Nintendo is a notoriously litigious company, and has gone to extreme lengths to protect its copyright over the decades – from trying (and failing) to block sales of the Game Genie on the NES all the way up to its closure of ROM-sharing sites in more recent years.
That's why when a post appeared on social networks which stated that Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser had personally flown out to Venezuela to sue a 9-year-old boy for creating a cardboard imitation of a Nintendo console, it raised a smile from many gaming fans – so much so that it was shared thousands of times across Twitter and Facebook.
Unfortunately, many people who saw the meme weren't in on the joke and assumed it was genuine – so much so that news outlet USA Today felt the need to perform a 'fact check' post debunking it. The outlet even managed to coax an official denial from Nintendo of America on the matter.
The story behind the post goes back a couple of years. A video showing the cardboard console in action was posted on Instagram in July 2018 by rapper Big Trueno, who claimed that the device had been constructed "by a Venezuelan child who congregates in the same church as me, his name is Rubén." The story was later reported by English newspaper The Mirror, crediting the mysterious Rubén with the creation of the console.
Given Nintendo's penchant for legal action, it would seem that somebody spotted the video and thought it would be funny to turn it into a meme, adding a picture of a random child and spinning the admittedly amusing yarn that Doug Bowser had paid him a visit with a $200 million lawsuit in tow.
Ah, gotta love those dank memes, amirite?
[source eu.usatoday.com]
Comments 61
It's fake news to hide Nintendo really are suing the family. When will people stop trusting the big tech companies like NintendoLife with their forced agendas! ;p
No Nintendo didn’t sue a 9 year old child, Nintendo ARE suing the 9 year old child. It took them a little longer to get around to it
Nintendo obviously didn't sue him, they bought the rights so they could use the tech in Labo.
Can't blame people for outright believing that at this point. It is crazy enough that I'd fact check it first, but I wouldn't have even been surprised had it turned out to be true.
Bring back hanging >: (
I'm more surprised that it didn't happen.
This is a chance for Nintendo to fly down there and actually give him a console. That would be awesome! Do it DOUG!
It's utterly disgusting how credulous idiots use children and the vulnerable to further their pathetic feaver-deams.
I would pity them, but they are adults - they made their choice to spread lies about a child.
Imagine what all these idiot conspiracy theorists could do if they went after Shell, BP, the British arms trade, etc.
@LinkSword Why? Tell me one true case where Nintendo did something even close to what is mentioned here. And don't start with rom pages. These people made money with it and even if it's just by Adds on their website.
The young boy will be fine as long as he does not make a paper mario game to go with it!
If anyone thought this was true, I wonder what goes on inside their minds?
I have Paper Nintendo Switch before i bought real Nintendo Switch. 🤭
Oh no........looking at the picture maybe he did make a paper mario game !!!!
Definitely a joke, it says Bowser is Nintendo's president!
Oh...
@Rambler you need to go for a walk bud and stop getting so riled up. I know, covid is getting to us all
@Rambler I think it's more likely to have been created by a clickbaiter. These people will make up all sorts of random stuff and outrageous claims so you'll click through. It's all about page views and advertising, getting those numbers up to generate revenue. That so much of it is blatantly fake to anyone with half a brain doesn't matter - those stupid enough to believe will click it, and those curious about the latest bit of nonsense will also click through. I've done it myself, followed a link for a story on some daft claim, just to see how deep they'll go with it.
I first saw this meme with a girl and the Nike shoes/sports company, and even then it was painfully obvious it was a joke. Then I saw this one and realized it's a new form going on
@Donnerkebab
And that pic of the kid is just a photorealistic drawing?
Or is that actually someone?
@karatekid1612 - tbh, I was mainly thinking of another meme about some nurse who fainted from a jab, and has supposed to have died. Apparently people are on about her kids' school.
So yeah, I do, but using kids for a laugh is rubbish
Yeah, a bit of an overreaction, admittedly. How about this thought experiment - if that pic was your kid, how would you react?
That was pretty obviously a joke. If it wasn't, then I laughed a bit too much at a 9 year olds misery.
Sure, a story where Doug Bowser personally flies to Venezuela to sue a kid-made mockup does come across as "partly made up".😄
Although I bet a place like 4chan could have a field day with it, all the way down to "Gameboy Labo confirmed".
The fact that multiple people unironically think that Nintendo would do something like this makes me worried about the future of our society.
@Rambler Probably they don't have the internet if their child's Gameboy is made of cardboard.
@Rambler And breathe
@Clyde_Radcliffe
See, now I'm laughing at this!!!
Ah man, the phrase, "you need to get out more" has never been so apt.
Still stand by what I've said though, even if my spleen-venting way was a tad OTT...
Sigh! Ever since the N64 era people have always been trying to make Nintendo look like the bad guy. They are a kiddy company, They are out of touch with todays gamers, They are old hat, They should ditch the switch. They sued a 9 year old boy etc etc.
How bout showing a little respect for the company that brought gaming back from the brink and probably had alot to do with why many of us still game today?
I can't believe a funny joke has caused such a reaction, of course it was never true it was just a p*ss take.
Oh God, people really believe anything they see on the internet nowadays, sorry but humanity's common sense has really gone down in the last few years and I am worrying about the kids of these people
I can't believe that people took a meme seriously. To the point there's even news "debunking" it. Too many stupid people in this world. First they believed random Facebook posts, now they're believing memes are real stories. Le sigh.
You're telling me people actually believed this?
@Zeldafan79 Damn you really can't take a joke huh? Literally nobody cares how they're a "kiddy company" we're allowed to make jokes/make fun of them just like everyone else
@WallyWest @Doofenshmirtz @PhilKenSebben I know right and it shows how idiotic mainstream American news media is if they feel the need to earnestly debunk an obvious joke meme as if it's "misinformation" or "fake news"
Talk about a sense of humour failure and inability to understand parody.
Did this need debunking?? Who needed to be told that this isn't real? They need a time out.
NINJA IS CONCERNED FOR FATE OF HUMANITY
The fact that people believe any B.S Is outstanding
Nintendo should give this kid, at the very least, a Game & Watch Super Mario Bros. If they are generous, give him a Switch with Mario Kart and Mario U.
I just can't believe anybody would think even for a second that this is not just a joke.
In other news, the chicken DID NOT actually cross the road.
People are considering the possibility because it is Nintendo we are speaking about. There are definitely more cease and desist orders going around than those 35th anniversary buttons.
Hopefully that kid will mass market his incredible invention for the world and put nintendo out of business
@LinkSword Well considering how harsh Nintendo is with it's IP's it's no surprise. Obviously this would be an extreme and wouldn't happen, however based upon Nintendo's C&D orders some idiots would actually take this seriously.
Moral of the story: support people who support communities. Otherwise face the wrath of the justice's system.
@jump Trump, is that you?
@NorseGamerTommy It is probably "I LOVE TRUMP".
well thank goodness. as a kid i made a 3ds out of folder cause i was excited for the system to come out, i wouldve been a goner to nintendo ninjas
@Rambler Conspiracy theorists? Interesting use of an already over used term.
@MysteryCupofJoe Exactly. Just give him a real one.
Anyway. People must be stupid if they believed Nintendo would sue anyone for 200 millions because of a homemade cardboard.
@Jayofmaya
As I said, I admitted to overreacting, which is highly ironic with this story, I think
But if people are thinking that this is true, don't you think that they are quite credulous?
It's a joke, but it is only funny because it contains a kernel of truth.
@Xenomorth if Nintendo had there way they would Sue a newborn baby for saying "mario" as it's first new word 😤😤😤😂
If anything that was a cool little handheld. Reminds me of the tiger electronics days as a kid lol.
@kgbkgb you're doing a great job out there today. Round of applause!
@Mr-Fuggles777 *lego
the technique used in that cardboard gameboy is very similar to what's used for the screen of the lego NES set.
@kgbkgb Excellent whoosh. Keep at it chum!
NINJA APPROVED BUT TRAIN HARDER
I think these days people believe what they want to believe.
Some people want to think Nintendo would sue a small child for a personal creation...because they want to think Nintendo is completely unreasonable shutting down people mass distributing their IP for free online or essentially bootlegging products "as a fan" via kickstarter.
Obviously it’s satire, but it is funny in regards to how Nintendo sues everyone.
How can anyone not see that this is a joke? "[...] Nintendo‘s CEO Doug Bowser personally traveled to Venezuela [...]"
Yeah, I‘m pretty sure he‘s got Nothing better to do than that.
If anything, they would have sent him a New 3DS.
@LinkSword You’re joking, right? Yeah dude I can definitely blame people for believing it lol. Because there has to be a complete lack of critical thinking skills to believe that a top-ranking executive, who probably doesn’t even get involved in some of their biggest and most legitimate lawsuits, would burn his precious time flying to a faraway country to inform a poor 9 year old child that his cardboard system had earned him a lawsuit, let alone one for hundreds of millions of dollars.
It’s so profoundly absurd that it should be beyond obvious that it’s fake. Finding it credible should be embarrassing to people.
I laughed so hard at the meme the first time I saw it. I laughed even harder at the people who fell for it hook line and sinker
I definitely could see Nintendo sending him a cease and desist tho...
@Duffman92 Yes, it is just incredible that People believe this.
Had to laugh at that Point, just imagine that:
Doug Bowser sitting in his Boss Chair, drinking Coffee while browsing through Facebook.
Than he sees that they rebuild a Gameboy out of Cardboard...
He spits out the Coffee, wild Anger fills his Eyes, his Fists are trembling, Ira Vehementi.
He stands up, the Fury is now seen in every Part of his Body.
Raising his Anger Fist he shouts:" I CAN NOT ALLOW THIS BLASPHEMIC INJUSTICE! I WILL STOP THIS DIABOLIC MONSTROSITY NOW!".
lets be honest here; if the kid tried selling them, nintendo C&Ds would descend upon him like a swarm of bees.
@Azuris
Lol, exactly, well written
I saw this meme and thought it was funny. I didn’t think people were actually gonna take it seriously though.
@Rambler wha-
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