Pokemon Gene Renamed Following Legal Action Threat

According to a report at gamasutra, genetic researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York have renamed a gene found to cause cancer after pressure from Nintendo’s Pokemon USA.

After dubbing a gene POKEMON (POK erythyroid myeloid ontogenic gene,) the media poked fun at the name, taking lighthearted comparisons between the game and the newly named gene. After the legal warning, Sloan-Kettering decided for a more non Nintendo-offensive name like Zbtb7.

According to a report at gamasutra, genetic researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York have renamed a gene found to cause cancer after pressure from Nintendo’s Pokemon USA.

After dubbing a gene POKEMON (POK erythyroid myeloid ontogenic gene,) the media poked fun at the name, taking lighthearted comparisons between the game and the newly named gene. After the legal warning, Sloan-Kettering decided for a more non Nintendo-offensive name like Zbtb7.