How is This a Controversy

Overview

Charlie (MoistCr1TiKaL / penguinz0) responds to online backlash over saying he did not buy a Switch 2 because he dislikes how Nintendo treats its fans and communities.

He emphasizes that this is a personal choice, not a call for a boycott. He would still buy Nintendo games, including an Ocarina of Time remake if it came to the original Switch, and has no objection to other people buying or enjoying the new console.

Criticism of Nintendo

Charlie’s main criticism is what he sees as Nintendo’s unusually aggressive enforcement of its intellectual property. He cites reported actions involving streamers playing games released in their region, a Splatoon creator using a camera mod, fan games, emulators, video-game music uploads, Smash tournaments, and a Costa Rican family supermarket called “Super Mario.”

He acknowledges that some enforcement may be legally defensible, but argues that it can be excessive and harmful to the communities and preservation efforts built around Nintendo’s games.

He also objects to Nintendo games rarely receiving price cuts and to the company’s $80 games, while noting that rising prices are an industry-wide trend. He gives Nintendo credit for continuing to sell physical games but criticizes its use of game-key cards that do not contain the full game.

Broader Perspective

Charlie says he is not singling out Nintendo as the industry’s worst company. He believes Sony has behaved worse recently and says he has also criticized Sony and Microsoft.

His broader frustration is with fans who aggressively defend corporations online over another person’s personal purchasing decision. Nintendo’s conduct has simply made him less interested in buying its latest console, he says, and that should not be treated as a controversy.