Remember all that fuss between Epic Games and Apple regarding Fortnite on the App Store? Well, the court trial involving these two giants is currently underway, and as part of the legal proceedings, Nintendo has kindly provided its own publisher contract.
While much of the 25-page document which includes information on Nintendo's content license and distribution agreements was redacted, one important detail was left visible.
Nintendo's partners are forced to give assurances that neither they nor their employees are "Anti-Social Forces," and that they aren't giving money or favours to these "forces". But what is an "Anti-Social Force"? Nintendo provides clarification by using the term "Boryokudan," which is a name used by the Japanese police and media for organized crime syndicates (Yakuza).
Here's some text from the document, as supplied by former Kotaku editor Stephen Totilo:
"'Anti-Social Force means an organized crime group (Boryokudan), a member of a Boryokudan (Boryokudanin), a sub-member of a Boryokudan (Boryokudan jyunkoseiin), a corporation related to a Boryokudan (Boryokudan kanren gaisha), a racketeer attempting to extort money from a company by threatening to cause trouble at the general stockholders meeting (Soukaiya) or acting as if advocating legitimate social causes (Shakai undou nado hyoubou goro), or a special intelligence organized crime group (Tokusyu chinou boryoku syudan), or other group or person equivalent to any of the foregoing."
It is also stated in the contract that developers and publishers are forbidden from making violent demands, using threat or violence in connection with transactions, and spreading false rumours, using fraud or force. Eek!