Recently, Nintendo shut down the sale of custom Nintendo Switch Joycon shells made in dedication to the late Twitch streamer and YouTuber Desmond Daniel Amofah, aka Etika. Known for his charisma and humor, Etika was a prominent figure and positive influence in the gaming community who tragically took his own life a year and a half ago. Since Etika's passing, his loyal fanbase has paid tribute to him in many ways, including custom made Joycon controllers that had all proceeds donated to the mental health nonprofit The JED Foundation.
The custom made Joycon shells, branded in Etika's memory, have now seen a cease and desist from Nintendo, pulling them from sale. The decision made by Nintendo is a fully legal one but highly controversial. The creator of the custom Joycon shells, CptnAlex, as well as additional sources on Twitter and Reddit, confirmed that Nintendo demanded the sale of the Joycon shells be discontinued over a trademark dispute.
Even though Nintendo has the legal right to cease the Joycon shells' sale, the precedent set by the cease and desist is an awful one. No profits were being made from sales, with all proceeds being donated in Etika's name for mental health treatment and awareness. Nintendo's decision to block the sales of the custom shells gives the appearance that they could care less about their loyal communities and care more about profits than charity efforts. This hasn't been the first (nor will it be the last) time Nintendo has taken confusing legal action against seemingly innocent things.
The Joycon shells in question were nothing more than that: replaceable custom skins for the controllers that made no additional modifications to the console. No excuse can be made that the shells would change the controllers in any dramatic way. Needless to say, Nintendo's cease and desist has caused a wave of controversy, with many people flooding to Twitter to call Nintendo out on this hurtful decision, making the situation a controversial trending topic. Additional outrage has been made on YouTube, where the JoyConBoyz YouTube channel called out Nintendo on their decision against the community and their charity efforts.
Even though the controllers have been taken off store pages, donations are still being accepted for The JED Foundation, and the controversy over this recent event has brought new light to the heartbreaking issue of mental health. Many have urged those who've rightfully directed their anger towards Nintendo to put their money where their mouth is and donate if they can to The JED Foundation in Etika's name to spread some positivity over this situation.