Ok, so I'm just gonna get this out now.

Over the last few days, I've come to a decision regarding my regular updates on the hack's progress.

I have decided to end Pic of the Week, once #100 is posted on Monday.

I will not announce a release date, the hack will be released whenever it's done.

There are a couple of reasons I have come to this decision.

1. I feel like I'm spending more time trying to advertise the hack than actually working on it.
2. I want to keep things as spoiler-free as possible. I'm really about to get into the creative side of level design with the game's fortresses, which I'm hoping will become the real highlight of the hack.

These are the reasons that prompted me to make the decision, though recent events have done well to reinforce the decision.

ROM Hacking isn't safe from DMCA, and Nintendo is highly protective of its IP of late. Previously I have thought that ROM Hacks were generally a safe way of making fan games, as all we're technically sharing is modified game files and not content that is property of Nintendo. I've thought that actual fanmade games, like Another Metroid 2 Remake, No Mario's Sky, Super Mario 64 HD and Pokemon Uranium were only at risk of being issued a C&D until now.

That's not the case. A Pokemon G/S/C ROM Hack, Pokemon Prism has just been taken down by Nintendo days before release, after eight years of work from the developer.

Read

With this, Nintendo has shown little respect for the words of the late Satoru Iwata:



Flying under the radar from here on in is a protective measure. As long as I get this hack out into the world before a C&D, I win. Not that I expect a C&D, this isn't exactly a mass-hyped game and I rather doubt it will gather much attention after release.

Worst case scenario- Endless Earth will release, with Nintendo IP or not.