Nintendo, a Japanese multinational consumer electronics and video game company, has a storied history dating back to its founding in 1889. Originally established as a playing card company by Fusajiro Yamauchi, Nintendo evolved over the years to become a prominent player in the video game industry. Nintendo is known for iconic trademarks like the red-and-white Nintendo logo and its beloved characters, such as Mario and Zelda.
Nintendo demonstrates a proactive approach to monitoring and enforcing its trademarks. In 2017, Nintendo filed a lawsuit against RomUniverse, a website known for distributing pirated copies of Nintendo games. The lawsuit alleged copyright infringement and trademark infringement, emphasizing the unauthorized distribution of Nintendo's intellectual property. The court ruled in favor of Nintendo, and RomUniverse was ordered to pay significant damages to the gaming company. In 2018, rapper Soulja Boy released a gaming console, the "SouljaGame," featuring unauthorized copies of Nintendo's games. Nintendo issued a cease-and-desist letter, citing copyright and trademark infringement. Soulja Boy subsequently removed the console from sale.