Voland
- Android app
- Yes
- Free plan
- No
- Runs on
- Android, iOS, Linux, Mac, Web, Windows
Summary
Voland is an open-source Nintendo Switch emulator project designed primarily for the browser, with native targets also listed. It is in early development: the repository says it does not yet execute guest code, and there are no playable games. The browser version uses a WebAssembly-compiled C core, WebGPU rendering, SharedArrayBuffer for guest RAM, and dedicated Workers for emulator subsystems. The no-op CPU backend is complete, while interpreter, dynarmic, and Ballistic backends are planned. Its architecture lists Maxwell GPU emulation and DSP emulation with an audio pipeline. Voland is released under GPL-2.0. The project does not distribute keys, firmware, or game files; users must provide their own prod.keys and NSP or XCI game files from hardware and purchases they own. The web distribution is listed as a URL or PWA. Native distribution is listed as sideloading for iOS and Android, direct downloads for macOS, Windows, and Linux, and Developer Mode for Xbox. However, GitHub Releases lists no releases.
Who it is for
Voland is currently for people interested in browser emulation, ARM64-to-WASM translation, compiler design, or open-source emulator engineering. It is not yet usable for playing games, according to the project status.
What is good
- Open-source under GPL-2.0.
- Browser-first design uses WebAssembly and WebGPU.
- Native targets are listed across desktop and mobile.
- Architecture lists GPU and DSP emulation.
What to know first
- No guest code executes yet.
- No playable games are available yet.
- Interpreter and recompiler backends are planned.
- GitHub Releases lists no releases.
Verdict
Voland is an early-stage emulator project rather than a playable option at present. Its browser and native targets may interest emulator developers, but the repository reports no game execution yet.
Compared on Nintendo switch emulators
- Supported platforms
- Web, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, visionOS, Android, Android TV, macOS, Windows, Linux, Xboxgithub.com
- Source available
- Yesgithub.com
- Graphics APIs
- WebGPU, Metal, Vulkan, D3D12github.com
Facts
- Purpose
- Voland is an open-source Nintendo Switch emulator designed to run in a browser.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Development status
- The repository says Voland is in early development and that nothing executes guest code yet.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Playable games
- The project page says there are no playable games yet.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Browser design
- The web version is designed for the browser and uses a WASM-compiled C core, WebGPU rendering, SharedArrayBuffer for guest RAM, and a dedicated Worker per emulator subsystem.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Native targets
- The README lists native targets for iOS, Android, macOS, tvOS, Windows, Linux, and Xbox.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Web distribution
- The platform table lists the web distribution as a URL or PWA.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Native distribution
- The platform table lists sideloading for iOS and Android, direct downloads for macOS, Windows, and Linux, and Developer Mode for Xbox.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Required files
- To play, users must provide prod.keys and NSP or XCI game files from hardware and purchases they own.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Distribution restriction
- Voland says it does not distribute keys, firmware, or game files.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Graphics and architecture
- The README describes a single C11 core that targets platforms through CMake, with WebGPU listed for web rendering.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- CPU backends
- The README marks the no-op backend complete and lists the interpreter, dynarmic, and Ballistic backends as planned.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- License
- The README says Voland is released under the GPL-2.0 license.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Release availability
- The GitHub releases page says there are no releases.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Intended audience
- The project page invites people interested in ARM64-to-WASM translation, browser emulation, compiler design, and open-source emulator engineering to follow the project.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Product
- Voland is a Nintendo Switch emulator designed primarily for the web, with planned native apps for several platforms.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Web design
- The browser version is built around a WebAssembly-compiled C core, WebGPU rendering, SharedArrayBuffer guest RAM, and dedicated Workers.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Game requirements
- Users must provide their own prod.keys and NSP or XCI game files dumped from hardware they own.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Feature status
- The no-op CPU backend is complete, while the interpreter and recompiler backends are listed as planned.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Graphics and audio
- The architecture lists Maxwell GPU emulation and DSP emulation with an audio pipeline.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Platforms
- The project lists web, iOS, Android, macOS, tvOS, Windows, Linux, and Xbox targets, with platform-specific distribution approaches.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Security and user files
- Voland says it does not distribute keys, firmware, or game files, and that it accepts user-prepared decrypted game files.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The repository identifies Ballistic as its planned primary recompiler and Ryubing as a reference for HLE service behavior.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Who it is for
- The project describes a browser-first experience intended to reduce installation and setup for people who want to play Switch games.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Download availability
- The repository lists direct downloads for macOS, Windows, and Linux and sideloading for mobile targets; its Releases page shows no release entries.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Maker information
- The repository identifies the owner as voland-emu but does not state a maker's legal name, headquarters, or founding date.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
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Sources
- github.com/voland-emu/Voland· checked 3 Oct 2026
- github.com/voland-emu· checked 3 Oct 2026
- github.com/voland-emu/Voland/releases· checked 3 Oct 2026