How Many More Victims, Like Garry’s Mod, Will Nintendo’s Hurtful Crusade Create?

I think you’ll agree that mods and fan content have made gaming a lot more refined and entertaining these days. Back in the day, we had to take games for granted. Making any changes to them wasn’t possible. If you wanted to play around and do ridiculous stuff, you were limited to the scope of what the game allowed. However, that’s not the case anymore.

With the advent of modding and fan-generated content, the realm of possibility has received a new, broader definition. From fixing games and adding new mechanics to just going crazy and putting in hilarious details, you name it, modding can do it. Content created by fans adds a layer of creativity to the medium, and I always encourage this.

This game is gorgeous with mods
byu/Gaming_Crusader infalloutnewvegas

Unfortunately, my sentiment is not shared by one company, in particular, Nintendo.

Nintendo Hits Garry’s Mod, Hard

You were just thinking “What did Nintendo do now?” weren’t you? It’s become so much of a norm now that nothing surprises me at this point. The latest escapade by the company is taking out a massive heap of content from Garry’s Mod, Valve’s physics-based sandbox which is all about creatively hilarious mods and playing around with them aimlessly, just having fun doing whatever you wish.

Today 16 years ago, Garry’s mod was released on steam. To celebrate, I tried to recreate a famous screenshot
byu/Mamasita1111111111 ingaming

When this statement was first issued, there was a lot of chatter that Nintendo wasn’t behind the takedown, it was a fake. Following this, the team behind Garry’s Mod decided to investigate, and it gave me some hope. For a moment, I genuinely thought Nintendo wasn’t responsible for once. How foolish I was.

Facepunch Studios founder Garry Newman has issued a statement, confirming that the takedown request indeed came from Nintendo. Thus, appropriate action will be taken. This includes stuff that has been here for over 20 years, entertaining fans. Was this a respectable thing to do? I’ll let you be the judge of that.

I have been assured that the takedowns have been verified by Nintendo as legit, so this will now continue as planned. Sorry. 🫸🍄🗑️

— garry (@garrynewman) April 25, 2024

How Is 20-Year-Old Stuff Affecting Nintendo Now?

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always found this crusade of Nintendo to be highly troubling. You touch anything Nintendo-owned for inspiration, and the reaper comes breathing down your neck. I fail to see how this will benefit Nintendo. If anything, it’s discouraging people interested in its products.

Yet all this petition and request is a cry on dead ears. Nintendo isn’t changing, and I’ve come to accept it. My question is, why now? This stuff has been thriving on Garry’s Mod for over 20 years now. Are you telling me people playing around with 20-year-old stuff is somehow cutting Nintendo’s profits? 

The thing i don't get about nintendo is why they feel the need to do **** like this cuz like, i doubt someone's silly gmod addon is harming their brand https://t.co/OBm3v4mCe0

— Super Mairo :) (@maiofroge) April 24, 2024

On the contrary, I believe it is helping raise awareness and increase interest in Nintendo’s franchises. If someone gains an interest in them, wouldn’t it be a plus for Nintendo? The stuff on Garry’s Mod is 20 years old, Nintendo will not face any loss if its likeness is used in a creative game. Instead, it’s publicity for its franchises, but Nintendo doesn’t care.

Can you just let people enjoy games Nintendo? Garry's mod doesn't hurt your sales at all.

Once again, **** Nintendo. pic.twitter.com/VD36B0st2F

— JarekTheGamingDragon (@Jarek_Dragon) April 24, 2024

Discouraging Fans Isn’t Gonna Help

This isn’t the first time Nintendo has done something that looks like it doesn’t care about its customers’ wishes. The company has been notorious for viciously cracking down on any fan content that remotely resembles its IPs. And it’s not something it should be proud about. If anything, it has the opposite effect; driving people towards piracy.

This is why pirating from Nintendo is always 100% morally right.
byu/MrFloopy46 inPiracy

If Nintendo continues shutting down e-shops and killing digital-only content, how will people get to play the old games if they wish to revisit them? Official and morally correct channels are unavailable, there’s only one other option left, and you know it. Plus, Nintendo cracks down on emulators that serve to preserve these age-old games. Even if someone is interested in old games, Nintendo barres them, what can they do but stay away?

It feels like Nintendo doesn’t want us to play older games until they say we can…
byu/Kirbykoopa inRoms

What about games that aren’t even available on modern platforms? For example, I’ve seen Kid Icarus’ characters and wish to know more about them. Is any Kid Icarus available currently? Uprising was, till a little while now, but no longer now. See the problem?

Mods And Fan Content Are A Necessity

Although going after emulators is another way to kill preservation, especially when official channels are locked, I can still understand it. They’re playing complete games, and for a company as self-centered as Nintendo, that is unbearable. But why go after mods and fan-generated content? They’re not giving access to the game itself.

Why don’t companies want people to mod their games?
byu/ShadowSpade inGames

They just provide a creative representation of the characters and iconic materials from a particular IP. If you enjoy the glimpse you see, you’ll be more inclined to check it out. Besides, they never undermine the original. You’ll still need the base game to mod it.

Thus, mods and fan content are integral to the games of today. They serve to better games or add the creative hilarity that is in extreme shortage in today’s games, yet companies like Nintendo are going the extra mile to ruin gaming for all of us.