Nintendo’s president, Shuntaro Furukawa, announced plans to address the inappropriate use of its characters, emphasizing the need to protect fans from discomfort. This decision was highlighted during a recent shareholder meeting where concerns were raised about the misuse of Nintendo intellectual property (IP) on social media, potentially harming the brand’s value.
Furukawa stated, “Appropriate action must be taken against any behavior that undermines our management policy to bring smiles through entertainment.” While no specific actions were detailed, Nintendo’s history of strict IP protection through copyright strikes suggests a similar approach may be employed.
The move aims to ensure a positive and comfortable environment for all fans interacting with Nintendo’s IP, both in games and other contexts. This stance, however, is unlikely to deter the creation of fan-made content, especially those deemed inappropriate, as the legal standing against non-commercial fan works remains complex.
