VGC reports the ESA also wants those devices added to the US government's annual Notorious Markets List.
VGC reports that the ESA asked the US government to flag retro handheld devices loaded with thousands of pirated games and add them to its annual Notorious Markets List.
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The Entertainment Software Association has asked the US Trade Representative to treat retro handhelds sold with unauthorized game libraries as a piracy problem worthy of its annual Notorious Markets List.
The trade group says some plug-and-play consoles and handhelds resemble legitimate consumer electronics, with polished interfaces, retail packaging and listings on familiar marketplaces. Their commercial appeal, according to the ESA submission described by VGC, comes from storage loaded with hundreds, thousands or even tens of thousands of unauthorized game copies.
The ESA argues that this appearance of legitimacy makes the devices easier to sell to people who might not otherwise seek out pirated ROMs. It says a single handheld can substitute for purchases across publishers and console generations, including authorized games, compilations, subscriptions, remasters and licensed retro hardware.
VGC reports that the group specifically nominated retro handheld manufacturer Anbernic as a “Notorious Online Market,” alleging that its devices are routinely sold or shipped with memory cards containing unauthorized copies of games from ESA members.
The USTR review notice asked the public to identify online and physical markets for possible inclusion in the 2026 list. USTR says the list highlights markets reported to facilitate substantial copyright piracy or trademark counterfeiting and does not itself constitute a finding of legal violations.
The ESA wants officials and marketplaces to treat preloaded unauthorized libraries as evidence of commercial-scale piracy, inspect bundled storage cards, require sellers to prove authorization and suspend repeat sellers rather than only individual listings. It also calls for better customs targeting and coordinated action against manufacturers, exporters, importers, fulfillment providers and marketplaces that knowingly facilitate the products.
@VGC_NewsThe ESA has asked the US government to flag retro handheld devices loaded with thousands of pirated games, and add them to its annual Notorious Markets List. https://vgc.news/news/us-government-told-to-flag-retro-handhelds-loaded-with-pirated-games-as-a-notorious-market/@VGC_NewsThe ESA has asked the US government to flag retro handheld devices loaded with thousands of pirated games, and add them to its annual Notorious Markets List. https://vgc.news/news/us-government-told-to-flag-retro-handhelds-loaded-with-pirated-games-as-a-notorious-market/@VGC_NewsThe ESA has asked the US government to flag retro handheld devices loaded with thousands of pirated games, and add them to its annual Notorious Markets List. https://vgc.news/news/us-government-told-to-flag-retro-handhelds-loaded-with-pirated-games-as-a-notorious-market/@VGC_NewsThe ESA has asked the US government to flag retro handheld devices loaded with thousands of pirated games, and add them to its annual Notorious Markets List. https://vgc.news/news/us-government-told-to-flag-retro-handhelds-loaded-with-pirated-games-as-a-notorious-market/—
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