The only real developer behind AetherSX2, a PlayStation 2 emulator for Android units, introduced that they’re discontinuing improvement of the app because of the “neverending” on-line impersonation, complaints, calls for, and dying threats they’ve endured.
“AetherSX2 was at all times meant to be a enjoyable interest for me, not revenue pushed. It doesn’t make sense to proceed engaged on a interest which isn’t enjoyable anymore,” the developer mentioned in a short put up on the AetherSX2 web site saying the suspension of improvement. “Due to everybody who wasn’t a d*ck for the final yr.”
Previous to AetherSX2, the one viable emulation choice for individuals who needed to play PS2 video games on their Android units was DamonPS2. Nevertheless, people in emulator circles appreciated having AetherSX2 instead as a result of DamonPS2, a for-profit closed-source app, was accused of stealing supply code by the crew behind free open-source PS2 emulator PCXS2 in a now-deleted put up that you may view by way of the Wayback Machine.
Main as much as the developer’s resolution to discontinue engaged on AetherSX2, people on the r/EmulatiotnonAndroid subreddit voiced concern over the strain that the AetherSX2 developer handled whereas being inundated with calls for from customers. In a screenshotted Discord put up, the AetherSX2 developer, who goes by the deal with Tahlreth, defined why they disabled their Discord channel. In line with the screenshotted put up, “some moron” requested that they get the emulator to work on ioS.
“Congrats guys, you prodded and pushed one other developer an excessive amount of they usually’re critically contemplating simply stopping for good,” Tahlreth wrote within the screenshotted Discord put up.
Kotaku reached out to Tahlreth for remark.
In line with the developer’s put up on the AetherSX2 web site, people can nonetheless obtain and use present builds of AetherSX2 “for the foreseeable future.” As a footnote, the developer warned individuals to apply “good safety hygiene” and never set up any Android bundle recordsdata from random corners of the web.