Fans recently discovered Capsmon Adventure: Brave Heroes Assemble, a blatant Pokemon knock-off, on the Microsoft store. The long-running RPG series has weathered its fair share of imitators, from high profile transmedia property Digimon to the newer MMO monster-catching game Temtem.
Pokemon Sword and Shield, the most recent entry in the beloved franchise, released in late 2019 with its first expansion pack slated for release later this month. Set in the England-inspired Galar Region, the games introduced new twists on the primordial Pokemon formula. Players could explore the Wild Area, an expansive, open landscape where Pokemon roamed freely rather than hide in tall grass, and during battles players could super-size their Pokemon with the Dynamax system. Though many of the changes were less dramatic than fans had hoped, the reception to Pokemon Sword and Shield was generally positive.
Capsmon Adventure: Brave Heroes Assemble’s description on the Microsoft Store is rife with thinly-veiled Pokemon analogs while the promotional images dispense with subtlety altogether and feature stolen art of prominent series characters including Ash, Misty, and Professor Oak. In one image, the word “Pokemon” is still visible in several places. Published by ANIME GAMES, the title invites players to discover and capture hidden Capsmon, battle friends, and find rare legendary creatures that can be recorded in their Capdex. But, according to Microsoft user Barabasz, the game “doesn't have any actual gameplay. The game plays itself, you just need to manage available resources, which of course can be bought via microtransaction.” Capsmon Adventure: Brave Heroes Assemble is listed on the Microsoft store and is available for free.
Nintendo has a long history of aggressively cracking down on copyrighted material — regardless of whether it is used in a commercial product or harmless fan game. In March, one creator in Sony’s Dreams posted a Mario character model in the game only to have their work hit with a copyright strike and removed. Before that, Nintendo had a fraught relationship with influencers on YouTube, repeatedly flagging videos that included the smallest scraps of copyrighted content and claiming the ad revenue.
It’s only a matter of time before Nintendo comes for ANIME GAMES, as well it should. While the company’s overzealous policing of its influential library often hurts its audience, Capsmon Adventure: Brave Heroes Assemble is more damaging and dangerous to the Nintendo fanbase than a stolen music clip or unlicensed fan game. The game is a sleazy attempt to dupe unsuspecting Pokemon enthusiasts, likely children drawn in by the pictures of Pikachu and Eevee. If there was ever a time for Nintendo to exercise its legal power, it’s now. Capsmon Adventure: Brave Heroes Assemble isn’t long for this world.
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Source: Microsoft Store