Following the launch of Animal Crossing: New Horizons in March, many commercial companies and non-profits latched on the game’s popularity to promote their brand or social causes to players worldwide. While Nintendo has generally been quiet about this, it looks like the gaming giant has now stepped up to lay down some ground rules!

Today, Nintendo Co. Ltd shared a new set of English guidelines to advise businesses/organizations on how they should use the game. In particular, the guidelines confirmed that businesses/organizations should refrain from promoting politics or pursuing financial gain through the game. Meanwhile, Nintendo outlined that it was still fine for businesses/organizations to share custom designs or Dream Addresses with players.

Here are the full guidelines below:

“We deeply appreciate that so many people around the world are having fun with Animal Crossing: New Horizons (the Game) for Nintendo Switch. Thank you for your support and for helping us build such a wonderful community.

While our services and products are generally for personal use only, we understand there may be situations in which businesses and organizations would like to use or reference the Game in relation to their business. As such, we would like to share a few guidelines with those businesses, organizations, and anyone representing them, to preserve the experience for the millions of people enjoying the Game recreationally.

If we see your activity is not following these guidelines or is damaging or having bad influence on the community, we may ask you to stop such activity or usage of our contents, and take appropriate actions, including prohibiting your future business usage of the Game.

Businesses and organizations may use the Game in the following ways.

• Providing your Custom Design and/or Dream Address to other players.
• Inviting other players to your island.
• Uploading screenshots and/or game footage to family-friendly websites and social network services.

However, please observe the following points when you engage in these activities.

• Please be aware of the game rating and do not engage in activities that go beyond the rating.
• Please refrain from using the Game inappropriately or creating any content within the Game that would be considered vulgar, discriminatory, or offensive. Please also refrain from bringing politics into the Game.
• Please do not share false information about the Game with anyone, and do not deceive others while using the Game (e.g. falsely indicating you are separately licensed or otherwise approved by Nintendo).
• Please do not leverage the Game as a marketing platform that directs people to activities or campaigns outside the game (including directing people to a sales page, distributing coupons, sweepstakes, giveaways, requiring consumers to follow social network services accounts, gathering customers’ information, or other invitational activities).
• You are not allowed to obtain any financial benefit from using the Game (including selling your Custom Design or earning any advertising revenue with the Game content).

We may revise this message as the community changes. If you are interested in distributing your Custom Designs or other activities in relation with your business, please refer to the latest version of this message. Please be aware that any applicable Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Account agreements continue to apply.

Any business use of the Game that exceeds the rules set forth herein shall be permitted only with the separate and express, written permission of Nintendo.”