Update [Mon 11th Mar, 2024 17:30 GMT]: PS2 emulator AetherSX2 has now been removed from the Google Play store over a year after its developer stopped working on it due to receiving death threats.
However, all is not lost; the emulation community has rallied around NetherSX2, a successor to the AetherSX2 project, which has been making good progress over the past year.
Original Story [Thu 5th Jan, 2023 08:55 GMT]: The sole developer behind the promising Android-based PS2 emulator AetherSX2 has said he has “indefinitely suspended” work on the app due to "death threats" and other issues.
In a statement posted on the official site for the emulator, the developer behind AetherSX2 says:
Due to neverending impersonating, complaints, demands, and now death threats, I'm done.
You can still download/use the app and it will continue to work for the forseeable future.
AetherSX2 was always meant to be a fun hobby for me, not profit driven. It doesn't make sense to continue working on a hobby which isn't fun anymore.
Stay safe out there, and watch out for scammers, there seems to be a lot of them.
(e.g. there's multiple people claiming to represent AetherSX2 on various social media - they are not legit)
Thanks to everyone who wasn't a d*ck for the last year.
The emulator will continue to function and can still be downloaded from trusted sources (the developer recommends following "good security hygiene" and not downloading random APKs found online), but no further development will take place.
The news comes as a real blow for the Android emulation community, which only has one other option for PS2 games, DamonPS2. According to Android Authority, this particular emulator is a "for-profit, closed-source app with a very shady past", so AetherSX2 provided a vital alternative for those who didn't want to line the pockets of the DamonPS2 team.
[source androidauthority.com]
Comments 13
And this is why we cannot have nice things.
There are some absolute w*****s out there. There's no reason to treat anyone like that but in a community that's just about enjoying playing games it's even worse
Been using this emulator a little bit on my Retroid Pocket 3+ and he did an amazing job with it. A real shame it's come to this.
If you don't like something you can always ask for your money back rather than be a tool. This was free so I am sure they would have no qualms giving you your nothing back if you aren't happy.
hmm, a rival for-profit app with a shady past certainly puts the death threats into a potentially different light.
Oh man I was just getting into this one too. PS2 games on the go was good while it lasted.
There are a lot of shady things that go on in the emulator development scene, from harassment and abuse, to accusations of theft, people trying to cash in, and now this. Death threats?(real or not) There's just no making sense of this. But I think the idea of profit does deserve scrutiny as mentioned before. I know this emulator was well regarded too, so this news will disappoint a lot of people. But I understand the developer's perspective. If this person cannot enjoy working on this project, then it's not worth the time. These people do not owe anyone anything in this regard.
Death threats over a free app? Yeah, that "shady" competitor certainly sounds like a source of trouble. Though I wouldn't rule out the average deranged internet dwelling PS "fans" threatening. The same kind that were threatening Corey and SSM for delaying GoW:R.
The sad state of the gaming community these days.
People were so demanding to him, I'm not surprised this happened.
This is really depressing. AetherSX2 has been an awesome emulator that has helped drive slightly higher end PS2 emulation on Android devices. Without support, this will stop working as Android develops. Sigh.
RIP. Well it works good for what it is, it may be the games, it may be I don't know how to use the settings well enough besides my phone spec but it's a great emulator and many people are just idiots. By all means they can do whatever they want, they are giving up their time at the end of the day to make the emulator and if it's too much due to nonsensical people that's fair they have more time for more important things now in their schedule.
I've come to believe the community for projects like this should be private, the emulator should be available for everyone but the community should be private torrent site type exclusive.
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