The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has requested that the US Trade Representative (USTR) add Chinese hardware manufacturer Anbernic to its "Notorious Markets" list. The trade group argues that Anbernic's Android-based emulation handhelds facilitate substantial copyright piracy and trademark counterfeiting.
TorrentFreak reported on the petition, which was submitted to the USTR last week. The ESA represents major publishers, including Nintendo, Microsoft, PlayStation, Amazon, Epic, EA, and Ubisoft. In its filing, the organization claims that Anbernic devices are routinely sold with memory cards containing unauthorized copies of copyright-protected video games.
Although many online sellers include SD cards filled with ROMs alongside emulation hardware, Anbernic does not appear to ship these cards when selling directly from its website. The ESA contends that these ROM-laden devices, when sold through normal retail channels, normalize hardware-based piracy by delivering illicit catalogs through a polished consumer product.
The petition classifies this activity as a "superfake," a designation the ESA describes as applying to high-quality counterfeit trademark goods produced on a commercial scale. The US trade group asserts that this level of activity meets the threshold for inclusion on the Notorious Markets list.