Nintendo's new restrictions for community tournaments sparked debate among fans. Learn more about the main points of these rules, how the fanbase has reacted to them, and what could have prompted Nintendo to issue these rules.
Nintendo Laid Out Stricter Guidelines for Community Tournaments
Regulates Non-Profit, Small-Scale Tourneys
The gaming behemoth has issued thorough guidelines for organizers to regulate not-for-profit, small-scale community tournaments featuring Nintendo titles. The rules are intended to keep such events within certain bounds, both legally and ethically. These guidelines were published on October 24, 2023, and will be effective starting November 15, 2023.
Guidelines at a Glance
The guidelines outlined by Nintendo for community tournaments are as follows:
● Non-Profit and Limited in Scale: Community tournaments may not be used for commercial gain. For in-person events, they can have up to 200 attendees, and for online ones, up to 300.
● Financial Transparency: Organizers must be transparent about the finances of their tournaments. They may collect entry fees from participants (up to $20 per person) and admission fees from spectators for in-person events (up to $15 per person).
● Content Usage Restrictions: Organizers can use Nintendo game footage or images under certain conditions. This includes streaming live gameplay and showing replays at the event.
● Non-Affiliation with Nintendo: The tournament cannot be affiliated with Nintendo and cannot use any Nintendo trademarks or intellectual property except as permitted by the guidelines.
● Game Legitimacy: The game must have launched, or the service must have officially begun in the region where the tournament is held. Pirated or modified versions of Nintendo games are strictly prohibited.
● Additional Stipulations: Organizers must adhere to various other stipulations, including following all relevant laws and regulations, creating an inclusive environment, and obtaining permission for third-party intellectual property usage.
To know more about the full coverage of the guidelines, please visit Nintendo's Official Website.
Reception from the Fanbase
The Nintendo fan base has remarkably different opinions that span a wide range of perspectives. Fans in Japan are particularly appreciative of the more precise rules and consider them as an essential step in standardizing community competitions. On a worldwide level, though, opinions are divided.
Some fans would like to change the more stringent rules outside Japan and favor more significant, prestigious official tournaments that can better serve players' demands. Additionally, some fans worry that these rules would obstruct Nintendo's free marketing initiatives that the company often reaps from community competitions.
Another group of fans has said that if Nintendo is going to implement such regulations, it needs to actively participate in the competitive environment by organizing its own competitions.
Possible Motivations for Guideline Implementations
The Smash Bros Tournament Controversy
Nintendo's decision to enact these harsher rules may be influenced significantly by the uproar over the 2022 Smash World Tour. Nintendo and the tour had disagreements, which raised issues with health and safety and ultimately led to the event's cancellation.
Smash World Tour responded by refuting Nintendo's charges, claiming that they hadn't even sought a 2023 license and that Nintendo was closing them down because they were seen as a threat to the Panda Cup, their own officially licensed circuit.
This controversy served as a reminder of Nintendo's complex connection with the competitive gaming scene. It emphasizes Nintendo's motivation for clear rules to avert future disputes of this nature.
Nintendo's History of Leaks and Hackers
Before their official release, Nintendo experienced several leaks of its games, including Kingdom Hearts 3 in 2018, Breath of the Wild in 2017, and Tears of the Kingdom in 2023. The guidelines also emphasized the non-usage of third-party consoles and emulators during community tournaments and pirated copies of Nintendo titles. Some fans over Twitter have also said they will resort to piracy because of the released guidelines.
These factors may have contributed to Nintendo becoming more strict on its guidelines. It is known that Nintendo takes their IPs very seriously and even applies patents to different parts of their games.
Sources:
Nintendo's Community Tournament Guidelines
Official Statement by Smash World Tour - November 2022
Reddit Response to Nintendo Guidelines
Twitter Response about Community Tournament Guidelines - 1
Twitter Response about Community Tournament Guidelines 2
