Random: Indie Game Blocked By Nintendo Over Confusion On Microtransactions
Well, this is one we’re almost sure we haven’t seen before. Indie developer Strange Scaffold has revealed that its ‘narrative poker adventure’ game Sunshine Shuffle has been blocked from the Switch eShop in North America due to concerns over child gambling.
According to Xalavier Nelson Jr., the game was supposed to launch on the eShop today (May 24th, 2023) but his own media campaign about the game not teaching children to gamble has seemingly convinced Nintendo that it is indeed about child gambling. Whoops.
The game is available as planned in the UK and Europe for the price of £8.50 / €9.75, but searching for it on the North American eShop currently yields no results. It’s unknown at this time whether Nintendo of America will reverse its decision, but it definitely seems like there’s been some confusion over what the game is actually about.
Here’s a look at the key features from the UK eShop page:
– A fusion of poker and narrative adventure, with a story that unfolds as you play!
– Deep neo-noir story told with style, care, and the pain of hindsight.
– Unlockable conversations that further reveal the story of the Morning Shift, and their lives before and after forming the infamous heist crew.
– Rewards for careful strategy that let you decorate the S.S. Sunshine your way; with plastic skeletons and fish bowls and a dice-themed carpet; as the universe intended.
– Original ska soundtrack from acclaimed musicians Skatune Network and RJ Lake!
– A seadog with an eyepatch named Fidelius.
We won’t lie, this sounds like a proper good time! Hopefully, Nintendo of America will release the game onto the NA eShop in due course, but in the meantime, you’ll have to visit another region’s eShop if you’re looking to purchase Sunshine Shuffle.
What do you make of this whole debacle? Leave a comment with your thoughts down below.
Today marks a victory for independent game developers – and a lesson for larger game publishers – after Nintendo reversed its decision to block a popular indie game from releasing on its online store.
In the weeks leading up to its release, “Random: Indie Game Blocked By Nintendo” was poised to be one of the most popular mobile free-to-play games of the year. Developed by a small indie team, the goal of the game was to construct a city from scratch. Players could purchase in-game resources and cards with real money, allowing them to progress faster in the game.
However, days before the game’s launch, Nintendo blocked the title from its store, citing confusion over the game’s micro-transactions and how they would be handled. According to Nintendo, the developers lacked clarity on the game’s micro-transactions, leading to confusion over how they would be impacted by Nintendo’s strict policies.
The decision to block the game sparked an outcry from indie developers around the world, who argued that games of this genre had been released and supported on the Nintendo eShop for years. After much public pressure, Nintendo eventually capitulated and allowed the game to be released, albeit with modifications to its in-game resource purchases.
This incident serves as a reminder to larger game publishers to take a closer look at indie titles before launching them. Indie game developers, meanwhile, can be thankful that Nintendo was responsive to criticism and allowed “Random: Indie Game Blocked By Nintendo” to be released.
