Nintendo Pressures Charity Speedrun Event to Exclude Its Games

Recently, Nintendo issued a cautionary notice to the organizers of a prominent charity speedrunning event in Japan, prompting the withdrawal of its games from the event lineup.

The RTA Summer 2025 marathon, scheduled for August 9 to August 15, 2025, is the largest charity speedrunning series in Japan. Anticipation had been building since the announcement of its game lineup back in June. Among the featured titles are sought-after games such as Cuphead, Silent Hill 2, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. However, a significant point of concern is the absence of any Nintendo titles.

Initially, there was no clarification regarding this omission. However, recent updates from the event organizers have revealed that they were instructed by Nintendo to seek permission to feature any of its games. This event follows a precedent of Nintendo’s stringent policies regarding the use of its intellectual property in public streaming.

Warning Issued to Charity Speedrunning Event Organizers

Although Nintendo titles will not be present at the RTA event this year, organizers maintain optimism for future collaborations.

On June 13, 2025, representatives from the RTA event explained on their official website that Nintendo required prior authorization for any games featuring its characters. Nintendo emphasized that prior broadcasts showcasing their games were deemed “unauthorized use.”

In light of these developments, the RTA organizers are currently in discussions with Nintendo, hoping to feature their games at future events. This dialogue has led to the announcement of upcoming changes to the game application guidelines, with further information promised as negotiations progress.

At this time, popular franchises such as Mario and The Legend of Zelda will not be represented at the upcoming event, following the clarification surrounding Nintendo’s warning.

Nintendo’s strict regulations around its intellectual properties are well-known, and this incident is not an isolated case. A similar scenario occurred in February 2022 when Super Smash Bros was removed from the EVO fighting game tournament due to similar IP concerns.

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