Am i allowed to make a pokemon fan game

[Kanefe]

So I've been wanting to make a fan game for pokemon that just compiles alot of the things that I've seen online about people dream game or this they would love to see in a pokemon game but while reasurchibg this stuff i found A bunch of stuff saying it was illegal with I kinda knew but if I were to make the game would I get in some legal trouble if I tried to make the game big and or popular or just a well know thing since I knwo about other big pokemon fan games but I don't know if I should Start it.

 

[PixeLockeT]

Probably wouldn't. It's about as illegal as fanart or fanfiction, regardless what people argue (unless you're using rips then that's a bigger issue). Certain companies just tend more towards C&D then others. In that case just change a few things and make it original, but similar concepts.

 

[Kanefe]

Probably wouldn't. It's about as illegal as fanart or fanfiction, regardless what people argue (unless you're using rips then that's a bigger issue). Certain companies just tend more towards C&D then others. In that case just change a few things and make it original, but similar concepts.

Yeah for me I would make a game from scratch in rpg maker my own story own region own every thing besides pokemon so it would have all 890 pokemon that exist In the game plus a couple new one's that I would add myself

 

[poorrabbit]

You're allowed to make it. Sure. So long as it doesn't leave your computer.
Publishing it, even for free, will probably get the notice of the publisher
and get you into all kinds of legal trouble that you want nothing to do with.

 

[Lihinel]

It's likely that noone will care, unless you hit it big, then Nintendo will shut you down.
If you want to save trouble, just copy their game mechanics and use them in a game with your own monsters and assets.

 

[RCXDan]

Oh it's very illegal.

But here's a big suggestion: if you have the talent and dedication to make a fully functioning fangame, why not just make it an original ip? You really don't want those hundreds of development hours to be wasted on something you realistically can't put your name on.

It's why Mother 4 turned into Odyssey, and so on.

 

[Sword_of_Dusk]

You certainly can. You just can't legally release it.

Granted, that doesn't stop most people.

 

[bgillisp]

Just because you see others on the net does not make it legal. It just means they have not been caught yet. And to answer your question it is illegal unless you get permission from the game maker themselves.

 

[Andar]

as said above, a fangame (like all fanfiction and similar work) is always illegal.

the problem with copyright is that only the copyright-holder can enforce it, and if the company holding the rights does not know about your game, then it can't be forbidden.

so in any kind of fangame and fanfiction you usually have to hope that no one will ever like it, because the more people like and link it the higher the chance that it will come to the knowledge of the IP holder.
THAT is the reason why sometimes fangames and fanfiction can exist for years before suddenly vanishing (like it happened with the pokemon essentials), because only after years the IP holder learned of their existance.

And "Fair use" almost never counts for fangames, because there are requirements about the cases where fair use can be applied. In case of fangames the ONLY way to claim fair use is to have the game be a parody of the original. And most people who make fangames don't want to make jokes about what they are a fan of...

 

[JamesRyan]

Never do a Pokemon fan game, or it will all be in vain. I have seen so many people dreaming of making a Pokemon fan game, but once Nintendo hears and sees (the bigger projects, the more risks), their games are done. No matter how hard they try, Nintendo won't give a damn due to the illegal assets used.

 

[NotADev]

While I won't say anything more about the legality of the issue or whether you should even put time into making a fangame, I can say that there is a huge community of Pokemon fan game developers all over the internet. Do some googling and find the right forums, the people who make the games can give you an idea of how to make one or even if you should make one.

 

[PixeLockeT]

Yeah for me I would make a game from scratch in rpg maker my own story own region own every thing besides pokemon so it would have all 890 pokemon that exist In the game plus a couple new one's that I would add myself

From what I've heard, Nintendo is one of the more notorious for shutting down fan projects while companies like SquEnix are bit more lax as long as you follow certain rules. But not using any official material would give you a huge advantage over that - such as drawing all the pokemon yourself in different poses. That way should a C&D occur, you can just change all of them a little into your own creatures instead of being completely without any art assets for the long while.

I'm just eh about using rips. tbh legality of "I like the thing let me make something of it with my own hands" *BAM* C&D is really stupid and should be changed. But using their actual whole work such as art/sounds/code/etc. gets a bit ehhh for me, morally. XD Because that actually IS using the work with no effort in that part. You know?

My team is doing similarly with a Dragon Quest fan game stemming from a 80's anime. Basing it in the same universe/characters, but making everything down to the art and sound and plot progression, all ourselves.

 

[XPKobold]

Best not to even try it considering there's been so many questions about this as well as talk of pokemon essentials threads being locked here, after the software been C&D years ago. Your best bet is make your own game inspired by the base but completely different.

There's are games here that take inspiration from popular nintendo games but make it completely unique original, and different. The fact there there are monster catching games that are completely different from pokemon and have their own take on it should clue you in.