Genki says it will respond ‘thoughtfully’ to Nintendo’s lawsuit citing trademark violations
Gaming accessory maker Genki was sued by Nintendo for trademark violations over the Switch 2. A California court received the complaint on May 2, and Genki responded saying that it is taking the situation seriously and will respond “thoughtfully.” The accessory maker garnered a lot of attention at CES this January when it showed off a mockup of the unreleased Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo, being the litigious company that it is, took notice immediately and had been observing since.
Genki shared a statement on X that reads, “You may have seen that Nintendo recently filed a lawsuit against us. We’re taking it seriously and working with legal counsel to respond thoughtfully.” It adds that it is proud of being an innovative company that stands by quality and originality of its products. Despite the lawsuit, it will be showcasing its latest products at PAX East.
It all stared in January when Genki claimed it had access to the specs of the then unannounced Switch 2. It then showcased a 3D-printed mockup of the console at CES. Accessory makers generally do this to be ready for compatible products as soon as the console releases, but Genki seems to have taken it a step too far by not only making the claims that it did and showing the mockup, but also giving interviews to journalists and bragging about products on social media. On top of all that, Genki gave a presentation modeled after a Nintendo Direct, which is where Nintendo makes its major announcements.
At the time, when approached by Nintendo, Genki admitted that its designs came from the rumored specs of the Switch 2. Citing harm to Nintendo's reputation, the company demands that Genki destroy all products, packaging, advertisements, and such with Nintendo Switch branding. It also demands to recover all damages from the infringement.
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