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Ouroboros24 on 14 September 2016
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Kyuu said:

Nintendo has every right to control and manage their IPs the way they see fit but that's not necessarily praiseworthy.

I can't help but respect Zun's business model, for instance, more than Nintendo's. There are hundreds of thousands of fanmade Touhou works in Japan because the creator encourages his fans to capitalize on his IP to help them realize something. That didn't seem to affect the performance of Zun's own Touhou games. To the contrary, he became even more recognized.

Of course there is the fundamental difference that waterfalls of money are being risked in Nintendo's projects as opposed to Zun's little indies. But I think if Nintendo relaxed a little and gave their fans a bit more freedom, the benefits could outweigh the negatives.

What I see most is that fanmade games are a wildwest like issue.  There's really no law other than Nintendo flagging these independent creators.  It's so much that the fight is carried along by Nintendo and when Nintendo does fight, it's a "f the man" mentality.  No one wants to bat for big brother Nintendo.  I can't say much about Zun because this is the first time I've heard of them tbh.  But my main point here, is that everyone seems to be towards a laissez-faire attitude towards content creators and branded IP.  And it goes beyond just fanmade games, it's this idea that IP should be free and those who own them should be cool and let it pass.  Sega for instance, how far are they willing to let fanmade be okay?  Is it when streets of rage 5 comes out and it's downloaded a million times for free?  Sure they're a cool company now, but they aren't like Nintendo where IPs are mostly all golden.  Who gives an Ace about Sonic when there's like 100s and they all fall flat.  What was it, someone get the number, but 500 dcma claims put down.  500 is not a small number.  From Zelda, to Pokemon, to Mario, Metroid, Earthbound, Donkey Kong, Kirby, and the list goes on and on.  They pile and if those numbers continue and Nintendo were "cool" it would be bad.  Companies put down money to make their IP as they are and if you're Nintendo, you wanna keep your money makers confined to your own whims. 

Touhou games are those company that isn't in the level of a Nintendo, whose structure seems to benefit from fanmade games(as I'm guessing), but again, that's why Nintendo I think should be praised.  They're a whole different sort of entity where they're looked down at for being the way they are and acting they way they are, but ultimately sticks to their guns and never pulls back when they think they're right.  I personally think that's praiseworthy. 

And yes, the future is uncertain.  Perhaps we'll see these fanmade games come to light under the nintendo banner, but as of yet, Nintendo has not answered that call.  We all know when Nintendo isn't ready, nothing imperfect will be release, ie Zelda.  Perhaps they have a plan for these games.  Nintendo knew about Uranium for a very long time and the game took like 9 years to develop.  They could have stopped it a long time ago, but the waited until it was done.  Who knows and I'm with you in the issue of "relaxed".  But, as they are, they are certainly praise worthy for their actions, if only because they're sticking to their story.