The world of decompilation has recently been flipped on its head. As players use AI to vibecode (ick), they can tear down a game's binary code with relative ease and convert it to C++, allowing them to port console-exclusive games to Windows and Linux PCs.
We've seen some huge examples of this recently, with games like Super Mario Galaxy and Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days getting fan-made PC ports. It's gotten so powerful, in fact, that many older games, like Need for Speed: Underground 2 and Halo: Combat Evolved, now run directly in web browsers.
Naturally, many of these ports break copyright laws by distributing unlicensed copies of the game. It can enter a legal gray area when players provide their own ROMs, but for the most part, they don't.
Clearly, developers have taken notice, especially the ultra-litigious Nintendo, which today removed four huge fan ports in a new DMCA wave.
Nintendo is known for its legal prowess. While it may not be doing so well in its claim against Palworld developer Pocketpair, it's regularly successful in claims against hackers, those who upload ROMs, and the websites that host them. That is the case again today.
It's been...
