Pokeclicker is the trend in recent weeks. Although its gameplay is more than simple, i.e. click to catch Pokémon and discover new areas, it is still addictive. Thousands of players around the world have fallen in love with this fan creation, and spend hours of their free time there. It is true that since CookieClicker in 2013, the gender of clicker game is on the rise because it is quick to launch, and can be played anywhere, anytime.
But while the creators of Pokéclicker seem to have found the winning formula, the game is nonetheless a fan creation, and, in fact, does not belong to the Pokémon franchise, nor to Nintendo. But then…
Can Nintendo ban Pokéclicker?
Pokéclicker fans, hold back your tears because yes, Nintendo can make the game disappear. From a legal point of view, as long as its characters and Pokémon are exploited, it is entirely possible for Nintendo to take action and prohibit fan creation. However, several obstacles could present themselves to the Japanese company:
- Nintendo isn’t the only company that owns the Pokémon license
Indeed, the rights of Pokémon are divided between three entities: Nintendo, Game Freaks, at the origin of video games, and Creatures Inc. which takes care of the card game as well as the modeling of Pokémon. Because of this division, Nintendo cannot unilaterally make decisions regarding the mythical license.
- Pokéclicker is free-to-play
Pokéclicker is a free game, and has absolutely no in-game purchases. It is therefore possible for players to play the game, from A to Z, without paying a single penny. The second the creators of Pokéclicker start making a profit, the game will be immediately banned by Nintendo, and its “hillies”. This, the game developers have understood. If the latter make a profit thanks to the intellectual properties of Nintendo, they will be immediately sanctioned. The game being for the moment considered as a “fan creation”it poses no threat to the Japanese company.
Nintendo is not at its first attempt
In the past, these two barriers have not prevented Nintendo from banning Pokémon games. This was particularly the case of “Pokemon First Person Shooter” which, as its name suggests, was an FPS in which you had to totally annihilate Pokémon using various weapons. While the game was free-to-play, it was banned by Nintendo because it was far too violent and was likely to damage brand image.
Another known victim of Nintendo censorship, Another Metroid 2 Remake. Released on Game Boy in 1992, the original game fascinated gamers around the world, including some who, many years later, made a remake of it. But while for Pokemon First Person Shooterthe ban was justified, it does not seem to be for Another Metroid 2 Remake.
Reggie Fils-Aimethen president of Nintendo of America, spoke about the bans on these fan creations:
Gold, Another Metroid 2 Remake did not seem “crossing the line”in any case not those established by Nintendo. The game was free-to-play, and at no time did players have to reach for their wallets. Moreover, the fan creation was a project faithful to the universe of the original game, therefore not more violent. In this case, the ban was justified by the simple fact that the game used Nintendo’s intellectual properties.
While Nintendo’s fan-creation ban policy seems pretty random therefore, it is impossible to determine if Pokéclicker will disappear soon… or not. It is also important to note that Pokéclicker is a few years old, and for the past few weeks, it has been gaining popularity and exploding its counters! A sudden and above all growing success which could pose a problem for Nintendo.
In the meantime, we can cross our fingers and continue to enjoy this real nugget that pays homage to the fabulous license, but until when ?
Do you already suffer from clicking too much with your mouse on the “new” Pokéclicker phenomenon? Here’s how to limit the damage, and especially the tendinitis, with some cheats and other autoclickers.