where the OneX Cube failed? I guess we’ll find out next year.

Personally, I’m all for MagicX’s wacky new line of handhelds. The focus on DS and 3DS emulation feels very timely with all these dual-screen handhelds coming out, and they could provide a nice 2DS-style budget alternative.

They also remind me of the hideous handhelds from the '90s, but mostly in a good way. Mostly.

Handheld highlights

🔥 Hot off the press, AYN has finally revealed Odin 3 design renders in a video on YouTube. To me, it looks like a cross between the Retroid Pocket 5 and the Odin 2 Portal. I'm not going to speculate on the chipset, since it could very well be announced by the time this goes out. [YouTube]

2️⃣ The AYN Thor is now available for pre-order. The dual-screen handheld is expected to ship in October, but the pre-order discount is limited, so you don’t lose much by waiting. From weak hinges to software gore, there’s a lot that can still go wrong. [AYN]

🎥 Speaking of software, AYANEO is holding a Product Sharing Session today where it will show off the state of the Pocket DS’ dual-screen software. The session starts at 8:00 AM EST, so it might already be finished depending on when you read this. [X]

📦 The Retroid Dual Screen Add-On has started shipping with a fix that reduces latency to nearly 0ms. However, it doesn’t work with the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro due to MediaTek platform issues, so you may have had your order refunded. [Discord]

🤔 A few days after Retroid refunded select orders, Russ from Retro Game Corps mentioned in a video that the team was able to find a fix for MediaTek devices. It’s still not clear what’s going on with this device, but I would hold off on buying one for now. That said, I have one on the way and will report back once it arrives. [YouTube]

📉 On that note, Retroid has pushed OTA updates to the Pocket 5 and Pocket Mini V2, but the latter appears to have broken some things. Users are reporting audio problems and forced 16:9 aspect ratios, so hold off on updating if you haven’t already. [Discord] [Reddit]

🚫 Bad news for anyone thinking of buying a cheap used Nintendo 3DS from Japan (note: that’s me). Starting today, August 29, Japan Post will no longer accept US-bound packages with a value greater than $100 due to difficulty complying with new tariff guidelines. [Japan Post]

👾 Linux distro Bazzite got a big update, increasing performance and adding support for the AYANEO 3 and AOKZOE A1X handhelds, plus preliminary support for the MSI Claw A8 and Legion Go 2. [Website]

🫧 Game Bub is a new FPGA handheld that can play physical GB, GBC, and GBA cartridges. It’s not nearly as polished as something like the Analogue Pocket (and it’s more expensive), but the open-source nature might appeal to some enthusiasts. [Crowd Supply]

The Emulator Report

🏳️ Nintendo Switch emulator Sudachi is no longer under active development. This was signaled way back in October 2024, but now it’s official. On the plus side, the dev can now spend more time on Folium, which is great news for emulation on iOS. [Website]

🖥️ IMB PC emulator 86Box hit v5.0, with a ton of new features and updates. Some highlights are a new manager for emulated setups and a reworked OpenGL 3.0 Core renderer for better shader support. [Website]

💿 PC multi-emulator ares hit v146, and it’s now the first emulator to support LaserDisc-based Mega LD, an attachment to the LaserActive system. All current game dumps now feature perfect compatibility, although the team notes that the Laserdisc dumps are 28GB and 36GB per side. [Patch notes]

🎮 ARMSX2, a new Android port of PS2 emulator PSCSX, has released a few new test builds available on Discord. Don’t expect improvements over NetherSX2, but if you want to help out with testing (particularly on Mali devices), the team is looking for guinea pigs. [Discord]

Retro archives

🧱 The LEGO Game Boy is now available for pre-order (releasing October 1), but leaks show the next blockified game release will be the Genesis/Mega Drive controller. However, rumors are that it will be a gift with purchase, so you’ll have to spend over €130 on the LEGO website to get it for “free”. [Instagram]

🤠 Cowboy Bebop - Tsuioku no Serenade (Serenade of Reminiscence), a 2005 PS game, has been translated into English. The game is pretty mediocre, but it’s still a better nostalgia fix than the Netflix live-action series. [GitHub]

🗂️ Nintendo might be pushing empty Game Cards for the Switch 2, but the Japanese government doesn’t think they qualify for preservation. In other words, the “physical” cards are treated the same as digital games because you have to download the content to play. [Automaton]​

🕹️ The upcoming N64 FPGA ModRetro console is using FPGAzumSpass's MiSTer N64 core. Work on that core ended over a year ago, but the developer later confirmed on Discord that he is again working to improve the core specifically for ModRetro’s M64 console. Watch out, Analogue 3D. [X]

⚡ On that note, Terasic announced the DE-25, a follow-up to the DE-10 Nano that powers the MiSTer FPGA project. It’s not a big upgrade, but the faster chip and RAM should be useful for Saturn, Jaguar, and N64 cores. [RetroRGB]

📕 Rodrigo Copetti has released a third book in his Architecture of Consoles series, covering the Sega Saturn, PlayStation, Virtual Boy, and Nintendo 64. The full text is available for free on his website, or you can buy an ebook or physical copy from Amazon. [Website] [Amazon]

🥷 Atari and Limited Run Games are teaming up to re-release a collection of classic Mortal Kombat games in physical and digital format for Switch 1/2, Xbox One/Series, PlayStation 4/5 and PC. Pre-orders on the largest Kollector’s Edition end on August 31, but won’t ship until next year. [Atari]

📢 Acclaim, which was revived earlier this year under new ownership, teased its first major announcement coming on September 10. The publisher is also accepting game pitches on its official website. [YouTube]

😔 The massive Banjo Kazooie mod Banjo Kazooie Grunty's Revenge Redone, which reimagines the GBA game using the N64 engine, has ceased production. Developer YoomTah claims the project is 90% finished and will release the project as-is for others to finish. [X]