Game Boy / Game Boy Color, GBA Switch Online emulators apparently leaked

Speculation about Game Boy and Game Boy Color games joining Nintendo Switch Online picked up in August last year. Fans were surprised the following month, then N64 support was announced for the service instead as part of the new expansion pack. Months later, talk of Game Boy games on Switch Online is back in the news.

Out of nowhere, four files appeared today on 4chan. According to the Twitter user trashbandatcoot, two of these NSPs are with a 7z archive that has loose NCAs. The 7z archive is called Hiyoko, which is a Game Boy emulator apparently made by NERD – Nintendo’s team that has been working on other classic platforms for Switch Online. There is also a GBA emulator called Sloop.

When it comes to leaks, 4chan can be hit or miss. However, the consensus at the moment is that the files are legitimate. This is because entire builds of three Nintendo Switch Online apps are usable and playable, not to mention source code with identifying information from developers at Nintendo, Box version control commit logs, and timestamps. Because of the leaked files circulating online, there are Switch owners out there who are building from code and playing finished builds. In other words, something like this would be extremely difficult to falsify.

There has apparently been no official word from Nintendo about Game Boy, Game Boy Color or Game Boy Advance titles on Switch Online. Given today’s leak, however, it can only be a matter of time before that changes.

Source 1, Source 2

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