Nintendo launched its latest smash-hit – Animal Crossing: New Horizons – back in March and has since seen great success. With that, however, companies and other high-power figures saw it as a way to reach a younger generation. From talk shows to clothing brands, and even political campaigns, companies have used it to its advantage.
In a report, however, it seems Nintendo wants to stamp some of that out. On Thursday, the Japanese gaming giant issued methods for businesses and organizations to use the game properly and within its own customized guidelines for business use.
Among its rules to not go beyond what’s acceptable in an E-rated game and not using the game as a marketing tool to siphon traffic to a sales page or sweepstakes, lies another rule that might rub some people the wrong way. Nintendo is asking users to refrain from bringing politics into the game.
It isn’t clear if this will affect the Biden campaign, which built up a virtual headquarters and distributed signs for users to download and add to their yards showing support for the president-elect.
The statement does give potential leeway to some rules, though. If the person behind breaking the rules got explicit, written permission from Nintendo then the company or figure can continue its practices.