The people behind that extremely cool Breath of the Wild multiplayer mod have taken it down after Nintendo issued a number of takedowns against videos featuring the mod and other Zelda content.
Back in 2021, YouTuber PointCrow started organizing - and paying - a group of modders to create a way to play Breath of the Wild in multiplayer. That mod finally became available to the public on April 4 through PointCrow's Discord server. Within a few days, Nintendo was issuing copyright strikes against PointCrow's videos on the mod.
As of April 12, links to the mod have been removed. "I have taken down the mods in this Discord as I am currently in talks with Nintendo," PointCrow explains. "All I can share right now, please no speculation and understand that I will update you all as much as I can."
Today, PointCrow posted a video explaining the situation in greater detail. He says that Nintendo has taken down much more than just videos of the multiplayer mod - there have also been takedowns of other mod videos, and some standard Breath of the Wild gameplay content has been caught in the crossfire, too. It's even been affecting other content creators.
PointCrow argues that, while terms of service for Switch games prevent you from modifying them, Nintendo's game content guidelines create a modified set of terms of service for content creators - and with that in mind, the videos themselves fall within Nintendo's guidelines. You can watch the video for yourself below to get the full nuance, but PointCrow concludes with a direct appeal to Nintendo.
"Don't take this creativity away from us. These channels you've targeted - these videos you're claiming - are from some of the people that are most passionate about your games. You're stifling that imagination and punishing those who want to share it with others - when they do it in the way that you have outlined for us creators."
Mods for console games are functionally no different from those for PC games - the only difference is that PC developers tend to encourage modding as a way to extend the life of their games. Nintendo's selective enforcement of its IP rights has been a minefield for modders and content creators alike, and while the company's within its legal rights to take whatever action it wants against content featuring its games, it's disappointing to see it burning a portion of the community's goodwill as it gears up the hype train for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Nintendo's also sent its lawyers to track down the leaker who published the Tears of the Kingdom art book early.
