ESA Petitions US Trade Officials to Blacklist Anbernic for Facilitating Hardware Piracy
The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has formally requested that the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) add Chinese retro console manufacturer Anbernic to the annual Notorious Market List. The trade group argues that Anbernic devices are frequently sold with pre-loaded memory cards containing thousands of unauthorized game copies, a practice they classify as 'superfake' commercial-scale piracy. While Anbernic does not include pirated content in devices sold directly from its own website, the ESA contends that third-party retailers and mainstream marketplaces normalize this behavior by bundling illicit software with polished hardware. If accepted, the designation could trigger import restrictions or Section 301 investigations, potentially blocking Anbernic products from US retail channels like Amazon and eBay. The ESA also urged the USTR to target other piracy enablers, including cracked game sources and commercial cheat markets, and proposed seven enforcement steps for governments and market operators.