Over nearly 8 years, the Nintendo Switch eShop has seen a steady stream of games released, from major AAA titles, to indie favorites. Unfortunately, the eShop is also filled with a lot of junk. Just as we’ve seen on mobile platforms like the App Store and Google Play, the eShop has been inundated with knock-off games, often meant to deceive Switch users that don’t know any better. This can lead to a lot of frustration from developers, as their games share space with flagrant knock-offs. One example is the game Unpacking, which has attracted an imposter that is infringing on developer Witch Beam’s trademark.
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In a post on Bluesky, Unpacking creative director Wren Brier shared an image of search results on the eShop containing the word “unpacking.” Those results contain the real version of Unpacking, alongside Unpacking Universe Dreams from CGI Lab. There are also multiple DLC options for the latter game, and players can get all of that content in the misleadingly titled Unpacking: Deluxe Edition. Brier and the team apparently contacted Nintendo about the trademark infringement two weeks ago, but have yet to get a response. Her post on Bluesky can be found below.
It’s not unusual for popular games to get impersonators, but there’s a fine line between borrowing inspiration from a popular game, and creating something with the intention of deceiving consumers. Had CGI Lab named its game “Organizing Simulator,” it probably wouldn’t have generated any kind of response from Witch Beam. However, this is clearly a case of a company trying to make a quick buck. Unpacking normally costs $19.99 on the eShop, while Unpacking: Deluxe Edition is priced at $11.99. By pricing it lower and making it sound like this is the base game plus all the DLC, CGI Lab is hoping to take advantage of customers that don’t know any better. In fact, some users might think they’re getting some kind of bargain! It’s worth noting that CGI Lab has not released its “version” of Unpacking on Xbox, PlayStation, or Steam, so this seems to be strictly a problem with Nintendo’s digital store standards.
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The ironic thing about all of this is that Nintendo used to have the strictest standards for its storefront. While the Switch eShop is packed with knock-offs of popular games and even titles with overt sexual content, Nintendo once blocked The Binding of Isaac on 3DS due to the game’s religious themes. It seems Nintendo has swung way too far in the opposite direction when it comes to moderation on its platform, and that’s having a negative impact on both developers and consumers. Hopefully Nintendo can rectify this situation, and protect its users from buying cheap rip-offs of popular games.
Do you think the Nintendo Switch eShop needs stronger content moderation? Have you noticed the large number of knock-offs on the platform? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
[H/T: Eurogamer]
