Nintendo targets Brazil, China, Mexico and Spain in piracy report

Nintendo has nominated four problematic territories in an appeal to the US government to counter video game piracy.

The Big N listed Brazil, China, Mexico and Spain in its contribution to the Office of the United States Trade Representative 's annual Special 301 Report.

"Nintendo, along with its publishers and developers, is injured by the prevalence and ease of illegal online distribution, as well as the continued manufacture, assembly, distribution, import,export and sale of counterfeit Nintendo video game products across the globe," Nintendo of America wrote.

"In the past few years, the scope of online piracy for Nintendo has grown dramatically. Every month tens of thousands of illegal Nintendo game files are detected on the Internet. The legal environment to limit the flow of these files remains extremely challenging.

"Theft of Nintendo’s video games illegally shared over the Internet impacts all who create, develop, market and sell video games for the Wii U, Wii, Nintendo 3DS and the Nintendo DS family of handheld systems. Surging Internet piracy continues to result in lost sales, lost jobs, lost taxes for local, state and national governments, as well as the loss of incentives to createand innovate.

"Despite the operation of Nintendo’s anti-piracy programs in over 40 countries, worldwide piracy of Nintendo video game products remains a chronic problem resulting in huge losses. Special 301 has proven to be a highly effective tool in highlighting those countries that do not provide adequate protection of copyrights and trademarks.

"For 2013, Nintendo recommends that USTR designate: (1) Brazil remain on the Watch List; (2) China for monitoring under Section 306 of the Trade Act and continued placement on the Priority Watch List; (3) Mexico remain on the Watch List; and (4) Spain to be elevated to the Watch List."

The rest of the letter goes on to explain how Nintendo games are pirated, and discuss the challenges the platform holder faces in each of the territories mentioned above.

Thanks, GoNintendo.