Nintendo is suing Japanese mobile game company Colopl for ¥4.4 billion ($50 million), alleging the game Shiro Neko Project infringes on its patents. Initially, a Twitter hashtag appeared to be supporting the mobile studio, but it’s now turned into Nintendo shitposting.
[Image: nyaramerucat]
Colopl is a major smart device developer, making titles such as TsumTsum Land for Disney. It also licensed patents with Capcom last spring.
According to IT Media, Nintendo is suing for five different alleged patent infringements, including “using a joystick on a touch screen”. As Nintendo Life explains, that appears to be in reference to the Nintendo DS Wrist Strap, which doubled as a joystick-like control for the handheld. Though it might not be that simple, and the claim could cover placing arbitrary coordinates on the screen and then dragging it like a joystick motion.
コロプラが起訴されたらしいけど
これでわかりやすいかな#コロプラ#任天堂#白猫プロジェクト pic.twitter.com/ugOR2zDRJy— 抹茶屋☆ゆきうさぎ (@zeto1119) January 10, 2018
As you can see in the above tweet, the Nintendo DS featured touch controls that allowed Mario to go from a walk to a run, and similar controls are allegedly in Colopl’s game. At the time, Nintendo claimed these types of touch controls were a first.
A patent attorney on Yahoo News! Japan indicated that the claim was rather complex, and that Nintendo’s original patented control scheme was wide-reaching. “I think it’s possible to call it what’s known as a ‘killer patent’,” the attorney wrote.
Colopl, however, is denying that it infringed on a single Nintendo patent and will fight the lawsuit. It predicts that the suit will cause the company “distress”.
IT Media reports that somehow the hashtag #任天堂を許すな (“Nintendo wo yurusuna” or “Don’t forgive Nintendo” was supposed to be for Shiro Neko Project fans to support the mobile game maker. But it ended up as a forum for light-hearted shitposting – not all of which is critical of Nintendo in the least.
#任天堂を許すな
任天堂のmiitomoのせいで
時間がいくらあっても
足りなくなっちゃったよ pic.twitter.com/HJPJZmoHsN— とろろ (@nyaramerucat) January 11, 2018
Shironeko fans started a hashtag #任天堂を許すな (“do not forgive Nintendo”) in support of Colopl but it’s full of shitposts about Nintendo products
“Derby Stallion 3 cost too much”‘
“they turned Captain Falcon into a punchman”
“where’s Kirby Air Ride 2”https://t.co/vCKUmfFdzi— GSK???? (@gosokkyu) January 11, 2018
Uhhh, so the top trending hashtag in Japan right now is ‘don’t forgive Nintendo’ ???????????????????????? #任天堂を許すな
— DEJAPAN (@DEJAPAN_Global) January 11, 2018
進化前と進化後 pic.twitter.com/oleL59sJf7
— リクオ⊿ (@R1kNagase) January 11, 2018
“Before evolution and after evolution.”
#任天堂を許すな
サイコーのCMだったぜ pic.twitter.com/qKk19FiJIL— うどん (@yn94597967) January 11, 2018
“This was a great freakin’ commercial.”
Wii U#任天堂を許すな
— 黒猫弐式妖精 (@tenko_gyokuyou) January 11, 2018
俺なんて30年以上前からswitch持ってんだよ。#任天堂を許すな pic.twitter.com/UFAswkiZmt
— みちくさ (@detour_spot) January 11, 2018
“Me, I’ve had a Switch since over 30 years ago.”
#任天堂を許すな
come on reggie, give us mother 3— おつきみどろぼう@キツツキの人 (@tuki3457) January 11, 2018
カービィのエアライド出せ、なにを渋っているんですか?#任天堂を許すな
— †さとしなもん† (@stcinnamon_game) January 11, 2018
“Release Kirby Air Ride. What are you hesitant for?”
#任天堂を許すな Kid icarus sequel, xenoblade x2, mother 3 plz
also make restock your switch games in JP for god sake— VZ (@VZ_Blade) January 11, 2018
クリスマスという日に子供を泣かせ、声を枯らした罪は重い。 pic.twitter.com/vYQSgXzlQG
— ワンコ先生@クリプト (@wanko_desuga) January 11, 2018
“The crime of causing children to cry and go hoarse on Christmas Day is serious.”
UndertaleをSwitchに移植して #任天堂を許すな
— SleepWalкer (@sleepwalker_G) January 11, 2018
“Port Undertale to the Switch.”
ファミコンウォーズの新作が出て欲しいぞおおお#任天堂を許すな
— はらしょ (@Harasho_gyouza) January 11, 2018
“I want you to put out a new Famicom Wars.”
#任天堂を許すな
miiフォトで漫画作るの
ハマりすぎて時間がないッス pic.twitter.com/e7LfdjmVle— とろろ (@nyaramerucat) January 11, 2018
スマブラスマホで出して#任天堂を許すな
— yuu, (@yuu1222yuun) January 11, 2018
“Release Smash Bros. on smart phones.”
#任天堂を許すな pic.twitter.com/9ubqS8MopK
— ジジ (@gi2kn) January 11, 2018
新作まだですかね? #任天堂を許すな pic.twitter.com/y0lWQ8ap4u
— たいせせせ (@t_t_qqq) January 11, 2018
“There still isn’t a new one?”
進化前と進化後#任天堂を許すな pic.twitter.com/AfuuNX8IdF
— 涼@襟鯖 (@ryo_0178) January 11, 2018
“Before evolution and after evolution.”
That was a small machine, but the affect changed my mind to crazy. The Name of machine is Family Computer. I still be able to remember the experience. I could not control well the old guy on TV, but it was really exiting for a young child. Thank you, Nintendo! #任天堂を許すな
— 湯飲み (@sencha_inYunomi) January 11, 2018
Shitposting and patented controls aside, Shiro Neko Project‘s hero does look familiar, but not to a Nintendo character…
【白猫】任天堂のコロプラ訴訟にスクエニ元社長もコメント!和田氏「もろパクリ以外は止めるべき。ウチもキングダムハーツで何もしなかった」【プロジェクト】 – https://t.co/BTRXIj4Zse#白猫プロジェクト pic.twitter.com/AmIRDoSqk9
— 白猫ちゃんねる (@shironeko_ch) January 11, 2018
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