Nintendo obtains relief against illegal game copying devices

MONTEREY PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 12, 1997--The U.S. District Court has granted relief to Nintendo of America Inc. against a company alleged to be violating Nintendo's copyright and trademark rights. A Temporary Restraining Order was issued by the Court enjoining the defendant, Games City, a California company, from the advertisement, sale and distribution of the "Doctor V64" and "Game Doctor" copying devices and CD ROMs containing unauthorized copies of Nintendo software.

Nintendo of America Inc. filed a lawsuit on May 27, 1997, against Games City and its owner/operator, Denny Chu, alleging direct, contributory and willful acts of infringement by the company's advertisement and distribution of unauthorized copies of Nintendo video games and the "Game Doctor" and the "Doctor V64" video game copying devices. The "Game Doctor" and the "Doctor V64" are copying devices, which, when connected to Nintendo's Super NES and Nintendo 64 hardware systems allow for unlawful copying of Nintendo video games from the original cartridge format to a computer disk or to the hard drive of a personal computer.

In the Order, issued by the U.S. District Court on June 2, 1997, Games City has been ordered to immediately cease advertising, (including on its Internet web-site), selling, importing and distributing of the copying devices and CD ROMs. The Court also ordered the U.S. Marshal to enter Games City's place of business to seize any of the infringing products.

Nintendo's action against Games City is part of a worldwide effort to stop the distribution of counterfeit Nintendo video game products and the distribution of game copying devices. Nintendo has waged an aggressive campaign to combat the production and sale of counterfeit video game products worldwide, which, last year, cost Nintendo, its publishers and developers an estimated $810 million in sales worldwide.

Nintendo of America Inc., which has its headquarters in Redmond, Wash., sells Nintendo video game products in the United States, Canada and Latin America. It is a subsidiary of Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan the world's largest manufacturer and marketer of video games.