Azahar drops official support for Anbernic handhelds after RG DDS ads used a piracy-focused fork

The team behind Azahar, the main open-source 3DS emulator, says it will no longer officially support Anbernic hardware. In a thread on X on Monday morning, October 26, the team said Anbernic had been promoting its new dual-screen RG DDS "using unofficial piracy-focused forks of Azahar" and featuring them in its advertising.

What Azahar said

"After some internal discussion, we have decided that we will NOT be officially supporting this device or others from this manufacturer," the team wrote. "Any issues or bugs related to devices from this specific manufacturer will not be investigated or resolved." It closed with: "If you would like to stay on a device with guaranteed official support, we recommend looking for alternatives." Later that day, Azahar developer PabloMK7 asked people to keep the discussion civil and said the team would consider everyone's views.

Why the RG DDS is in the middle of it

The RG DDS is Anbernic's take on a modern 3DS: a clamshell with a 4.7-inch 1200x720 top screen and a 4-inch 960x720 bottom screen, three times the original 3DS resolution, so it's built around 3DS emulation. Its gameplay videos showed 3DS games running in AzaharPlus, a fork the Azahar project has nothing to do with. Pre-orders opened on October 16 at $284.99 (8GB/128GB) or $349.99 (12GB/256GB), with shipping from December 10. The timing doesn't help Anbernic. Earlier in October, the Entertainment Software Association nominated Anbernic's store for the U.S. Trade Representative's Notorious Markets list over handhelds sold with preloaded games. That's a nomination, not a listing, and the preloaded cards usually come from third-party sellers rather than Anbernic itself. Azahar grew out of Citra, which shut down as part of Nintendo's settlement with the Yuzu developers, so it's understandable that the team doesn't want its name tied to piracy marketing. We haven't seen a public response from Anbernic yet.

What it means if you own an Anbernic

• Azahar still works. Nothing is blocked. You can install the official build on an RG DDS, RG DS, RG 557 or any other Anbernic Android device, and it should run the same as before.
• You're on your own for bugs. Reports from Anbernic devices won't be looked at or fixed, so if a game breaks only on Anbernic hardware, it may stay broken.
• Forks are still forks. AzaharPlus and other unofficial builds aren't Azahar, and the Azahar team won't help with them. Get Azahar only from its official GitHub releases or its official store listings, never from preloaded "game packs."
• Shopping for a 3DS handheld? If official support matters to you, weigh this before you pre-order. Other dual-screen Android handhelds like the Retroid Pocket Duo and AYN Thor aren't affected.

Azahar plays decrypted dumps of 3DS games you own. Overclocked doesn't link ROMs, keys or firmware. Azahar's entry on the emulators hub now carries a note about the Anbernic decision.

Sources: Azahar Emulator on X (announcement thread), Android Authority, Time Extension, ANBERNIC RG DDS product page. Facts verified against the original reports; written by Overclocked.