Tokyo, Japan is home to local businesses that offer rides to tourists in go-karts, letting them see the sights from the seat of a small car. One of these companies took things further than just that, dressing up as Mario Kart characters, and even letting riders wear costumes as well. A majority of their webpage's marketing also revolves around showing off customers dressed in Toad, Luigi, Yoshi, and Mario cosplay. It goes by the name "MariCar", even sounding slightly similar to its inspiration. Of course, Nintendo wasn't going to stand for their intellectual properties being used without licensing, so early last year, they filed a lawsuit against the company, demanding that they remove all references to the Mario Kart series and characters. Over a year later, Tokyo's District Court has made a ruling in the case, siding in favor of Nintendo. MariCar, which has rebranded to MariMobility must pay $90,000 in damages to Nintendo, and can no longer use Nintendo's owned properties to attract customers.

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[smf]

My thoughts exactly.....nintendont are just being foolish instead of using the ideas people come up with....would give them more money and make them even more popular

I doubt there is that much money in it, or marikart would have licensed the properties from nintendo.

 

[FancyNintendoGamer567]

@Asia81 Did you even see the M and L on the caps?

 

[Kioku]

Nintendo is the modern day Apple.

 

[spotanjo3]

Nintendo loves money. SMH

 

[chrisrlink]

wonder if their PR will tank out or are ppl this stupid to support such corporate greed?

 

[radicalwookie]

Jesus christ replies in this thread are beyond stupid.
How would you act if someone literally stole your work and gained profit from it?

 

[Ericthegreat]

View attachment 144835​

Tokyo, Japan is home to local businesses that offer rides to tourists in go-karts, letting them see the sights from the seat of a small car. One of these companies took things further than just that, dressing up as Mario Kart characters, and even letting riders wear costumes as well. A majority of their webpage's marketing also revolves around showing off customers dressed in Toad, Luigi, Yoshi, and Mario cosplay. It goes by the name "MariCar", even sounding slightly similar to its inspiration. Of course, Nintendo wasn't going to stand for their intellectual properties being used without licensing, so early last year, they filed a lawsuit against the company, demanding that they remove all references to the Mario Kart series and characters. Over a year later, Tokyo's District Court has made a ruling in the case, siding in favor of Nintendo. MariCar, which has rebranded to MariMobility must pay $90,000 in damages to Nintendo, and can no longer use Nintendo's owned properties to attract customers.

Source

This is just sad.... At the very least Nintendo had no reason to demand money from them, I understand lawyers are very expensive, but it's just sad.

 

[smf]

Ok, so a lowcost red/green cosplay and red/green karts are IP?

Anyone looking at them would recognise them as mario & luigi, so yes.

This is just sad.... At the he very least Nintendo had no reason to demand money from them, I understand lawyers are very expensive, but it's just sad.

Why should they not get damages? People may have seen it and thought that Nintendo were involved, which could damage their brand.

 

[Smoker1]

View attachment 144835​

Tokyo, Japan is home to local businesses that offer rides to tourists in go-karts, letting them see the sights from the seat of a small car. One of these companies took things further than just that, dressing up as Mario Kart characters, and even letting riders wear costumes as well. A majority of their webpage's marketing also revolves around showing off customers dressed in Toad, Luigi, Yoshi, and Mario cosplay. It goes by the name "MariCar", even sounding slightly similar to its inspiration. Of course, Nintendo wasn't going to stand for their intellectual properties being used without licensing, so early last year, they filed a lawsuit against the company, demanding that they remove all references to the Mario Kart series and characters. Over a year later, Tokyo's District Court has made a ruling in the case, siding in favor of Nintendo. MariCar, which has rebranded to MariMobility must pay $90,000 in damages to Nintendo, and can no longer use Nintendo's owned properties to attract customers.

Source

They going after this guy also? LOL

 

[Closet Nerd]

Phew. Thank the lord.

Nintendo's very existence was at stake here.

Had this crucial ruling not been made, Nintendo would have been TOAST. I'm talking worm hole, time-space continuum shit here.

The sun will rise again in no small part because of this ruling.

 

[Mark McDonut]

I bet nintendo will announce a first party version of this in another 2 CEO's.

Remember the pushback against making apps for mobile gaming? Now mario run, animal crossing, and pokemon go are all on android.

 

[thorasgar]

I can’t imagine those go carts being street legal anywhere in the US. Would be fun if I could toss bananas.

 

[neotank19]

If the clothing they were wearing was licensed material what is the problem. Now if the go cart people made the outfits I would understand. Nintendo can't say anything about what the customers of the go-kart company wear when they drive around.

If I was the company I would tell my customers, come how you want to be a attired. Maybe open another shop to rent the outfits. Always loopholes

 

[darksweet]

Damages? yeah right

 

[The Real Jdbye]

It's too bad. It's not like they're hurting Nintendo, they're just letting people have some fun. I would understand if Nintendo officially licensed out their characters to businesses like this and this company refused to properly license the characters, but I don't think Nintendo would license them out even if the company was willing to pay.
I'd love to try something like this TBH. Even better if it's actual gokart racing on tracks designed to look like Mario Kart tracks. Maybe even with some virtual powerups using a combination of AR and physical feedback, something like that would work great in an amusement park.

 

[DeadlyFoez]

Can someone please tell me what actual "Damages" were done that caused them to lose any money at all?

Sure, if you want to be a jerk and send them a C&D order, fine. But to claim any damages by them using their characters likeness in an industry which Nintendo does not have any competing offerings is bullshit. Hell, if anything, this go kart company was likely even helping nintendo make more money by making there be more awareness about Mario Kart... not as if anyone in Japan doesn't already know about Mario Kart games.

 

[Spider_Man]

Dammit nintendo, don't ruin our fun!

You're the ones who MAKE the fun!

Correction Nintendo recycle the same crap all the time.

They use the money it's sheep keep blindly handing over to re buy it's same old crap, to take small businesses to court.

Nice!

 

[Delerious]

If it were me at the head of Nintendo, I would have tried to make a business deal with those guys, and try offering them perks for promoting Nintendo product. Hell, I even would have offered them costumes for every available character in MK8!

 

[the_randomizer]

Nintendo loves money. SMH

Crazy, right? Almost as if a business was out to make money.

Nintendo is the modern day Apple.

Yeah, but at least their products aren't overpriced, overrated garbage. Usually.

 

[weatMod]

jesus christ is there anyone Nintendo won't sue?
not even cosplayers are safe from Nintendo's litigious cuntery