The ESA asks the US to label Anbernic a "superfake"

The emulation handheld market is now in the industry's crosshairs. On October 13, 2026, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) asked US trade authorities to examine the sector, proposing that Chinese manufacturer Anbernic be added to the Office of the US Trade Representative's (USTR) "Notorious Markets" list and officially classed as a "superfake". The story was first spotted by RetroHandhelds, then picked up by Time Extension.

In its public comment filed on regulations.gov, the ESA describes illicit plug-and-play consoles and handhelds as the "functional equivalent of superfakes": devices that look like mainstream consumer electronics, but whose appeal reportedly relies on a memory card or drive holding unauthorised copies of games, sometimes "tens of thousands" of them. It also raises opaque supply chains and a risk of malware.

A designation that could affect the whole sector

Active since 2017, Anbernic makes Android and Linux handhelds that copy the design or function of the Game Boy Advance, DS, PS Vita, 3DS or Switch Lite. A designation could pave the way for action against other manufacturers. The ESA is also asking for more legislative attention on torrent sites, commercial cheat markets and sellers of unauthorised digital goods.

In the comments, opinions differ: some buyers say their device arrived with only the operating system, others mention offers that included ROMs. None of this is verified. The "Notorious Markets" list is only an annual report, and the ESA's request is for now just a request, not a decision.

Source: Time Extension