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After “Palworld,” Nintendo is now targeting fan-made videos

Nintendo has forced the removal of fan-made videos from YouTube, while work on Switch emulator Ryujinx has also stopped.

Last month, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company confirmed they had taken legal action against the game Palworld Developer Pocketpair claimed the studio violated “multiple patent rights.” Pocketpair responded to the “really unfortunate” lawsuit by promising to take “the appropriate legal action.” The studio also released the long-awaited PlayStation version of Palworld.

Now it has been revealed that Nintendo has also started targeting fan-made YouTube videos. Content creator Retro Games Corps uses his channel to educate gamers about emulators and game preservation. “We are exploring all ways we can enjoy classic games in a safe, legal and fun way.”

However, last week they received a takedown notice from Nintendo for a video showing the retired WiiU console. “It appears that my worst fears are true and that I am being specifically targeted by Nintendo,” they wrote in a lengthy statement on social media.

They explained how they could file a countersuit, but didn't want to open “a can of worms with a multi-billion dollar company.” To ensure that their entire channel does not get shut down, Retro Games Corp will no longer feature Nintendo games while redacting Nintendo-related content in all existing videos.

And Nintendo didn't stop there either. It was reported that work on the Switch emulator Ryujinx was halted after the owner was offered “an agreement to stop work on the project and remove the organization and all related assets over which it has control.” One defiant developer wrote on social media: “The future of game preservation actually depends on the individual, and maybe one day that will be properly recognized.”

Earlier this year, Nintendo forced the Yuzu emulator to close and owners had to pay the company £1.9 million after the Dolphin emulator was removed from Steam.

A Nintendo spokesperson said the company is “committed to protecting the hard work and creativity of video game engineers and developers.” While emulation is legal, “the use of illegal emulators or illegal copies of games harms development and ultimately stifles innovation,” the company claimed. “Nintendo respects the intellectual property rights of other companies and in return expects others to do the same.

Additionally, Activision Blizzard has released a brutal, monster-filled live-action trailer for the upcoming game Diablo 4 Extension Vessel of hate.

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