Why Nintendo is Embracing Fan Games With Game Builder Garage

Nintendo's latest release, Game Builder Garage, is a little different. Players can use it to develop real game making skills, and can even create things within the garage that can be shared and played by other people. Naturally, this lends itself perfectly to the development of fan games, particularly based on Nintendo franchises that haven't seen much love lately.

Nintendo has something of a reputation for coming down hard on fan games, and with good reason - the company has already axed hundreds of fan games this year alone.

That said, it's important to remember that there are different sides to the multi-faceted entity that is Nintendo. While the company's legal team may be eager to slap all fan games with a Ceast and Desist or a DMCA takedown notice, the developers who actually make Nintendo games are increasingly experimenting with offering a space for creativity to players.

Ask Shigeru Miyamoto, and he'll tell you that Nintendo games have always been about fostering creativity. So, the move to allow gamers to make their own games - even Nintendo fan games - has grown naturally out of what Nintendo's developers have been building for decades.

As for the legal side of things, a lot of Nintendo's issues with fan games is the fact that Nintendo can't control how these games are distributed, whether anyone else makes money from them, and how they reflect on the Nintendo brand as a whole. By offering an official space for these kinds of fan projects, Nintendo's greatest fears can be assuaged a little.

Lots of love,

Sources:

[Samicom_YT]

Basically, their reason is "You can only make fangames, but only when we TELL you how to."

[casualwoomy]

The day Nintendo embraced fan games is a moment that will be passed down for generations

[SuperWiiBros]

They never loved fangames lmao
This is just for profit

[snappee]

“We only like fan games when they’re done on what we’ve made” is what I’m coming into this with

[MisteRRYouTuby]

The moral of the story:
Start creating! You’ll be amazed at what you can do.

[WinterDHX]

Nintendo Before: *Shut down Every fan game and Create hate for himself*
Nintendo now: We bad But now we are Good

[bennycaustic]

Nintendo's developers are some of the most humble down to earth people you can meet in the industry. Nintendo's monetization and legal teams are also the most aggressive in the industry.

[vanessaaguilar]

I forgot this channel existed, I still love the art style

[Aidswayz]

Simple. This way Nintendo can either do a spongebob and “WRITE THAT DOWN! WRITE THAT DOWN!” With good games, or take down dab games or mother 3 ports much easier.

This is a joke, please understand that

[SpyroTheGerudo]

They embrace this game because people have to pay for it, and the UI and software itself is very limited, so nobody will be able to make a game that really breaks the mold XD

[daleketchup]

So this is basically Nintendo’s version of Unity or Unreal Engine.

[alexschmitz]

Is this the only way Nintendo won’t send the lawyers?

[demoriginal]

It would be sad and funny if Nintendo starts copyrighting Mario based games in Game Builder Garage

[WarmLillie]

You know what they say… If you want something done right, do it yourself!!!

[pacmanman]

If Nintendo keeps up these draconian lawsuits, they’re going to be having a lot of ugly problems! People are just gonna continue to find ways to make fan games with or without Game Builder Garage!

[videakias]

The classic nintendo circle:
Step 1:some innovation pops up in the gaming industry(online play, cds instead of cartriges, indies etc)
Step 2:nintendo strongly avoids it(this backfires)
Step 3:nintendo tries to approach it with their way(their own social media, their own online subscription, small discs)
Step 4:nintendo gives up and aproaches it the right way.
Step 5:go to 1.

[justinrush]

Short answer: They aren't. They're making it so that you have to pay nintendo to make and play the fan games.

[stargateMimhi]

This is just an excuse to make it look like they support creativity while also serving as an excuse they can point at to further target fan works of all varieties. "If you wanted to make a fan game you should have bought our fan game thing!". And heck, I wouldn't be surprised if even within Garage they try to prevent people using likenesses of their IP's.

[massyarchai]

You couldnt live with your failure, where did that bring you to? Back to me...
-Fangame developers

[scooterbean]

It would be really cool if this leads to (even though I severely doubt it) an official nintendo website where people can post their fan games, but in a controlled environment where nintendo makes most of the profit if not all.