Hey, so you know how Nintendo will drop a lawsuit on someone from 10,000 feet for even whispering a suggestion of a thought about one of their own properties? Do you think the company cares as much about the rights of other people's games on their platforms?
Hrm, I dunno, let's take a look. Anyone who's tried to wade through the garbage prominently available on the eShop would already have some doubts about the company’s standards on that front already, but for a more specific case study, check this out:
On the top left is Unpacking, which is a very good video game. The next five games are most definitely not Unpacking, even though their key art makes them very much look like it. They're not made by the same team, they're not continuations or sequels, they're just some slop--seemingly using AI art on the thumbnails, no less--made to try to cash in on the established game's brand.
That's some mobile gaming-type bullshit. Surely Nintendo--with the company's history of quality control and video game litigiousness--would not allow such a thing? Like, if Super Mario Galaxy's shop listing was immediately followed by an AI-generated thumbnail for Super Mario Galaxy: New Chapters, someone would end up either bankrupted or strangled and stuffed in the back of a black Toyota Crown.
Here, though, even Unpacking's creators are being left on read. This is Wren Brier, the game's creative director:
At time of posting these Unpacking clones are available for download in Australia, Europe and Japan, but not the United States.
I've contacted Nintendo for comment.
UPDATE 5:40pm ET: While Nintendo has yet to reply to Aftermath's query, the clones have now been removed from the Australian, European and Japanese stores.
UPDATE 2, 7:00pm ET: Brier says the clones are, however, still available for purchase "in Korea, Hong Kong, all of South & Central America, and South Africa".
