Controversy has surroundedCooking Mama: Cookstar, the latest installment in the normally mild-mannered cooking simulator franchise for the Nintendo Switch, after it was abruptly pulled off the Nintendo eShop shortly after its release.
The game launched near the end of March, but it is currently unavailable on the Nintendo eShop across multiple regions. Physical copies in certain regions have also been reportedly held.
There was no explanation for the sudden takedown ofCooking Mama: Cookstar. However, a tweet alleged that the game wasmining cryptocurrencyusing players’ Nintendo Switch consoles.
But the officialCooking Mama: Cookstaraccount on Twitter blasted to the cryptocurrency-mining accusations as “absolutely incorrect.”
https://twitter.com/CookstarMama/status/1246982509528666113
In a statementsent to Nintendo Everything,Cooking Mama: Cookstardeveloper 1st Playable said there was “no cryptocurrency or data collection or blockchain or anything else shady” in the game’s code.
“The Nintendo Switch is a very safe platform, with none of the data and privacy issues associated with some mobile and PC games,” the developers said. But they didn’t explain why the game had been removed.
Digital Trends reached out toCooking Mama: Cookstardeveloper 1st Playable for comment. We will update this story when we hear back.
IGNlater confirmedwith players who own the game that claims of it causing the Nintendo Switch to overheat were false, but there does appear to be an issue with battery drain. It was also confirmed thatCooking Mama: Cookstarcould be played offline, debunking allegation that it always needs an internet connection to enable cryptocurrency mining.
Unfortunately, the controversy didn’t end there, as Twitter user@OtherEhmsuggested another possible reason for the game’s removal from the Nintendo eShop: audio files ripped from YouTube.
Finally, an anonymous member of theCooking Mama: Cookstardevelopment team revealed what they claimed was the real reason why the game is stuck in limbo.
The developer claimed the real reason behindCooking Mama: Cookstar‘s removal from the Nintendo eShop is a legal battle between Planet Entertainment and the owner of the rights to the Cooking Mama series, Office Create,according to Screen Rant.
Office Create reportedly wanted 1st Playable to keep polishing the game, and possibly even cancel the project, but Planet Entertainment released it anyway. Office Create then contacted Nintendo to take downCooking Mama: Cookstarfrom the digital store and to stop production of the physical version, and also blocked advertising on platforms such as YouTube and TikTok, the developer told ScreenRant.
The developer said that Planet Entertainment is launching a lawsuit against Office Create over the money it lost.
“It’s hard to say if it will ever be released properly,” he added.
