Chain to Stop Giving Out Nintendo Books

A nationwide video rental chain agreed not to photocopy instruction manuals for Nintendo games that its stores were renting out, according to court papers filed Wednesday.

Nintendo of America of Redmond, Wash., last week sued the chain, Blockbuster Entertainment Corp. of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., charging copyright infringement.

Nintendo said the chain of 600 stores was frequently copying the booklets and charging renters a fee if the manuals were lost.

The Japanese video game company submitted six inches of legal papers with its complaint, most of them booklets and copies. The lawsuit specifically named four stores in New Jersey, allowing the case to be filed here.

Nintendo charged that Blockbuster ignored its request in a July 31 letter to stop the practice. In a statement released Wednesday by Blockbuster, the chain said it had already told its managers not to copy the manuals.

Both sides agreed to a court order filed Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Alfred M. Wolin. The order also requires Blockbuster within five days to send a letter drafted by Nintendo’s lawyers warning its franchises and managers not to copy manuals.

Nintendo of America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nintendo Co. of Japan.