By Ryan Low

Every video game ever is played on a console, be it big, small, or really, really big. But to some, the officially licensed releases and content are simply not enough. This is why avid fans create modifications (mods, homebrews) for these consoles, to explore and exploit its limitations, and share them with the whole world. But is downloading them legal?

Yes and No

This article focuses on modding the Nintendo Wii and Wii U, but mods exist for other consoles such as the PS5, Xbox consoles and more.

These mods are not officially licensed by the parent company at all. No Official Nintendo Seal of Quality, no endorsement, no nothing. Therefore, they are illegal, and they will shut down the mod as soon as they can. 

Companies such as Nintendo have been known to shut down mods and emulators and prevent any further downloads. As of 3/10/24, the most recent takedown was a Nintendo Switch emulator Ryujinx, and in February, a similar emulator, Yuzu, was taken down as well. They have also been rampant in the cease-and-desist of other emulators and mods.

Notice how these were targeted at mods for the Nintendo Switch, seldom for the Wii, Wii U or older, which are now defunct and not their concern

Installations such as the Homebrew Channel, any ROM Hack of any game, and custom themes as above are still illegal, but who’s gonna stop you? Nintendo? No! They don’t care!!

This is your Wii U; Nintendo cannot remove or recall individual consoles because they downloaded mods. Additionally, if a mod is ever taken down, you do not lose access to the mod. If you have it, it is yours to keep. In their eyes, one bad apple does not ruin the bunch.

It’s hilarious how the Wii U, one of the worst selling consoles from Nintendo (13.56 million units sold), has been having these game-changing breakthroughs as recent as just the past year. And the Wii (101.63 million units sold), released 18 years ago, still has a large community of people making content for players to enjoy. While this is illegal, it is free to download and free from worry that Nintendo gets to you.

In fact, why don’t we start somewhere? Below are a few guides to install the Homebrew Channel onto your Wii or Wii U. The Homebrew Channel is the central hub to manage and launch your mods. You will need a 32GB SD Card for the Wii U, but you don’t need one for the Wii.