To the surprise of few, Nintendo has caused the death of another fan game based on one of its properties. Prime 2D, a reimagining of Metroid Prime, but in a classic 2D style, which first appeared on the internet back in April 2021, and has received multiple updates since, has been shut down. The developers behind the fan project, Team SCU, posted an update to their website, saying that "for legal reasons" they have removed the link to the demo of the game that they had been working on, along with the soundtrack, which consisted of original music composed specifically for it. Team SCU had been working on and off Prime 2D since 2004, meaning it took a handful of months for lawyers to kill a fan game that had been in the making for well over a decade.

This bit of news follows the shutdown of the Project+ bracket at this year's Riptide tournament, while also ironically occurring during the same week as Sonic Amateur Games Expo, in which SEGA actively encourages fans to create fan-made romhacks and even full games based on their properties.

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[64bitmodels]

Says the guy on a VERY predominantly Nintendo web site. I would put money on it that you now own, and have owned in the past, both Nintendo games and Nintendo consoles/handhelds... all the while you had stopped supporting them. And guess what? It's copyright, their right!!

"hurr, you can't criticize nintendo if you own their games and products"
how the fuck does that make any esnse
just cuz it's legally right doesnt make it morally right... kind of like how it's legally OK for dipshit record companies to take down YT videos because they used 2 seconds of one of their songs, but not actually morally OK because that shit fucking sucks. morality over legality

 

[K3Nv4]

You know these fan games promote you Nintendo right?
You and your lawyers need to learn that you'd be nothing without the fans

Lol Nintendo needing promotion while millions are willing to throw $60 at them with any game having the word Pokemon on it.

 

[Deleted member 372186]

"hurr, you can't criticize nintendo if you own their games and products"
how the fuck does that make any esnse
just cuz it's legally right doesnt make it morally right... kind of like how it's legally OK for dipshit record companies to take down YT videos because they used 2 seconds of one of their songs, but not actually morally OK because that shit fucking sucks. morality over legality

But it is morally right to take a company's ip which they're still working on, take the assets and create your own game.
Sorry, but i still haven't read any valid argument on why Nintendo should allow this.

They could have easily changed a few pixels and gave it an other name. Than there would be no issue, there's no copyright on how a generic character moves.

 

[64bitmodels]

But it is morally right to take a company's ip which they're still working on, take the assets and create your own game.
Sorry, but i still haven't read any valid argument on why Nintendo should allow this.

They could have easily changed a few pixels and gave it an other name. Than there would be no issue, there's no copyright on how a generic character moves.

If you're not selling it then there's really no reason to strike them down.
i can understand if prime 2d was put on steam for like 25 dollars or shit but its literally a free fangame
it poses no threat to nintendo whatsoever.
there's no reason for them to strike it down

 

[Deleted member 372186]

If you're not selling it then there's really no reason to strike them down.
i can understand if prime 2d was put on steam for like 25 dollars or shit but its literally a free fangame
it poses no threat to nintendo whatsoever.
there's no reason for them to strike it down

It does kind of pose a threat, given their own Metroid game is almost ready for release.
Having a free rip-off metroid game released next to it, may affect sales believe it or not.

Does a fan game HAS to use copyrighted assets?
Or would it be fun enough if it plays in a similar fashion with similar graphics?
A metroid inspired game would have a much brighter future.

 

[smf]

while also ironically occurring during the same week as Sonic Amateur Games Expo, in which SEGA actively encourages fans to create fan-made romhacks and even full games based on their properties.

Do you have anything that says that SEGA are involved with it?

 

[Boydy86]

Just had a look at this game on the tube, do Nintendo honestly think people will pay for this???

I think the problem as Nintendo sees fit, may be that the product could be confused as property created by Nintendo, which could deal significant reputation damage.

 

[chrisrlink]

i thought i read on eff's site that use of say Sonic the hedgehog does not delude the CR holders grasp on their IP (I will update this post with the source if i can find it again)

 

[linkenski]

Am I the only one who is happy to see corporations prevail? Fuck the fan-made remake!

 

[D34DL1N3R]

"hurr, you can't criticize nintendo if you own their games and products"
how the fuck does that make any esnse
just cuz it's legally right doesnt make it morally right... kind of like how it's legally OK for dipshit record companies to take down YT videos because they used 2 seconds of one of their songs, but not actually morally OK because that shit fucking sucks. morality over legality

Ummm. What fucking planet do you live on where morality rules over legality? And as far as the other shit, I never said a person can't criticize Nintendo. You made up a completely fake quote out of thin air. Clap clap. The thing is, they came on a predominantly Nintendo website and talked shit about Nintendo fans, called them derogatory names, and made bullshit claims about "I stopped supporting them years ago". That's what the issue is. Wasn't about not being able to criticize if you own their products. That's just stupid and you knew it before you went on with your tripe-fest.

 

[k7ra]

This is why i hate Nintendo and stopped supporting them years ago. Even worse than them, their hardcore defenders, bald, fat, and ugly 30 years old virgins on the internet. Literal dogshit of a company.

Inb4: I won't reply to any fat bastard saying "it's copyright, they're right!!".

It's copyright, they're right!!

 

[Deleted member 546149]

Lol Nintendo needing promotion while millions are willing to throw $60 at them with any game having the word Pokemon on it.

True, some people are crazy and just buy whatever

 

[Darksabre72]

Upsetting to say, but people should stop wasting time making fan-made Nintendo games. Clearly, they don't fucking like them.

i feel like people publish their fan games at the wrong time (especially when a company is finally making a game around that ip)

 

[smf]

do Nintendo honestly think people will pay for this???

That isn't really relevant, plus I don't know if they would make money out of any adverts on any sites it's hosted for example.

Changing the name of the game and the design of the main character (and any other copied artwork etc) should be enough.

 

[bobmcjr]

hey, if the project is nearly 100% finished, they can be still "accidentally" leaked, as far as Nintondo won't able to prove it was mod devs to upload it.

Eh, they'd have to be pretty careful, probably would want to wait a while.

Hot take: any Nintendo fan projects that have trailers/other marketing before release aren't looking to release a game. They're fishing for job offers and sympathy after the inevitable DMCA.

 

[Deleted member 372186]

while also ironically occurring during the same week as Sonic Amateur Games Expo, in which SEGA actively encourages fans to create fan-made romhacks and even full games based on their properties.

Do you have anything that says that SEGA are involved with it?

I'm actually wondering this myself. Haven't found any mention of this expo created by fans on any official SEGA channel.

@Chary Where did you find SEGA actually actively supporting this expo? In which way are they involved or encouraging this?

 

[Exidous]

While I support fan games, Nintendo is right, the promotion they get from fan games can't be compared with their losses.

I think this is probably wrong. But as other people already pointed out in this thread, the way trademark law works they have to protect their brands. Existing fan games might be net positives for Nintendo's sales (what little they cannibalize is exceeded by the additional sales they promote), but if they lose the trademark they could be fighting clones, which are the inverse - they cannibalize much more than they promote sales.

Licensing fan games would obviate the trademark issue, but Nintendo has always been insular and conservative when it comes to their IP. It would be a big change.

 

[Boydy86]

That isn't really relevant, plus I don't know if they would make money out of any adverts on any sites it's hosted for example.

Changing the name of the game and the design of the main character (and any other copied artwork etc) should be enough.

Nintendo probably being charitable if you think about. The Takedown will force devs to change sprites/character models etc to remove IP before release. If Nintendo wanted to be nasty, they could wait a while, assess damages, then get their lawyers to sue/fine ruin life's..

 

[DrPerkeleeee]

Nintendo is a unfriendly dipshit company. People should stop buying their stuff. Seriously...

 

[Corpus99x]

Upsetting to say, but people should stop wasting time making fan-made Nintendo games. Clearly, they don't fucking like them.

Sad truth. With the emergence of games on blockchain, hoping that fan-made games can somehow be made on there but idk if that will still be subject to legal issues