Apple Opens Door to Retro Game Emulators on App Store, With Caveats on Piracy
• Apple has updated its App Store guidelines to allow retro game console emulators. This reverses its long-standing ban on such apps.
• The policy change is likely in response to pressure from the DOJ and EU around opening up iOS to more competition.
• Emulators themselves are legal, but can get in trouble if they actively promote piracy by showing users how to download ROMs illegally.
• If emulators come to iOS, they will likely need to only support legally obtained ROMs, not provide advice on getting ROMs from the internet.
• Users will need to supply their own ROMs from games they physically own or other legal sources like archive.org.