Cooking Mama IP Holder Takes Legal Action

Japanese game company Office Create is taking legal action against game publisher Planet Entertainment over the release of Cooking Mama: Cookstar. This has nothing to do with rumors about crypto-mining software, but because the publisher was no longer authorized. Apparently Office Create terminated the contract on March 30th.

Cooking Mama: Cookstar released on the Nintendo Switch in Europe, Australia and the United States. However, retailers and the Nintendo eShop quickly removed the game from their stores. Quickly rumors spread about cryptojacking and the game's alleged blockchain functionalities. However, developer 1st Playable was fast to debunk this.

Office Create is now evaluating all options to take legal action against Planet Entertainment in order to protect their Cooking Mama brand. According to the contract Planet Entertainment needs to make sure that their game meets the standards set by Office Create. The license owner still had some issues with the game, but the publisher decided to ignore things and just print the game to disc. That's why Office Create terminated the contract.

Cooking Mama blockchain rumors

Last year rumors popped up about Cooking Mama getting blockchain functionalities. According to investment company Planet Digital Partners, obviously related to Planet Entertainment, the game would have blockchain-technology.

The player's private key would for example make sure that the main character's face would be unique. As a result every game would have an unique character. In addition the blockchain technology would allow for fair online tournaments, and the distribution of awards and certificates.

1st Playable confirmed there have been some tests and conversations, but none of the features mentioned in September 2019 are part of the actual game. Planet Digital Partners is an investment firm that lets third parties invest in shares to fund a game. Cooking Mama was one of the projects, alongside

Major franchise during past decade

Cooking Mama is a big gaming franchise with 20 million units sold worldwide and more than 600 million dollars in revenue. The series has been around for more than a decade. Since 2005 it launched on the Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo 3DS, iOS and Android.

Cooking Mama is one of the first three games that Planet Digital Partners is funding with digital shares.