• A Nintendo Museum visitor appears to have revealed a rather embarrassing secret

• It seems like Nintendo is using some form of PC emulation to run its games

• That’s despite Nintendo actively shutting down PC emulators in recent years

• It’s resulted in some fans calling the Japanese company “hypocrites”

The Nintendo Museum opened its doors earlier this month, and it’s proven a popular destination for video game enthusiasts and fans of the Japanese company’s past and present work.

The gift shop has proven so popular, in fact, that Nintendo has limited certain items people can buy to dissuade attendees from reselling the Museum’s exclusive merchandise online.

However, a discovery from a Museum-goer hasn’t gone down well online, as it appears Nintendo might be using PC emulation to run some of its games. And that’s a problem.

As shared by ChrisMack32 on X, an attendee unplugged a SNES controller from one of the Nintendo Museum’s exhibits and was met with the familiar notification sound that plays whenever you connect or disconnect a USB device on Windows.

It strongly suggests that Nintendo is running some of its games on PC, which is rather ironic considering the Japanese company has been notoriously litigious against PC emulators and recently shutdown Ryujinx and Yuzu, two Nintendo Switch emulators.

You can see why some fans may find it hypocritical that Nintendo would use PC emulation in its Museum. If it was using its own form of emulation – like it has done in various forms on the Wii, Wii U, NES and SNES Mini, and Nintendo Switch – then that wouldn’t be an issue. It’s PC emulation, something that Nintendo strictly prohibits and actively shuts down, that has caused such an outcry.

Responding to the findings, one user on X said, “Friendly reminder that this is the same company trying to tell you emulation is illegal when it isn’t,” while another said “They're hypocrite [sic]. I thought they hated emulation.”

One piece of hardware that definitely doesn’t use emulation is Nintendo’s sound alarm clock, Alarmo. The device costs $99.99 and is currently available for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers to buy before it goes on general sale.

However, you may want to think twice before picking one up if you’re in a relationship or sleep with a pet. Alarmo is designed for single people.

• Up next: Mario & Luigi: Brothership hands-on: the fun, whimsical, and tactical Nintendo Switch RPG I’ve been waiting for

Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.