An Italian YouTuber could face jail time for reviewing retro gaming handhelds that sometimes come with preloaded games, sparking fears across the creator community. Francesco Salicini, better known as Once Were Nerd, revealed that Italian financial police (Guardia di Finanza) raided his home and office earlier this year, accusing him of violating copyright law. (Sourse: Androidauthority)

Over 30 Consoles Seized, Social Channels Blocked

According to Salicini, officers executed a search warrant in April and seized more than 30 handheld consoles, including popular emulation devices like ANBERNIC, Powkiddy, and TrimUI. They also confiscated his phone and chat logs with manufacturers. The phone was returned in June, but authorities have kept the devices — and as a precaution, they are blocking his YouTube and social media accounts, effectively silencing his work.

Salicini claims he has never sponsored or promoted illegal content, only provided objective reviews without affiliate links.

“I have never ‘sponsored’ but ‘reviewed’ with the utmost objectivity, citing both pros and cons of each device,” — he said in a video update.

The Law: Article 171-ter

Italian authorities are pursuing charges under Article 171-ter of the Italian Copyright Law, which dates back to 1941. It allows for penalties of up to €15,000 (around $16,000) and three years in prison. The complaint reportedly references the reproduction of copyrighted material from Nintendo and Sony, as these devices often ship with microSD cards loaded with ROMs.

Why This Case Matters

This crackdown highlights a growing tension between retro gaming communities and copyright enforcement. While major gaming companies typically tolerate streaming and reviews, emulation and preloaded ROMs remain a legal gray area.

Unlike YouTube’s own copyright strike system — where creators can appeal — Italian law allows authorities to shut down channels during investigations, even before guilt is proven. For creators, this represents a frightening precedent that could impact gaming coverage worldwide.

What Happens Next?

Under Italian law, officials do not have to disclose exact charges or complainants until the investigation ends. At that point, a judge will decide whether to dismiss the case or move to trial. In the meantime, Salicini has hired a defense lawyer and faces significant legal costs.

The case is raising alarms among content creators, many of whom fear similar actions in other regions with outdated copyright laws. If prosecutors succeed, any reviewer covering hardware that can enable piracy could be at risk, regardless of intent.