ANBERNIC is quietly removing a controversial extra from its Android handhelds

ANBERNIC has had quite a week. After recently unveiling its Nintendo 3DS-inspired RG DDS handheld — whose potential pricing was leaked earlier today — the company found itself facing scrutiny over the copyrighted games allegedly bundled with its devices. Within days of the complaint coming to light, ANBERNIC now appears to be quietly removing the contentious microSD card options from its online store.

As spotted by Retro Handhelds, several ANBERNIC handheld listings have lost the option to purchase additional microSD cards alongside the devices. The publication compared an archived version of the RG SP listing from August 14 with the current storefront, finding that only the 16GB option remains. That card is still needed because it contains the handheld’s stock firmware.

The changes appear to have been introduced gradually. Retro Handhelds reports that the bundled card options were initially still available to customers selecting shipping from China, but have since disappeared. The publication also found similar changes to several Android handheld listings, including the RG Rotate.

The timing is unlikely to be a coincidence. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has recently urged the US Trade Representative (USTR) to add ANBERNIC to its Notorious Markets list. The association accused the company of selling handhelds bundled with memory cards containing unauthorized copies of games published by its members, describing the products as “superfakes.”

ANBERNIC obviously hasn’t confirmed that the storefront changes are a response to the complaint, but removing the optional cards appears to address the ESA’s main grievance. Whether that’s enough to satisfy the association remains to be seen, but as much as it might go down badly with handheld fans, it may be seen by the company as a necessary step.