INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
There are countless Android-powered gaming handhelds, but they go beyond the usual slate of Android games by offering console emulation
The problem is the game ROMs on these devices, which are not entirely legal
Italian YouTuber Once Were Nerd is learning how seriously some rightsholders are taking game piracy after agents from the country's Guardia
di Finanza showed up to confiscate his consoles
He now says the investigation could lead to criminal charges and the end of his channel.Once Were Nerd has produced YouTube content covering
a plethora of gaming topics, including Android-based handheld game machines from the likes of Powkiddy and TrimUI
These devices usually run an older version of Android that has been heavily modified for gaming, featuring built-in emulation support for
retro consoles like SNES, Nintendo 64, PlayStation Portable, GameCube, and more
They've become quite popular as the cost of mobile hardware has come down, making it possible to buy what is essentially an updated PSP or
Game Boy Advance for $100 or less.Recently, Once Were Nerd attracted the attention of Italy's Ministry of Economy and Finance, which is
tasked with policing copyright in the country
In the video first spotted by Android Authority (which has an AI-generated English language track), the YouTuber explains that Guardia di
Finanza appeared at his door in April with a search warrant.
Once Were Nerd explains his legal woes.
Agents accused the
creator of promoting pirated copyrighted materials stemming from his coverage of Anbernic handheld game consoles
Sony and Nintendo games running on the device
Once Were Nerd is far from the only channel posting about these devices, though.
