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Nintendo IP’s Can Now Oficially Be Used For Fan Projects

Nintendo has had a radical change of heart when it comes down to using their beloved IP’s for a range of things. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said that fans can use the company’s properties for a number of different things including popular Let’s Play videos, fan art, and much more. Keeping with the trend, Iwata also said that they’re joining the  Creative Endorsement Program which will reward those whose work proves to be popular in Japan. Nintendo also announced that they will be sponsoring the Tokaigi Game Party which takes place early next year.

Thanks, Michelle

76 thoughts on “Nintendo IP’s Can Now Oficially Be Used For Fan Projects”

    1. Probably, I guess… I don’t really see Nintendo suing people for using the rule on their characters, anyways…

    2. Hehe. I always wondered if sites like Rule 34 was illegal in North America? I always hear so many different stories and opinions.

            1. In one submission on his dA page, he DID mention something about rebooting SMBZ to redo some really poor pacing decisions.

  1. Seriously, this is amazing =D I like to see how Sony and Microsoft is doing now… OH WAIT, they can’t, because they have no original characters or IPs. Oh well…. XD

  2. Very positive move that they were under no obligation to make – though I’m still incredibly fed up of Let’s Plays.

    1. I’m fed up of people who CALLS them “Let’s Plays”. I’ll always think of the word “Playthrough” as the better, more appropriate word. It explains that you’re playing through the game. Let’s Play only implies that you’re playing the game. But doesn’t explain how long. And “Walkthrough” sounds like when someone just helps out with the hard parts, or gives you tips and tricks etc. as you yourself play.

  3. THANK THE HEAVENS!
    Such wonderful news.
    The copyright claiming was nonsensical and did nothing but discourage LPers. That move did more harm than good.
    I have to ask though: Why did it take them so long to finally lift the restrictions?

  4. this is cool i guess. maybe we’ll finally get a fucking fan made zelda or metriod movie. plus i draw a lot of nintendo things. so yeah this is cool in my book

    1. i doubt they were referring to fangames

      that’s their turf and i think it’s very unlikely they’ll allow people to roam freely on it

      1. Well they can hinder distribution, but they can’t really stop them from being made. People kept making a lot of Nintendo related fangames even when Nintendo wasn’t so tolerant of their IP’s being used.

        Besides I meant LP’s. I used to make fangames too, but as someone with a YouTube channel that mostly did Nintendo related Let’s Plays, it’s nice to see that they’re accepting that community and hopefully understanding that the intention isn’t to spoil the games but to spread awareness of how fun they are to play for yourself.

        1. i never said that they could stop people from making fan games i just said that i don’t think this news means they’ll suddenly let people do as they please in that regard

    1. It’s always been safe since the creator of Mother told people if they can make a Mother 4 then they are more than welcome to do so since he doesn’t plan on doing it himself.

      1. That doesn’t exactly mean Nintendo as a whole would’ve been okay with it. Though they don’t usually take any action towards fan games. And even if they did, the Mother 4 creators have said all they’d need to do is change the title, some enemies & songs then it would be 100% theirs. So i definitely knew it was always safe.

    1. Thats a good question, and I wondered the same thing. Peanut Butter Gamer has “Zelda Month” t-shirts, and I always wondered how he gets away with selling t-shirts with link and triforce images on them.

  5. This is great news since a friend and I have been getting ready to do and upload playthroughs of games on YouTube, many of which are Nintendo games.

    Now that they won’t be breathing down our necks for us making videos of playing their games and supporting the company, we’re looking forward to trying to entertain people.

  6. Don’t ya just LOVE it that the source that you’ve used to site this as “true” updated itself to be more accurate?

    It’s actually only in Japan and only on Nicovideo.jp. And so far, only “Let’s Plays, Game Music Covers, and Fan Art” are allowed.

    Everywhere else and everything else is still not officially endorsed.

  7. Does that mean that Redigit is allowed to work on SMBX again?–

    Oh wait, he’s busy with the lastest version of Terraria….

  8. So with regards to fan made games like AM2R and Mother 4, Nintendo probably won’t endorse them but hopefully they won’t C&D them either. If only Nintendo was more like Valve when it came to fan projects and mods (like with Gary’s Mod) and offer these guys jobs and market their project.

    Anyways Mother 4 looks like a great game but I sometimes wish they’d change the name and make it an homage to the series. They could become an indy developer and release it on Wii U.

  9. Pingback: Tá liberado: Nintendo diz que suas IPs podem ser usadas para projetos de fãs : Almanaque Geek

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