In order to get its lawyers working again, the Japanese company requested that everything related to its properties be removed from the game
April 25
2024
– 8:15 pm
(Updated at 11:09 p.m.)
a Nintendo She's shown once again that she's not afraid to hire her lawyers to protect her intellectual property, this time going after one of the titles that has been on Steam the longest. Maud Garya game that allows players to invent whatever they want, has received a 20-year-old content removal notice related to the Japanese company.
Image: Facepunch Studios/Canaltech
Maud Gary It is a sandbox game developed by Facepunch Studios, where the player can use different items to manipulate and create videos or anything he wants. Launched in 2006 on Steam, the game contains many player-submitted items and items, many of which are owned by other companies, such as Nintendo, who didn't really like the idea after a long time.
Nintendo forgives nothing
Players are starting to notice the workshop items Maud Gary, where downloadable add-ons existed, were disappearing. It didn't take long for Facepunch Studios themselves to make a statement within Steam.
“Some of you may have noticed that some Nintendo-related workshop items have recently been removed. This was not an error, rather these removals were at Nintendo's request,” a studio representative confirmed.
“Honestly, it's fair. This is Nintendo content and what they allow or don't allow is their prerogative. They don't want you playing their stuff on Maud Gary “This is their decision, and we will respect it and remove everything we can.”
Facepunch Studios concluded by saying that this process should take some time, as there are nearly 20 years of content they need to review to remove. The studio is asking fans who have uploaded Nintendo-related items to delete them and never send them to the workshop again, as this will help them a lot.
Nintendo's lawyers never stop working
Nintendo is known for having the “nervous finger” to request a visit from its friendly operation to all those who use its intellectual property in some way. Although some cases seem fairer, such as the situation with the developers of the Yuzu emulator that emulates video games Nintendo Switch. The developers received a fine of over US$2 million and the emulator and its servers were removed from the Internet.
Other cases are almost absurd, such as the case against 54-year-old Canadian programmer Gary Bowser, who was arrested and must pay up to 30% of his monthly salary to Nintendo to cover damages estimated at $14 million. Gary was part of a group that distributed Nintendo game ROMs. According to an interview with The Guardian newspaperHe stated that he was not involved in the distribution and only maintained the site.
Bowser was imprisoned from February 2022 until early 2024, but has already agreed that he will pay his debts to Nintendo for the rest of his life. The Japanese company achieved a net profit of US$1.85 billion in 2023.
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Edward Langley is a contributor at Mediarunsearch.co.uk, covering a wide range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment and lifestyle. He focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting and useful information that helps readers stay informed about current affairs and developing stories. His work highlights issues, trends and events that matter to everyday audiences, with an emphasis on accuracy, relevance and accessible journalism.