Unpacking dev challenges Nintendo to crack down on ‘cheap fakes’ on eShop
Nintendo called out for apparent inaction over “egregious scams” on Switch’s online store
The creative director of indie hit Unpacking has called out Nintendo for its apparent inaction over trademark infringements on the Switch eShop.
Over the last couple of months several similarly named and themed ‘Unpacking’ titles have started being sold on Nintendo’s online marketplace.
They include the likes of Unpacking: Deluxe Edition, Unpacking Universe Dreams, Unpacking: New Chapter and Unpacking: Chill Music Pack.
In late November, Vooks brought these product listings to the attention of Unpacking studio Witch Beam Games and the title’s creative director Wren Brier, who subsequently reported them to Nintendo.
“It’s been over two weeks and these are still on the eShop,” Brier wrote in a Bluesky post on Monday. “Nintendo hasn’t responded to any of our reports of these egregious scams which are using our trademarked game name and purposely tricking Nintendo customers into buying cheap fakes.”
It’s been over two weeks and these are still on the eShop. Nintendo hasn’t responded to any of our reports of these egregious scams which are using our trademarked game name and purposely tricking Nintendo customers into buying cheap fakes.
— Wren Brier (@wrenegade.bsky.social) December 16, 2024 at 5:55 AM
The store listings in question are from a publisher called CGI LAB. As reported by Nintendo Life, it has released at least 13 titles on the eShop in 2024, including Video Game Store: Supermarket Simulator, Car Parking Legends: Drive & Park Adventure and Anime Puzzle Quest: The Magical Girls Adventure.
Billed as “a zen puzzle game about unpacking a life”, Unpacking has won a string of high-profile awards, including the Narrative and EE Game of the Year prizes at 2022’s BAFTA Games Awards.
A knock-off of The Last of Us was briefly available to purchase on eShop last year before being pulled from sale once it came to the attention of IP owner Sony and platform holder Nintendo.
VGC has contacted Nintendo for comment on this report.
