Published: June 30, 2026. This tracker is updated periodically as the Switch emulation landscape continues to shift. Information sourced from Android Authority, Notebookcheck, KitGuru, GBAtemp community reports, and official project status pages. This site does not link to pirated content and covers emulator development for educational purposes only.
Why a Status Tracker Is Necessary in 2026
RetroHandheldHQ summed up the state of Switch emulation bluntly: “Switch emulation in 2026 is a mess. The technology works — the emulators that exist can run Switch games — but the legal environment makes everything unstable. Projects appear and disappear. Today’s working fork might be gone tomorrow.” Following Nintendo’s sweeping February 2026 DMCA campaign that targeted essentially every visible Switch emulator project — Citron, Eden, Kenji-NX, MeloNX, Pine, Pomelo, Ryubing, Ryujinx, Skyline, Sudachi, Sumi, and Suyu — keeping track of what’s actually usable requires regular checking. This guide consolidates the current status of every major project as of late June 2026.
Eden — Active, Recommended
Status: Actively developed. Recommended primary choice for Android.
Eden remains the most actively developed Switch emulator for Android, with the team filing DMCA counter-notices and shifting distribution to self-hosted infrastructure rather than backing down. Current version 3.0.0 with weekly builds. Our dedicated Eden update guide covers the May 2026 anniversary release in full detail. Best for: most Android users, particularly Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 devices.
Citron — Active Again, Recommended Alternative
Status: Git services restored. Latest stable: 2026.03.12. Active again as of 2026.
Citron experienced a disruption following the February 2026 DMCA sweep, with its Discord invite link reclaimed by an unrelated malicious party now used to spread fake builds and impersonation scams. Important: if you find a Discord invite for Citron, do not trust it unless it matches the official project’s current published links — the old server is compromised and not affiliated with the genuine project.
The official Citron Git repository is back online with downloads available for Windows, Linux, macOS, and Android. GBAtemp community discussion in May 2026 confirmed Citron version v0.10.0 introduced notable cross-collaboration between Citron, Ryujinx, and Eden developers — a positive sign of continued cooperation across the post-Yuzu emulation ecosystem despite the legal pressure. Best for: users who want an Eden alternative with strong ongoing development.
Kenji-NX — Active, Snapdragon 8 Elite Specialist
Status: Actively developed. Named in February 2026 DMCA notices but continues development.
Covered in detail in our Kenji-NX setup guide. Despite being named in Nintendo’s DMCA sweep, Kenji-NX has continued shipping updates, with v2.1.0 adding significant Snapdragon 8 Elite optimisations in February 2026. Best for: Snapdragon 8 Elite device owners (AYN Odin 3) or users wanting a Ryujinx-lineage alternative to Yuzu-based emulators.
Ryubing — Active, Windows/Linux Focused
Status: Active development continues. Primary recommendation for Windows/Linux.
Ryubing remains the most polished Ryujinx-successor for Windows and Linux desktop emulation. GBAtemp community testing in May 2026 reported version 1.3.2 running “75% of games with no issue,” including surprising successes with newer releases. Best for: Windows and Linux users seeking the most accurate, desktop-class Switch emulation experience.
Sudachi — Discontinued, Do Not Expect Updates
Status: Development halted since August 2025. Final version available but unmaintained.
This is the most important status change to understand if you’ve seen Sudachi recommended in older guides. Android Authority and Notebookcheck both confirmed in August 2025 that solo developer Jarrod Norwell halted Sudachi development to focus on Folium, an unrelated iOS multi-emulator app. Norwell’s own announcement cited “a very unsafe and unpleasant environment” surrounding Switch emulation as a contributing factor.
The final Sudachi release was published July 2, 2025. Norwell has since moved on to contribute to Eden instead, explicitly recommending it as Sudachi’s spiritual successor on the Sudachi homepage itself. Despite this, some third-party sites and app listings continue marketing “Sudachi Emulator” as actively updated in 2026 — be skeptical of any site claiming frequent new Sudachi releases; the genuine project’s last commit was mid-2025. GBAtemp users in May 2026 reported still running games on existing Sudachi installations, which is accurate (the software still functions) — but no new compatibility fixes or updates are being produced.
Recommendation: Do not start fresh with Sudachi in 2026. Use Eden instead, per the original developer’s own guidance.
MeloNX — Status Uncertain Following DMCA
Status: Named in February 2026 DMCA sweep. Website went offline.
MeloNX’s official website went offline shortly after Nintendo’s February 2026 DMCA notices landed. As of late June 2026, no confirmed relaunch has been documented in mainstream coverage. Check current community resources (r/EmulationOnAndroid, GBAtemp) for the latest before assuming it’s permanently gone — but do not expect official support in the near term.
Skyline and Pomelo — Long Inactive
Status: Already dormant before the 2026 DMCA sweep. Targeted anyway.
Both projects were already inactive well before Nintendo’s February 2026 enforcement action, yet were targeted regardless — illustrating that Nintendo’s campaign aimed at removing institutional codebase access broadly, not just stopping active piracy facilitation. Not recommended for new users regardless of legal status; better-maintained alternatives exist.
Ryujinx (Original) — Permanently Discontinued
Status: Shut down October 2024. Will not return.
The original Ryujinx project remains permanently discontinued following Nintendo’s contact with the lead developer in October 2024. Ryubing and Kenji-NX are the recognised successor projects carrying forward Ryujinx’s codebase lineage.
Yuzu (Original) — Permanently Discontinued
Status: Shut down March 2024 following $2.4 million settlement. Will not return.
Yuzu’s shutdown following Nintendo’s lawsuit remains the foundational event that shaped the current fragmented emulator landscape. Eden, Citron, and the now-discontinued Sudachi all descend from the Yuzu codebase.
Quick Reference: What to Actually Use in Mid-2026
Android, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2: Eden (primary), Citron (alternative)
Android, Snapdragon 8 Elite: Kenji-NX (primary), Eden (alternative)
Windows/Linux: Ryubing (primary), Citron (alternative)
macOS: Ryubing or Eden (Eden’s macOS build remains experimental as of 2026)
Avoid starting fresh with: Sudachi, Skyline, Pomelo, original Yuzu, original Ryujinx
How We’ll Keep This Updated
Given how quickly project status changes in 2026 — Citron alone went from disrupted to restored within a matter of weeks — we recommend cross-checking with r/EmulationOnAndroid and GBAtemp’s emulation board for the very latest before committing significant setup time to any specific project. This page reflects status as of June 30, 2026, and will be revised as the situation develops.
