Nintendo Yanks Its Games from Japan’s Biggest Charity Speedrun—And Fans Are Paying the Price

Nintendo’s Tough Love Strikes Again-And Speedrunning Pays the Price

This one hit a personal nerve: Nintendo has decided to pull all its games from RTA in Japan, the country’s biggest charity speedrunning event. If you’re like me-someone who grew up watching Mario 64 and Pokémon runs at 2 AM-it’s hard not to feel like a piece of gaming culture just got stomped by the same boots that usually rescue Princess Peach. This isn’t just about losing a few races; it’s another reminder of how aggressive Nintendo is about locking down its IP, even when it hurts fans and good causes.

• Nintendo blocked its games from Japan’s top charity speedrun event, citing “unauthorized usage.”
• Fan-favorite runs like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Super Mario 64 are gone from the 2025 lineup.
• This isn’t a one-off—the company has a long history of policing community efforts that use their titles, charity or not.
• Compared to other publishers, Nintendo’s heavy-handed approach feels way out of step with what gamers (and the industry) want.

Breaking Down the Announcement: What Happened?

Here’s what went down: RTA in Japan, the country’s premium speedrunning marathon for charity (think the Japanese answer to Games Done Quick), raised an impressive 17 million yen for Médecins Sans Frontières at its last event. Nintendo games—Zelda, Mario, Pokémon—have always been the stars. But just ahead of the 2025 event, Nintendo fired off a warning saying previous broadcasts of their games were “unauthorized.” The solution? Organizers would need to file a mountain of permission requests for every Nintendo title used. Faced with that much legal red tape and uncertainty, RTA in Japan pulled all Nintendo games from the event. For context, four of the five most-watched runs last year were Nintendo classics. This isn’t trimming fat; it’s cutting out the heart.

Nintendo’s Rocky Relationship with the Community

I wish this was surprising, but Nintendo has a track record here that any longtime fan recognizes all too well. Whether it was the 2013 mess where they tried to monetize YouTubers posting Nintendo gameplay (only to reverse under community pressure), slamming mod projects like AM2R or Pokémon Uranium, or issuing copyright strikes against even the most harmless of fan art, Nintendo’s stance is simple: it’s their way or no way. They’ve never hesitated to go after content creators, even when it’s clear the community is just showing love for their games.

Why This Hurts—And Why It’s Out of Step with Today’s Gaming World

This isn’t just Nintendo being lawyers; it actively damages gaming culture. Speedrunning events are some of the purest displays of fandom—players spending thousands of hours perfecting every skip and trick, all for charity. Seeing Mario 64 or Zelda runs pull in record numbers on Twitch is proof that these games still inspire awe decades after release. For Nintendo to kill that magic over IP concerns feels tone-deaf at best, and at worst, outright hostile to the fans who keep their legacy alive.

The contrast with other publishers could not be sharper. Bethesda has built its brand in part by embracing modders—the same folks Nintendo would threaten with legal action. Even Sega, Capcom, and Square Enix tend to turn a blind eye or partner up for community events and tournaments. In today’s industry, where players are often treated more like collaborators than consumers, Nintendo’s approach feels prehistoric.

What Does This Mean for Gamers?

If you’re hoping this gets reversed, don’t hold your breath. Nintendo’s philosophy, for better or worse, just isn’t changing. Expect RTA in Japan 2025 to run without so much as a Mario coin sound effect. And expect fan frustration to linger—for many of us, speedrun events introduced new ways to love these games. Removing them doesn’t just punish the event, it punishes the community and the causes that benefit from gamer generosity.

TL;DR

Nintendo pulled its games from Japan’s biggest charity speedrun marathon, prioritizing strict IP rules over community goodwill and charity. For fans, it’s another reminder that Nintendo’s old-school legal mindset hasn’t budged—even at the cost of goodwill and supporting great causes. If you care about gaming culture, this one stings.