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A European court has reduced a fine owed by Nintendo in a 2002 antitrust decision, reducing the amount from €149.1 million ($197.7 million) to €119.2 million ($158 million).

Leigh Alexander, Contributor

May 1, 2009

1 Min Read

A European court has reduced an antitrust fine owed by Nintendo, reducing the amount from €149.1 million ($197.7 million) to €119.2 million ($158 million). The European Commission fined Nintendo and several of its distributors in 2002, finding the companies in violation of the European Union's fair competition law and alleging collusion -- specifically, according to Reuters, to prevent exports to high-priced countries from low-priced countries. Nintendo denies there were illegal cartels involved. The commission agreed to reduce the fine yesterday thanks to "relevant documents" provided by Nintendo, but the company is still displeased with the amount it needs to pay. Nintendo says it will study the ruling further, and may decide to appeal and try to further reduce the fine. One of Nintendo's distributors involved in the action, Itochu Corp., received a €4.5 million ($5.9 million) fine in 2002, and it also contested. But the court refused to grant the complaint, upholding the full amount in that case. A €1 million fine ($1.3 million) brought against distributor CD-Contact Data was cut in half.

About the Author(s)

Leigh Alexander

Contributor

Leigh Alexander is Editor At Large for Gamasutra and the site's former News Director. Her work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Variety, Slate, Paste, Kill Screen, GamePro and numerous other publications. She also blogs regularly about gaming and internet culture at her Sexy Videogameland site. [NOTE: Edited 10/02/2014, this feature-linked bio was outdated.]

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