Late last year Nintendo cancelled two of its "Nintendo Live" events after receiving persistent threats through the company’s official inquiry form.
In April 2024, local authorities in Ibaraki Prefecture arrested a suspect; details were initially withheld by police.
New reporting from Kansai Television News confirms the case has moved to trial and identifies the defendant as 27-year-old Kenshin Kazama.
According to the Kansai TV report, Kazama admitted to repeatedly sending threatening messages to Nintendo and its employees between August and November 2023.
Prosecutors say investigators recovered a total of 39 separate threats submitted via the company’s inquiry form.
Local authorities have linked those messages to the disruption and cancellation of public Nintendo Live events late in 2023.
In court, Kazama reportedly told investigators that he sent the messages because playing a Nintendo title caused him stress and frustration when he repeatedly lost online.
Rewritten in journalistic terms, Kazama acknowledged he was motivated by frustration over gameplay and that his reactions escalated into criminal threats directed at Nintendo staff and events.
The prosecution has quantified the impact of Kazama’s actions.
Prosecutors stated the total damages resulting from the threats and related cancellations amount to approximately ¥700 million (about $4.36 million).
In its opening statements, the prosecution emphasized the seriousness of the consequences and rejected mitigation based on the defendant’s stated motives, describing them as inexcusable.
Sentencing proceedings are scheduled to begin on July 24, 2024.
The prosecution has requested a sentence of one year in prison.
Trial documents and media reports confirm the timeline of alleged messages and the number of threats, while Nintendo has not publicly detailed which specific title, if any, was cited by the defendant.
This case underscores increasing legal scrutiny around threats made to game companies and event organizers.
Nintendo, the developer and publisher behind the Nintendo Switch ecosystem and numerous competitive titles, has periodically adjusted public-facing events and operational procedures in response to security concerns.
The July sentencing will determine the legal outcome for Kazama and may influence how large-scale gaming events are managed in Japan going forward.
In April 2024, local authorities in Ibaraki Prefecture arrested a suspect; details were initially withheld by police.
New reporting from Kansai Television News confirms the case has moved to trial and identifies the defendant as 27-year-old Kenshin Kazama.
According to the Kansai TV report, Kazama admitted to repeatedly sending threatening messages to Nintendo and its employees between August and November 2023.
Prosecutors say investigators recovered a total of 39 separate threats submitted via the company’s inquiry form.
Local authorities have linked those messages to the disruption and cancellation of public Nintendo Live events late in 2023.
In court, Kazama reportedly told investigators that he sent the messages because playing a Nintendo title caused him stress and frustration when he repeatedly lost online.
Rewritten in journalistic terms, Kazama acknowledged he was motivated by frustration over gameplay and that his reactions escalated into criminal threats directed at Nintendo staff and events.
The prosecution has quantified the impact of Kazama’s actions.
Prosecutors stated the total damages resulting from the threats and related cancellations amount to approximately ¥700 million (about $4.36 million).
In its opening statements, the prosecution emphasized the seriousness of the consequences and rejected mitigation based on the defendant’s stated motives, describing them as inexcusable.
Sentencing proceedings are scheduled to begin on July 24, 2024.
The prosecution has requested a sentence of one year in prison.
Trial documents and media reports confirm the timeline of alleged messages and the number of threats, while Nintendo has not publicly detailed which specific title, if any, was cited by the defendant.
This case underscores increasing legal scrutiny around threats made to game companies and event organizers.
Nintendo, the developer and publisher behind the Nintendo Switch ecosystem and numerous competitive titles, has periodically adjusted public-facing events and operational procedures in response to security concerns.
The July sentencing will determine the legal outcome for Kazama and may influence how large-scale gaming events are managed in Japan going forward.
