Nintendo are reportedly deleting Super Mario Maker 2 courses because of hashtags

A debate has emerged surrounding the seven-year-old Switch hit Super Mario Maker 2. Resetera has noticed that Nintendo has begun removing user-created levels, not due to cheating or inappropriate content, but rather because of hashtags.

Several well-known creators, including DGR, PangaeaPanga, and Ryukahr, have reported being contacted by Nintendo with the news that the levels they created have been deleted due to “advertisement rules.” The issue appears to be that tags such as #DGR and #TeamShell are apparently classified as marketing.

Among the comments on Resetera and in videos from DGR and PangaeaPanga, many are questioning how Nintendo repeatedly manages to throw a wrench in the works for fans, and how they seem to be working against their own ambitions to keep communities alive. The criticism isn’t just about the decisions themselves, but about a broader lack of understanding of how user-generated content actually works.

This isn’t the first time Nintendo has found itself in a similar storm. Even in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, players have previously been penalised for similar things, and we’ve occasionally reported on projects that had to be shut down after Nintendo contacted them.

What’s your take on the matter? Is Nintendo being overly zealous in a way that harms both themselves and the players, or are they doing exactly the right thing?