Technology & Internet • Emulation

Yuzu (emulator)

Yuzu was a free and open-source Nintendo Switch emulator written in C++.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Yuzu was a free and open-source Nintendo Switch emulator written in C++. It was developed by the team behind the Nintendo 3DS emulator Citra and was discontinued in 2024 after a legal settlement with Nintendo. The emulator was designed to run Nintendo Switch games on personal computers and was widely regarded as one of the most popular Switch emulators before its discontinuation.

Development

Yuzu was announced in 2018 and developed by Team Yuzu, the same group associated with Citra. It was written in C++ and built as a Nintendo Switch emulator and debugger. The project was released as free and open-source software.

Features and compatibility

The emulator aimed to run Nintendo Switch software on PCs and was known for strong performance in some cases, though compatibility varied by game. It was available on desktop operating systems including Windows, Linux, and macOS in community reporting.

Discontinuation

Yuzu was discontinued in 2024 following a legal dispute with Nintendo. Reports state that the project’s public repository and official distribution channels were closed after a settlement. Archived copies and downloads remained available from third-party or archived sources after the official shutdown.

Legacy

Before its shutdown, Yuzu was considered a leading Switch emulator and a major project in the emulation community. Its development and eventual closure are frequently cited in discussions about console emulation and copyright enforcement.

Key facts

Yuzu was a free and open-source emulator for the Nintendo Switch.
It was developed by the team behind Citra, the Nintendo 3DS emulator.
The project was discontinued in 2024 after a legal settlement with Nintendo.
Yuzu was written in C++ and widely used before its shutdown.
Archived copies remain available from third-party sources after the official shutdown.

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Canadian context

Canadian readers may know Yuzu through broader debates about software emulation, game preservation, and copyright law, which also affect Canadian consumers and developers.

Frequently asked questions

What was Yuzu?

Yuzu was a free and open-source emulator for the Nintendo Switch.

Who developed Yuzu?

It was developed by Team Yuzu, a group also associated with the Citra Nintendo 3DS emulator.

What programming language was Yuzu written in?

Yuzu was written in C++.

Is Yuzu still available?

No. The project was discontinued in 2024 and official distribution ended.

Why was Yuzu discontinued?

Reports state that it was shut down after Nintendo took legal action and a settlement was reached.

References

Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuzu_(emulator)
Supports: Basic identification of Yuzu as a discontinued free and open-source Nintendo Switch emulator written in C++.
Emulation General Wiki — https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Yuzu
Supports: Yuzu as a discontinued open-source Nintendo Switch emulator and debugger, its popularity, and its post-shutdown availability.
Simple English Wikipedia — https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuzu_(emulator)
Supports: General description of Yuzu as a free and open-source Nintendo Switch emulator and its reported discontinuation in February 2024.
Wikipedia (Spanish) — https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuzu_(emulador)
Supports: Settlement-related closure in March 2024 and the end of development.
Wikipedia (Russian) — https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuzu_(%D1%8D%D0%BC%D1%83%D0%BB%D1%8F%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80)
Supports: Development beginning in January 2018 by the Citra team and C++ implementation.