Nintendo has filed a lawsuit against accessory manufacturer Genki, alleging trademark infringement after the company displayed renders of a Nintendo Switch 2 mockup months prior to Nintendo's official console reveal.
Earlier this year, Genki, an accessories maker caught in the Switch 2 mockup controversy at CES 2025 in January, reportedly faced inquiries from Nintendo’s legal team. At the time, Genki informed the media it had not signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with Nintendo, claiming it had no cause for concern.
Genki stated that its Switch 2 mockup, showcased three months before Nintendo's official unveiling, was purportedly based on an actual Switch 2 system the company had accessed to design its accessories.
According to court documents reviewed by IGN, Nintendo is now suing Genki, accusing the company of "launching a calculated campaign to exploit public excitement around Nintendo's next-generation console," with claims of trademark infringement, unfair competition, and deceptive advertising.
Nintendo alleges Genki "publicly boasted about its supposed early access to the unreleased console and permitted attendees to handle and examine the mockups," asserting that Genki’s compatibility claims "could not be substantiated without unauthorized, illegal access to the Nintendo Switch 2... thereby misleading the public about the compatibility of its products with the Nintendo Switch 2."
"In January 2025, [Genki] began promoting its unauthorized access to Nintendo's forthcoming Nintendo Switch 2 console, which had not yet been publicly disclosed or released by Nintendo," the court documents stated.
"After initially claiming access to an authentic Nintendo Switch 2 console, Genki later contradicted itself, stating it never possessed such a console. Nonetheless, the company has continued to assure consumers that its accessories will be compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2 upon its release."
Genki Nintendo Switch Mockup Images from CES 2025
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The Japanese gaming giant also accused Genki of violating its trademarks in its promotional materials, "directly competing with Nintendo and its licensed partners’ legitimate marketing of authorized accessories."
Nintendo further criticized a January 20 tweet from Genki, featuring CEO Edward Tsai with a finger to his lips and the caption: "Genki ninjas infiltrate Nintendo Kyoto HQ," alongside a pop-up on Genki’s website stating: "Can you keep a secret? We can’t..."
As remedies, Nintendo is seeking to bar Genki from using the "Nintendo Switch" trademark in its marketing, destroy any products or materials referencing Nintendo’s branding, and recover unspecified "damages caused by Genki’s infringement, unfair competition, and false advertising, with such damages to be tripled."
Over the weekend, Genki issued a response on social media, stating: "You may have heard about Nintendo’s recent lawsuit against us. We’re addressing it seriously and collaborating with legal counsel to respond carefully.
"For now, we can clarify: Genki is an independent company dedicated to creating innovative gaming accessories for the community we cherish. We take pride in our work and stand by the quality and originality of our products. While we’re limited in what we can say, we’re moving forward with plans to fulfill orders and display our latest products at PAX East this week."
The statement concluded by expressing gratitude for "the tremendous support [it has] received so far." "We’ll provide updates when possible, but for now, we’re focused on what we do best: crafting gear for gamers," it added.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is slated for release on June 5. Pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 began on April 24, priced at $449.99 — and demand was as high as anticipated. Meanwhile, Nintendo has warned U.S. customers who pre-ordered from the My Nintendo Store that delivery on the release date is not guaranteed due to overwhelming demand.
Visit IGN’s Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order guide for additional details.
