Nintendo doesn’t like it when street dates for their games are broken and end up in the hands of gamers early. No publisher likes that, but Nintendo is now fighting back with new rules that could hurt small indie game stores.
The company has confirmed that it will now ship games closer to release date in Europe after several of its recent games, including Super Mario Odyssey, ended up on the street well before their release date.
Most famously, Nintendo got YouTube to ban a gamer after he legitimately purchased a copy of Mario Odyssey before the release date and posted a video.
And he wasn’t the only one: several retailers, mainly small independent stores, sold the game ahead of its release date. It happened more than Nintendo would have wanted, apparently, which is why they are changing the rules now.
And retailers aren’t happy. One small UK games retailer told GamesIndustry.biz,
“Nintendo is doing so well at the moment, and it’s been a boost to us in what would have been a difficult year. If I end up getting stock late, then customers will just shop at the supermarket instead.”
Do you agree with Nintendo’s new rules? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
