The Issue with Copycat Games on Nintendo Switch eShop
The creative director of indie hit Unpacking, Wren Brier, has raised concerns regarding the presence of copycat games on Nintendo’s Switch eShop.
Seventeen days ago, Brier shared a Bluesky post highlighting a series of games titled Unpacking on the eShop, which appeared to be heavily inspired by Witch Beam’s renowned game and even shared the same trademarked name.
In particular, Unpacking Universe Dreams from CGI Lab, along with its DLC packs, was added to the store on 26th October. This game invites players to “explore a whimsical world where each box holds new adventures” as they “unpack and arrange items in vibrant locations, each with its own unique atmosphere”.
Unpacking | Humble GamesWatch on YouTube
Today, Brier took to Bluesky once again, expressing disappointment in Nintendo’s lack of response to reports regarding these copycat games.
“It’s been over two weeks and these are still on the eShop,” wrote Brier. “Nintendo hasn’t responded to any of our reports of these egregious scams which are using our trademarked game name and purposely tricking Nintendo customers into buying cheap fakes.”
This isn’t the first time the developers of Unpacking have faced such issues. In 2022, another imitator of Unpacking was removed from the iOS and Google Play store after becoming a top-downloaded game.
Eurogamer has reached out to Nintendo for further comment on this matter.
Additionally, Moldovan studio CGI Lab has multiple titles listed on the Switch eShop, including SCP-087 The Stairwell Horror and Abyss: Backrooms Pools Horror. Nintendo Life previously reported on other games released by CGI Lab, such as Video Game Store: Supermarket Simulator, Car Parking Legends: Drive & Park Adventure, and Anime Puzzle Quest: The Magical Girls Adventure. These titles are no longer available on the store, and the CGI Lab website does not display its list of games.
Over the years, the Switch eShop has faced criticism for its inclusion of adult content, prompting Nintendo to revise its rules on such content in 2022.
More recently, Tencent received backlash for its game Light of Motiram, which bears strong resemblance to Sony’s Horizon series, often mockingly referred to as Horizon Zero Originality.
Unpacking, known for its poignant storytelling, was awarded Eurogamer’s game of the year in 2021.