Followup: Bushiroad Explains CFC Shutdown

Earlier this morning, Bushiroad's primary legal representative in their recent shutting down of the Cardfight Capital platform, Kei Nagase (in our standard handling of Japanese names, Nagase Kei) contacted us, issuing a public statement regarding the cease and desist order and why it was necessary. Below is the full statement, unmodified;

"To all our valued users

Thank you for your continuous support with Cardfight!! Vanguard.

We would also like to thank you for sending us your opinions with regards to the game Cardfight Capital. We have read and reviewed all the comments received so far.

We understand that many of you have enjoyed our trading card game Cardfight!! Vanguard through Cardfight Capital and that some of you have even started to play the physical game because of Cardfight Capital. Whichever the case may be, we are very heartened and thankful for your interest in Cardfight!! Vanguard.

Even after taking all these facts into consideration, we are still not able to change our stance towards the shutting down of Cardfight Capital.

There are 2 main reasons to this decision, and please be assured that monetary reasons were not behind this decision.

1.    For the players who do not have access to the Cardfight Capital, it is an unfair advantage when the players who access it can perform deck tests and play the game freely through Cardfight Capital.

2.    The fact remains that Cardfight Capital is infringing copyright property. To let such violations go unchecked with ultimately lead to the decline of intellectual property. Even if it does contribute to the growth of our TCG presently, the situation will most likely change in the future, and become a threat in its growth.

We would like to take the opportunity to apologize to the users who are finding it difficult to purchase Cardfight!! Vanguard products and card games in their regions.

We are working hard to ensure that Cardfight!! Vanguard can be enjoyed by every user all over the world and to provide a better play environment for the game.

We seek your patience and kind understanding in this matter.

Sincerely,

------

Kei Nagase

Bushiroad Inc.

Legal section

http://bushiroad.fm/

------"

The cease and desist, once thought to be a hoax, has been verified as a very real order to close support for the platform. Devourer of Souls et al. has complied; CFC will no longer be updated, and the only way to play the game is through servers hosted by private individuals with no connection to those started by the development team. While much uproar has developed in the community over this, Mr. Nagase's statements regarding copyright infringement and the erosion of intellectual property ring true for many. More to come as the situation develops.

News: Cardfight Capital to be Shut Down

Earlier this morning, Bushiroad issued a cease and desist to those responsible for the creation and management of the Cardfight Capital program, a BYOND-based client which allows the user to participate in online cardfights. The program first surfaced in early 2011 as a means of playing in the Japanese format of the Cardfight!! Vanguard Trading Card Game, and predates the existence of the English-language format. While long used by both professionals and amateurs to test decks and practice for upcoming tournaments, with many pros finding their start there, the program itself has always been in violation of copyright laws.

Public opinion is divided on the matter. For many people, Cardfight Capital is their only means to play the game. However, the game could hurt the sales of the upcoming Ride to Victory! 3DS game, which among fans is considered likely to see an English-language release despite the lack of official confirmation. The shutting down of Cardfight Capital would make it more difficult both for amateurs to develop their skills to enter into the pro scene, and hurt the pros' ability to analyze and test upcoming decks. However, this would also lead to more box sales due to players being required to play with real cards rather than test online, and if Bushiroad does not defend their license at this point, they may stand to lose their ability to defend it in the future.

Cardfight Capital was created by Devourer of Souls, and has been run continuously since March of 2011. While other programs like Vanguard Master and Cray Online have surfaced in the past, none have reached the same level of usership as CFC. Much as with the similarly-controversial restricted list, within 24 hours of the news breaking, a petition against Bushiroad's decision has surfaced.

Update 9:00 PM EST: The possibility has come up that the cease and desist is a hoax, and the Bushiroad email address used by the alleged legal representative was seized through fraudulent means. None of this has been confirmed as of yet.

Update 1/6/13 12:42 PM EST: The main sever of CFC has been closed down. As of now, only private hosting remains, and the game will not be updated.

Followup 1/11/13 9:31 AM EST