Alright, listen up, fellow gamers and eSports enthusiasts. Picture this: you’ve been grinding away at your favorite game, perfecting those combos, memorizing maps, and smashing noobs. Finally, the big day arrives—a huge online tournament where you can flex your skills and maybe even snag a cash prize.
But suddenly, out of nowhere, the game company swoops in and hits the tournament organizers with a cease-and-desist order. Why? Because apparently, you’re messing with their “precious” copyright.
Now, you’re probably wondering, “What’s the big deal? It’s just a game!” Well, welcome to the wild world of copyright law, where things can get messier than a last-minute boss fight. Video game companies have realized that eSports is a goldmine—a marketing bonanza that can make them boatloads of cash. So, they’re not exactly thrilled when someone tinkers with their game, even if it’s just to make it playable online.
Take the infamous case of the Big House, a Super Smash Bros. Melee tournament that was shut down by Nintendo. The reason? The tournament was using a program called Slippi to let players compete online, because, you know, it’s 2020 and not everyone can just show up in person. Nintendo, however, didn’t see it that way. They claimed that Slippi violated their copyright, even though the game in question hadn’t been on sale since 2008. Yep, you heard that right—Nintendo pulled the plug on a tournament for a game they weren’t even making money on anymore.
So, next time you’re hyped for an online tournament, just remember: the real final boss might not be that sweaty player on the other side of the screen, but the game company’s legal team.
Images sources: Curbed and Pinterest
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