Major Gaming Companies Target Internet's Oldest Classic Game Emulator Site

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Emulators are programmes that replicate the functionality of a specific game console. ROMs — which stand for 'read-only memory' — can refer to various things, but in this context, a ROM is a digital copy of a video game. Regardless, ROMs serve as a gateway for both nostalgic players and newcomers to experience the joy of the golden era of gaming.

Vimm's Lair, a longstanding site for accessing classic video game ROMs and emulators, has recently taken down numerous classic titles. This decision comes after requests from major gaming names, including Sega, Nintendo, Sony, the Entertainment Software Association, and Lego.

Video games on these consoles are no longer available for purchase in stores or on digital marketplaces, making Vimm’s Lair an essential resource for those wanting to explore video game history.

However, Apple's recent decision to permit emulators on the App Store has sparked a surge of interest in classic ROMs. This newfound attention has seemingly drawn legal scrutiny to Vimm’s Lair.

"Vimm's Lair has been asked to remove many games from The Vault on behalf of Nintendo, Sega, LEGO, and the ESA. While most of these games (and the hardware to play them) haven't been sold in decades, ultimately it's their prerogative, so these games are now gone for good," a statement on their main page reads.

Here are some of the games and franchises that are no longer on the site:

- Mario
- The Legend of Zelda
- Pokémon 
- Sonic
- Yakuza
- Shin Megami Tensei/Persona
- Ace Attorney
- Pac-Man
- Doom
- Metroid
- Resident Evil
- Metal Gear
- Mega Man

Some users have noted that while most US and European ROMs have been removed, the Japanese versions of these games remain available.

Vimm's Lair experienced a significant surge in downloads and traffic in April, following Apple's changes to its rules regarding emulators.

"For the first time ever, Apple is allowing emulators in the official App Store and people are installing Delta in droves.

"A big thank you to everyone who has recommended Vimm's Lair to Delta users. Sadly the surge in traffic is causing the web server to run out of memory and crash. Repeatedly. It's now stable but sluggish, and will remain so until the Delta fervor subsides," read a post on their website.