ESA asks US to add Anbernic to Notorious Markets list

The move would put pressure on a handheld maker the ESA says is packaging unauthorized games as a normal product feature.

The Entertainment Software Association has asked the US Trade Representative to add Anbernic to the Notorious Markets list, saying the company’s handheld emulation devices are being used to distribute large libraries of unauthorized games. That matters for hardware makers and game platforms because the ESA is arguing these products are helping make piracy look like a normal consumer feature rather than a fringe sideloading trick. The trade group says the devices are often sold through regular retail channels with removable cards that contain hundreds or thousands of copied games from ESA members. It also says this fits its idea of a “superfake,” a term it uses for high-quality counterfeit trademark goods sold at commercial scale.