Mobile companies are often known to embellish marketing materials to make their games more appealing to prospective audiences. This includes running ads featuring misleading gameplay, hiring influencers to run over-the-top promos, and - in this case - using imagery from other IP entirely.
Yes, as reported by Automaton, a mobile game called Battle Warship: State War.io has been spotted using official Nintendo imagery from its 3DS eShop title, Steel Diver: Sub Wars. It wasn't spotted by your average gamer either, but rather Sub Wars' director and ex-Nintendo veteran Takaya Imamura - awkward!
Roughly translated, the tweet reads:
"What is this! A Nintendo game is used in an advertising video for a different app! And it's a game I directed!"
It looks like Battle Warship: State War.io and Steel Diver: Sub Wars share similar themes and gameplay concepts, with both featuring a heavy focus on naval battles, but it certainly seems rather asinine - not to mention entirely illegal - for the former to utilise imagery from an official Nintendo product without the publisher's express permission. Indeed, we find it highly unlikely that Nintendo would ever grant permission for a third-party entity to use its imagery for a separate IP.
It's also been pointed out that Battle Warship: State War.io has utilised imagery from EA's Battlefield 2042, with footage from the game inserted into a mobile ad, likely without permission from EA itself. Observe:
Now that Steel Diver's imagery has been spotted by Imamura-san, it's likely the offending material will be taken down at some point, if it hasn't already. As for the man himself, he resigned from Nintendo back in 2021 but leaves behind a sterling legacy, including extensive work on iconic characters such as Fox McCloud, Captain Falcon, and Tingle.
What do you make of this whole debacle? Do you think platform holders need to implement stricter policies to prevent this kind of marketing practice? Let us know with a comment!
[source automaton-media.com]
Comments 21
The wording of the headline made me think an ex-Nintendo veteran went on to develop mobile games and plagiarized Nintendo's work.
This is nothing new. I’ve seen mobile game “gameplay” ads that paste a fake virtual controller over a video of the Legend of Korra game. I’ve seen a game use Bloodborne promotional art with the darkness turned up. I’ve seen a game promote itself with Chun Li fanart. Some of the people behind these mobile games are just scum. Not all, there are some mobile games that try, but the majority of mobile game ads are trash designed to lower your IQ…
wow....i want a new steel diver on switch. both games were awesome
@Not_Soos Ha, you're right there! I've altered it slightly.
There is literally a mobile game that uses Super Mario World sprites, like actually Mario and Luigi.
Oh wow, haven't thought of Steel Diver in a long time. Brings me back to the early days of the 3DS. What an interesting first year that was.
So who made this game?
China
No surprise there then. 😆
There's so many mobile rip offs like this. Rise of Empires used Age of Empires footage to promote their game.
@NinjaNicky There's a bunch of ads one game made where they actually claim to Be the game, and even made themselves game boxes based on the actual game boxes of Age of Empires, to give an impression that they are the modern iteration of the game. It is downright disgusting. It was probably Rise of Empires, but I can't remember.
Ouch. Bad enough getting called out but getting called out by the DIRECTOR OF THE GAME YOUR RIPING OFF is just brutal! The game is definitely getting shut down.
Anyone else that really enjoyed the first Steel Diver game? And that enjoyed the lenticular printing as box art, as a perfect representation of what the 3DS could do?
Steel diver is really a great game with a pretty 3d cover case. Also the sequel and digital only Steel diver sub wars has paid dlc with more missions submarines etc. So act soon if you love those Kind of games!
Reason ∞ why mobile gaming is beyond redeeming
How many Etsy sellers are using Nintendo imagery all day long.. lol
All this article has done is make me want to play Steel Diver again… which may have secretly been it’s purpose as copyright infringement like this on mobile is dime a dozen. So congrats on your victorious secret plan!
@Guile @Shambo @BananaMetallurgica I also immensely enjoyed this game (as my profile picture suggests). It's one of my favorites from the 3DS library.
Nintendo did a great job of capturing the feeling of tactfully moving the submarines through hostile waters in the original game. Sub Wars also did an excellent translation of that gameplay into the first-person perspective. The addition of morse code and a traditional multiplayer mode, arguably, made it an even more immersive experience.
The first two games had solid gameplay but only passable campaign modes, which a hypothetical third game could flesh out into something more elaborate. It's one of the reasons I hope Nintendo will eventually make a sequel for Switch.
Unabashed mobage TRASH!
This article never should have been written. Copyright infringement towards Nintendo and other big names have been happening for years on mobile from fly-by-night pubs.
1,000% not news!
Imagine being the person who did this and seeing who it was that found it: you'd be packing your bags faster than an underwater torpedo.
Nintenjas on the case!
... here we go again.
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