Nintendo slaps fan game creation tool 'Pokemon Essentials' with DMCA takedown

[Polycount]

Facepalm: Nintendo has always been know to rule over its IPs with an iron fist, and its latest decision is further proof of this trend. Mere weeks after EmuParadise took down all Nintendo ROMs due to fears of legal backlash, the entertainment giant has now shut down popular fan game creation tool Pokemon Essentials, much to the chagrin of fans.

Nintendo has already taken a pretty strict stance on video game emulation, but you'd think completely free, fan-created Nintendo game spin-offs would be in the clear - however, that's apparently not the case, if a recent Ars Technica report is anything to go by.

Nintendo has always been known for its tendency to jealously guard its intellectual properties, and the latest example of this trend is the company taking down "Pokemon Essentials."

As Ars points out, Pokemon Essentials is a free tool that lets the franchise's fans create their own Pokemon-like adventure games using the paid RPG Maker program.

Nintendo has slapped the Pokemon Essentials tool with a DMCA takedown. After reviewing the company's takedown request, FANDOM (the wiki site which hosted Pokemon Essentials information) decided to comply with the request.

Furthermore, all the downloads for Pokemon Essentials have been removed from the Fan Games section of the PokeCommunity forums.

As you might expect, users are none too pleased with Nintendo's somewhat old-fashioned approach to fan creations.

"Every one of us could finish and release a Pokémon fan game and it wouldn't hurt Nintendo's bottom line any," PokeCommunity user Nesty writes. "However, the very nature of copyright law pits corporations against people. It's just a shame. I wish things would change."

It's likely that Nintendo is legally in the right here -- the assets Pokemon Essentials uses appear to be identical to the ones in Pokemon games -- but from a PR standpoint, it's much harder to say whether or not this a good decision for the company. On the one hand, they've eliminated the possibility that some of the more well-made free fan games will ever compete with Nintendo's paid offerings.

On the other hand, the people behind these games are some of Nintendo's biggest fans. It takes dozens, if not hundreds of hours to create some of the free spin-offs in question. By so brazenly shutting down their creators' work, the company runs the risk of alienating some of its most hardcore players.

Image courtesy Reddit

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https://www.techspot.com/news/76202-nintendo-slaps-fan-game-creation-tool-pokemon-essentials.html

 

[ghostf1re]

This community of Nintendo fans is so small compared to the grand picture of Nintendo fans. Nintendo isn't sweating one bit over this and I would bet it won't affect any future sales in any way. That being said, it's pretty unfortunate they decided to do this when the games in question are completely free.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

My response to this: Yar har har.

This community of Nintendo fans is so small compared to the grand picture of Nintendo fans. Nintendo isn't sweating one bit over this and I would bet it won't affect any future sales in any way. That being said, it's pretty unfortunate they decided to do this when the games in question are completely free.

While true, there is a flip side. The small, vocal minority of supporters help to push sales of the games. These guys talk tot heir friends and family about nintendo, suggest nintendo games when people are looking for gifts for kids, and spread information about upcoming nintendo products. Many, many times we have seen what happens when a company pisses off the small, vocal minority of fans that promote the brand to casual players who may not necessarily choose one brand over the others.

Attacking the fan base is a terrible idea. See also EA and battlefield, or disney and star wars, ece.

 

[ForgottenLegion]

I can't wait until this sort of behaviour bites them in the arse.

Nintendo Japan are so out of touch.

Show our game footage in your YouTube video? We'll take all that monetization.

So much of a fan of our franchises that you've devoted countless time and effort creating a game based an IP you grew up with? DMCA'd!

 

[psycros]

My response to this: Yar har har.

I imagined "yar har har" coming from a guy with a peg leg and an eye patch.

 

[indiferenc]

Boycott nintendo

 

[thews86]

I haven't bought a Nintendo since the Gamecube, their systems and company just suck major d, just my opinion.

 

[NightAntilli]

Was gonna get a Switch. Now I'm having second thoughts...

 

[cliffordcooley]

I decided not to buy anything Nintendo two decades ago. Every time I hear something like this, it only adds cement to my walls and makes them thicker.

 

[J spot]

It always amazes me how people get outraged and are even going to boycott Nintendo because they did a DMCA take down over something that uses their assets, identical from their games. It's their right, it's what they should be doing. It's like getting mad at cops because they don't let you speed. That kind of self focused mentality.

 

[cliffordcooley]

It's their right, it's what they should be doing. It's like getting mad at cops because they don't let you speed.

No! This is Nintendo wanting to be controlling. Just like Apple, another company I don't buy into. Soon Microsoft will be on this list, and I will quit buying their products.

 

[Evernessince]

It always amazes me how people get outraged and are even going to boycott Nintendo because they did a DMCA take down over something that uses their assets, identical from their games. It's their right, it's what they should be doing. It's like getting mad at cops because they don't let you speed. That kind of self focused mentality.

No one said they are Nintendo's assets, the article only stated "appears". Big difference.

The police don't also bust into your house because you kid is using a green day song in his school slideshow presentation. Nintendo should be thankful it enjoys the protection of copyright laws afforded to it by the people of this country. All I see is them using that protection to abuse private citizens and their non-profit projects. God forbid anyone oppose our glorious corporate overlords.

 

[OutlawCecil]

"It's likely that Nintendo is legally in the right here" No, they are 100% legally in the right here. But there's a difference between utilizing your rights, and being an a$$hole... I agree stuff like this does not affect Nintendo's numbers but they're shooting themselves in the foot with consumers.

 

[erickmendes]

That's nintendo being nintendo to it's fan base, no news... Best thing to do is to avoid Nintendo altogether.