Nintendo denies allegations that it had "any contact" with the Japanese government to lobby against generative AI

Nintendo has publicly denied recent allegations that it has been lobbying the Japanese government to safeguard its intellectual property from the impact of generative AI technologies.

Satoshi Asano, a Japanese official, posted on his verified X account—a post that has since been removed—mentioning OpenAI's Sora 2 and indicating worries from various companies about protecting their intellectual property from major copyright violations. He falsely stated that Nintendo of America had allocated funds to lobbying efforts.

Following this, Asano admitted to spreading "inaccurate information," offering several clarifications and apologies in subsequent posts, and removed the initial message. He further addressed the issue and his regret during a YouTube livestream.

Nintendo also released a statement through X, clarifying: "Contrary to what has been circulating online, Nintendo has not engaged with the Japanese government regarding generative AI. Regardless of whether generative AI is pertinent, we will persist in taking the necessary steps to protect our intellectual property rights."

It remains uncertain whether Nintendo will pursue additional measures.

Additionally, Nintendo recently obtained a new patent for a game mechanic where an in-game character calls upon another sub-character for assistance during combat. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) granted patent number 12,403,397 to Nintendo on September 2, 2025. This application, filed in March 2023, proceeded without challenges despite the mechanic being present in earlier games, both from Nintendo and other developers.