Nintendo Updates EULA with Anti-Arbitration Clause

Nintendo’s latest EULA update is like—well, imagine you’re trying to grab a soap bar, and it just slips away. Yep, they’re making it harder for folks to sue. In the new rulebook, Section 16 or something, they sneak in this class action waiver. Basically, no more group lawsuits. Individual-only fights from now on. Uh, ever get that feeling they’re trying to tell you to take a hike?

Anyway, this change bubbled up on the Nintendo subreddit first—yeah, those eagle-eyed gamers—and then GamesRadar+ picked it up. So, here’s the fancy bit they say: “This arbitration provision… yadda yadda… you can’t drag us to court for a trial by jury.” Love it when legal stuff sounds like a secret club. But seriously, it’s like they’re saying, “Hey, it’s just between you and me, pal.”

Instead of letting people take their gripes to court, Nintendo’s more into dealing with grumbling fans through its Contact Center. Call us! Or, you know, write to opt out of this arbitration game within 30 days. Old-school letters, too. Who does that anymore?

Should they decide to drop the arbitration deal, any legal melodrama falls under a special rule—Section 18, if you’re counting. They say disputes land in the laps of Washington State law, specifically King County courts. Sounds cozy, right? Both parties get 30 days to hash it out, or maybe more if they’re feeling chatty.

Throwback to those lawsuits about Joy-Con drift from 2019 and 2020? Nintendo’s probably thinking, “Nah, not again.” Seems like they’re trying to dodge a repeat of that courtroom tango.