Nintendo vs. Genki Lawsuit Settled: End of the Legal Dispute

Details of the Legal Dispute

Nintendo has reached a settlement in the lawsuit it filed against Genki, a company specializing in gaming accessories. The lawsuit stemmed from Genki's display of a 3D-printed model of the Nintendo Switch 2 at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), as well as its promotion of accessories using the Switch 2 name before the device's official unveiling.

The legal dispute began in January when Genki displayed an accurate 3D-printed model of the Nintendo Switch 2 at CES. The model included the device's logo, prior to Nintendo's official announcement of its new console on January 16, 2025, and days before its anticipated official launch in June 2025. The official announcement of Nintendo Switch 2. The company also promoted a range of Switch 2 accessories before the device's announcement.

Nintendo's Accusations and Genki's Response

Later, in May, Nintendo filed a complaint against Genki, accusing it of trademark infringement, unfair competition, and false advertising. Nintendo stated that it had not provided Genki with the technical specifications for the Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo alleged that Genki either "unlawfully or improperly obtained a genuine Nintendo Switch 2 device" before its public release, or that it "could not claim compatibility with a sufficient degree of certainty to make its advertising claims in good faith."

The exact financial terms of the settlement were not disclosed. According to the settlement filing, Genki confirmed that it "did not gain access" to a Nintendo Switch 2 device prior to the console's launch announcement, and the origins of the 3D-printed dummy unit remain unclear.

Settlement Terms and Impact

Under the settlement agreement, Human Things, Genki's parent company, will pay an undisclosed amount as damages to Nintendo to end the dispute. Genki also agreed to cease using product names "confusingly similar" to Nintendo's official intellectual property.

In the original lawsuit, Nintendo also indicated that Genki had infringed on its trademark by marketing third-party accessories and services using terms referring to Nintendo's intellectual property, such as "Genki Direct" and "Genki Glitch 2." Nintendo accused Genki of "exploiting the trust and loyalty Nintendo fans have for its brand, and causing actionable harm."

Genki is still permitted to refer to Nintendo's brand in its own products in a manner of "nominative fair use" under the new settlement agreement, but only when the company makes verifiable compatibility claims or to clarify its affiliation with Nintendo products as a third-party accessory product.

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