Has Nintendo shut down a game because it cloned the gameplay of one of their games?

2 years ago by zibetnu to c/gamedev

I'm developing a game that very closely mimics the gameplay of the ghost minigame from Nintendo Land. I'm not including Nintendo characters, names, etc.

Is there any precedent of Nintendo going after people for something like this?

saintshenanigans 21 points 2 years ago

Palworld is still up. Make your own assets, and don't use any nintendo names, you'll be fine

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ILikeBoobies 2 points 2 years ago

Nexomon is a better example

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saintshenanigans 1 point 2 years ago

Palworld literally recreated nintendo assets. Nexomon just copied the concept of pokemon.

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ILikeBoobies 2 points 2 years ago

I’m developing a game that very closely mimics the gameplay

The post

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saintshenanigans 0 points 2 years ago

And ripping off assets is much more likely to get you in legal trouble than just making a game in the same genre. Wtf are you on about bro

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NocturnalMorning 19 points 2 years ago

As far as I'm aware you cannot copyright game mechanics. The only instance of a copyright of a mechanic I'm aware of is from a lord of the rings leveling system (can't remember the name off the top of my head)

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GeekyOnion 22 points 2 years ago

I think it was their “nemesis system” or something like that.

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Charzard4261 11 points 2 years ago

There has been several game "mechanics" that have been patented in the past. Two examples I know off the top of my head are "overhead arrows that point in the direction of the destination" and "minigames during loading screens".

That said, these were applied for specifically as patents in the US, and every other game made does not go through this process (especially since I doubt that this would worm in this day and age... I hope, wtf is going on across the pond) especially for entire game concepts, and OP is definitely in the clear.

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CobblerScholar 8 points 2 years ago

They at least tried to patent the Tears of the Kingdom Zonai manipulation mechanic if I remember right

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alcoholicorn 4 points 2 years ago

Shadow of Mordor

There's a few other mechanics that were patented, minigames during loading screens were locked by patent until 2015

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NocturnalMorning 2 points 2 years ago

That's the one, thanks!

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RightHandOfIkaros 14 points 2 years ago

If it doesn't clone assets of their game then Nintendo legally can't do anything. Gameplay elements are not protected like that.

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Donut 7 points 2 years ago

Nah, you can't patent gameplay mechanics unless they are super specific and interconnected.

Taking what's good from other games and turning it into something new (or similar) is known as remixing and it happens all the time. Like mentioned in another comment, Palworld did this by taking the fun elements of different genres / vibes (Pokémon, Survival games, Shooters) and making that into a game.

Even the Pokémon Company had to put a statement out basically telling the Xitter drama seekers to shut up and stop reporting the game for infringement, because there wasn't any.

Just make sure (like you already mention) not to use assets, sounds, names and other IP related subjects.

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xanu 5 points 2 years ago

It still grinds my gears that Warner Bros. patented the Nemesis System they used in their shadow of war/Mordor games. I'd love a whole genre of those kinds of games with different settings and themes.

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sleepyTonia 2 points 2 years ago

Even in their case, the phrasing within their patent form is fairly specific to their games. Unless one completely clones the system, I would be surprised if they got legal trouble for it. Better to check with a qualified lawyer of course.

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Donut 1 point 2 years ago

Care to elaborate what makes it so special? I'm intrigued and I never really play licensed games because they are usually trash

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ICastFist 1 point 2 years ago

The games have a number of captains, and they will sometimes fight among themselves. The winner will get stronger and level up. The player can attack these captains, too, who may have a strong point or a weakness. If the player dies while fighting, the captain grows stronger and will taunt the player on a rematch. If the player manages to make the captain flee and live, he may develop a fear for the player

There are many things that can define the captains, such as fears (of the player, of fire, of wargs), weaknesses (to stealth, to arrows, to fire) and even immunities (to arrows, to stealth, you get the drill)

Also, if the player dies to an unamed orc, said orc will become a captain. I vaguely remember some captains coming back to life, if they weren't decapitated on the killing blow. They return weaker, but will comment on wanting revenge.

As a final note, Shadows of Mordor is a pretty fun game. Think of it as Assassin's Creed exploration with Batman Arkham City combat. Not the most faithful game to Tolkien's work, but it's good.

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germanatlas 7 points 2 years ago

Nintendo is pretty rabid about their IPs, they would personally deliver a cease and desist to a toddler drawing a Switch with crayons on cardboard, but if you mean this minigame, then you’ll probably be fine.

It seems so generic, if you really use nothing that belongs to Nintendo and maybe tweak the physics a little bit, it should pass at least as legally distinct.

And frankly, the game devs probably also took the idea from somewhere else, as I said, the mechanic seems pretty generic.

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imnnotfalll222gamer 1 point 2 years ago

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