Welcome to Shametendo
A repository of Nintendo's controversies and questionable practices
As the site is brand new, I'm looking for people who can help me add all the latest crazy stuff Nintendo has done. If you're interested, send me a DM on discord!
Why this site?
Nintendo is often perceived as a "family-friendly" and "caring" company. However, behind this facade lie controversial practices that deserve to be known.
This site aims to document these practices and offer a critical perspective on the company.
Latest controversies
Controversy Categories
Legal
Lawsuits, intellectual property, actions against fans, limitations on game preservation...
Products
Hardware defects, planned obsolescence, Joy-Con Drift, design issues, deliberate stock shortages...
Services
Online service limitations, excessive pricing, missing features, Nintendo Switch Online, terms of service...
Community
Fan relations, competition management, content creator restrictions, shutdown of community projects...
Business Practices
Artificial scarcity strategies, maintained high prices, selling ports at full price, microtransactions, anti-consumer practices...
Environment & Ethics
Working conditions, environmental impact, employee rights, restrictive return policy, limited transparency...
Nintendo's Industry Impact
Significant Influence
With over 40 years in the video game industry, Nintendo has established numerous standards that influence the entire sector. Its decisions and practices therefore have a significant impact.
When a company of this size adopts controversial practices, it can encourage other players to do the same, which is why it's important to document and constructively criticize these approaches.
Key Statistics
- Over 800 million consoles sold since 1983
- Over 5.4 billion games sold
- The Switch has become the 3rd best-selling console in history
- A market capitalization exceeding 60 billion dollars
- Mario is the best-selling video game franchise of all time
How does Shametendo work?
You submit a controversy
Through the contribution form, detailing the incident and providing reliable sources.
We verify the information
Our team reviews sources, researches additional information, and confirms accuracy.
The controversy is published
Once verified, it becomes accessible to everyone with its own detailed and referenced page.
Our goal isn't to demonize Nintendo, but to encourage fairer practices by informing consumers.
Know of an unlisted controversy?
Help us enrich our database by submitting new information.
ContributeEthical Alternatives and Games
Discover more ethical alternatives and independent studios that offer quality gaming experiences with practices that are more respectful of players.
Join Our Discord Community
Connect with other passionate gamers, discuss Nintendo's practices, share your experiences, and contribute to making the gaming industry more ethical and transparent.
Join our community of Nintendo enthusiasts committed to making a change.
Stop Killing Games Movement
"Stop Killing Games" is a consumer movement started to challenge the legality of publishers destroying video games they have sold to customers. We fight against planned obsolescence in the gaming industry and advocate for consumer rights.
The Problem
An increasing number of video games are sold effectively as goods - with no stated expiration date - but designed to be completely unplayable as soon as support from the publisher ends.
This practice is a form of planned obsolescence and is not only detrimental to customers, but makes preservation effectively impossible. Furthermore, the legality of this practice is largely untested in many countries.
European Citizens' Initiative
The most powerful option at our disposal: help reach the threshold for signatures to bring new legislation forward.
442,203 signatures (44% of goal)
Last updated: May 14, 2025
Their Progress So Far
Consumer Agency Complaints
Successfully escalated complaints to consumer agencies in France, Germany, and Australia, challenging the legality of publishers destroying sold games.
Legal Petitions
Brought forth petitions for new laws to various countries to protect consumers' rights to retain access to games they've purchased.
Looking Forward to 2025
As of 2025, most consumer action has concluded and we are awaiting decisions from several governments, with ongoing initiatives still open for participation.
European Citizens' Initiative
This powerful initiative requires EU citizens' signatures to push for new laws protecting consumer rights to retain purchased games.
442,203 signatures (44% of goal)
Last updated: May 14, 2025
Sued By Nintendo
"Sued By Nintendo" is a timeline-based resource maintained by Camilo Zambrano that chronologically documents Nintendo's cease and desist letters and legal actions against fans, creators, and communities.
Simple but Effective
The site presents a straightforward timeline of events, with each entry showing the date, a descriptive title, and a brief summary that links to press articles covering the incident.
This chronological approach makes it easy to track Nintendo's legal history and see patterns in their enforcement actions over time.
Legal Documentation
A comprehensive archive of Nintendo's cease and desist letters and legal actions against the fan community.
Maintained by Camilo Zambrano
Documenting Nintendo's legal history since 2021
Legal Documentation
A comprehensive archive of Nintendo's cease and desist letters and legal actions against the fan community.
