Nintendo is suing accessory maker Genki after its unofficial Switch 2 mockups
Wes Davis is a weekend editor who covers the latest in tech and entertainment. He has written news, reviews, and more as a tech journalist since 2020.
Earlier this year, accessory maker Genki showed off a 3D-printed mockup it said was based on the Nintendo Switch 2’s official dimensions just days before the console’s first official reveal. The company has since started offering Switch 2 accessories that it says will be compatible with the system at launch. Now, Nintendo is suing the company, reports The Game Post.
Filed May 2nd, Nintendo’s complaint alleges that Genki is guilty of five counts of “trademark infringement, unfair competition, and false advertising,” and that its actions violated multiple laws, including the Trademark Act of 1946. It claims that Genki’s use of Nintendo’s trademarks is confusing to buyers, who are “likely to impute any shortcomings, defects, or lack of quality in Genki’s products to Nintendo” itself.
Nintendo’s lawyers write that although Genki has promoted its products as compatible with the Switch 2 at launch, it has been inconsistent about whether their designs are truly based on unofficial access to the console itself. Nevertheless, they claim customers will probably think the products are Nintendo-authorized, and that Genki is “taking advantage of the trust and loyalty that Nintendo fans have for the Nintendo brand and mark and causing actionable harm.”
Nintendo asks that the court require Genki to stop selling products marketed with Nintendo’s trademarks, and for compensation for any damages Nintendo sustained from the the alleged offenses, and more.
Genki addresses the lawsuit in a statement posted to X, as Eurogamer spotted:
You may have seen that Nintendo recently filed a lawsuit against us. We’re taking it seriously and working with legal counsel to respond thoughtfully.
What we can say is this: Genki has always been an independent company focused on building innovative gaming accessories for the community we love. We’re proud of the work we’ve done, and we stand by the quality and originality of our products.
While we can’t comment in detail, we’re continuing preparations to fulfill orders and showcase our newest products at PAX East this week.
We’re grateful for the overwhelming support we’ve received so far. We’ll share more when we can, but for now, we’re staying focused on doing what we do best: building gear for gamers. —Team Genki
Genki isn’t the only company that unveiled accessories for the Switch 2 before Nintendo officially revealed it. Dbrand announced a Switch 2 case in December, and before that, smaller accessory makers announced things like screen protectors. These sorts of early accessory announcements aren’t unusual in the world of smartphones, where case makers turn to leaked specifications to make risky bets that don’t always pan out. But for Nintendo, Genki at least seems to have crossed a line that it simply isn’t willing to tolerate.
Nintendo did not immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.
