Suspect behind Nintendo Live 2024 threats reportedly arrested

A person suspected of being responsible for threats that led to the cancellation of Nintendo Live 2024 has reportedly been arrested by Japanese police.

According to the daily newspaper Kyoto Shimbun (via 4Gamer), the suspect is a man in his 20s and a local government official in the Ibaraki Prefecture.

He’s suspected of interfering with Nintendo’s business by sending multiple death threats via the inquiry form on the company’s official website last year. The motive behind the crime is currently unknown.

Nintendo announced in December that it was cancelling a series of public events in Tokyo due to safety concerns.

Following persistent threats targeting its employees, which it said had spread to attendees and event staff, it said the Splatoon Koshien 2023 National Finals and Nintendo Live 2024 would no longer go ahead.

The former had been scheduled to take place from December 16-17 at the Ota Sogo Gymnasium in Tokyo, while the latter was set to be held at the Tokyo Big Sight exhibition centre from January 20-21.

The company said it had decided to cancel the events because it couldn’t sufficiently ensure the safety of its customers.

The Splatoon 3 World Championship 2024 and the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe World Championship 2024, which were originally scheduled to take place at Nintendo Live 2024, will now take place this month instead.

Following the event’s return in Japan in 2022, the Nintendo Live fanfest headed to the United States last year.

Nintendo Live 2023, which was held in Seattle in September, featured Switch gameplay opportunities, live stage performances, gaming tournaments, photo ops and other activities.