The sole developer behind the promising Android-based PS2 emulator AetherSX2 has said he has “indefinitely suspended” work on the app due to "death threats" and other issues.
In a statement posted on the official site for the emulator, the developer behind AetherSX2 says:
Due to neverending impersonating, complaints, demands, and now death threats, I'm done.
You can still download/use the app and it will continue to work for the forseeable future.
AetherSX2 was always meant to be a fun hobby for me, not profit driven. It doesn't make sense to continue working on a hobby which isn't fun anymore.
Stay safe out there, and watch out for scammers, there seems to be a lot of them.
(e.g. there's multiple people claiming to represent AetherSX2 on various social media - they are not legit)
Thanks to everyone who wasn't a d*ck for the last year.
The emulator will continue to function and can still be downloaded from trusted sources (the developer recommends following "good security hygiene" and not downloading random APKs found online), but no further development will take place.
The news comes as a real blow for the Android emulation community, which only has one other option for PS2 games, DamonPS2. According to Android Authority, this particular emulator is a "for-profit, closed-source app with a very shady past", so AetherSX2 provided a vital alternative for those who didn't want to line the pockets of the DamonPS2 team.