Leakers of Several Pokemon Secrets Have Been Blacklisted by Nintendo
FNintendo, the website behind many Pokemon Sword & Shield leaked information, has officially been blacklisted by Nintendo. The Portuguese website shared many images of Pokemon Sword & Shield long before the Nintendo embargo had expired, announcing information about the games long before Nintendo planned to make it public. As a result of the blacklist, FNintendo will no longer be receiving review copies of Nintendo games moving forward. Pokemon Sword & Shield are available exclusively for the Nintendo Switch, with expansion packs for both games on their way.
According to a recent statement from Nintendo, “these Pokemon were leaked by a reviewer for the Portuguese website FNintendo, who had received an early copy of the game for review purposes. “Both he and FNintendo failed to handle confidential material, resulting in a clear breach of the confidentiality agreement between Nintendo and the media outlet. Nintendo will always protect its intellectual property and brands. Leaks hurt not just Nintendo, but the thousands of employees who work hard to bring games to market and the millions of fans around the world who look forward to news and surprises.”
“To surprise and delight players through new experiences is a shared passion for Nintendo and The Pokemon Company. We will pursue all avenues to preserve surprises for players of future Pokemon titles.” Since the statement from Nintendo, FNintendo has made a public apology which also stated that the employee who leaked embargoed information has been let go. It’s common for a studio to cut ties with reviewers for leaking information but it’s rare for them to state specifically who did it in a statement announcing the end of said ties.
Are you glad Nintendo has blacklisted FNintendo? Which leak prior to the release of Pokemon Sword & Shield bothered you the most? Let us know in the comments below!
Source: Games Industry.biz