Nintendo banned the use of the trans flag from user created stages in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Nintendo recently launched a new feature that allowed users to create their own stages in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The feature went live on April 17th.
Twitter user Warm Safflina reported that Nintendo had banned the trans flag from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate indicating its use violated their Terms of Service. They would add that the flag was deemed “inappropriate and/or harmful.”
So @Nintendo has, in their infinite wisdom, decided that this stage featuring the trans flag violates their TOS. #SmashBros #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/9FWgQpcCDG
— Warm Safflina (@WarmSafflina) April 19, 2019
In what way is the trans flag and the title “trans rights now” inappropriate and/or harmful, @NintendoAmerica?
— Warm Safflina (@WarmSafflina) April 19, 2019
While they originally were unclear why the use of the trans flag violated Nintendo’s Terms of Service, they would later report that they contacted customer service, who revealed to them the flag was banned for making a “political statement.” They also reported their account was suspended for 9 hours following the violation.
Update: I have reached out to customer support. The exact reason it was taken down was because it is considered a “political statement”. According to their records, my account was also suspended for 9 hours.
— Warm Safflina (@WarmSafflina) April 19, 2019
They also noted that the customer service rep instructed them to contact Nintendo’s corporate office and visit the Smash support forums and “leave messages that the trans flag and message of support for trans rights shouldn’t be prohibited.”
The supervisor told me they personally don’t agree with the ruling, and recommended I and others contact corporate, or visit the Smash support forums and leave messages that the trans flag and messages of support for trans rights shouldn’t be prohibited.
— Warm Safflina (@WarmSafflina) April 19, 2019
They would later provide a screenshot of their original email from Nintendo indicating their decision to ban the stage was due to “inappropriate and/or hateful content.”
Here is a screenshot of the email I was initially sent. pic.twitter.com/3ysSWpn5V0
— Warm Safflina (@WarmSafflina) April 19, 2019
Twitter user MomBot reported that not only was Nintendo removing stages with trans flags, but was removing all stages “with political messages.”
They’re not only taking down stages related to this particular pet issue, but all stages with political messages.
— Best Mom Eva (@mombot) April 19, 2019
MomBot’s report is backed up by a separate report from One Angry Gamer (OAG) where they indicate that a number of user created stages are being removed for “inappropriate” designs. OAG reports, “Nintendo has been pretty quick to erase these types of stages.” They add, “But it looks like at least one person at Nintendo has now been tasked with checking out these reports and determining if a level is indeed a bit too problematic for this family-friendly game where dinosaurs fry plumbers to a crisp and princesses can throw children off of a cliff.”
This isn’t the first instance of Nintendo censoring Super Smash Bros. Ultimate content. In November of last year, they removed Mr. Game & Watch’s feather stating the original design of the character did not represent their company’s values. The character’s original design had come under fire from users on the ResetEra forum.
What do you make of Nintendo’s enforcement actions? Do you think the trans flag is a political message and should be removed from user-created stages? Let me know your thoughts below!