Retro ROM-hack and Fan-Remake Cases (2009–2014)

The older generation of fan projects, mostly hit with plain cease and desist letters. They are useful mainly as evidence of how inconsistent enforcement is — some were axed for doing far less than projects that survive today.

Chrono Trigger: Crimson Echoes — Square Enix, 2009

A ROM hack by Kajar Laboratories, in development five years, reportedly with 35 hours of gameplay and 10 endings. Shut down weeks before its planned release (May 2009). It was a direct fan sequel bridging Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross.

Streets of Rage Remake — Sega, 2011

By Spanish developer Bomber Link, eight years of work: 100+ stages, 19 playable characters, a 76-song remixed soundtrack. The developers claimed it was built "from the ground up… not a single line of code from the original games." Released, then C&D'd by Sega shortly after.

Fighting is Magic — Hasbro, 2013

A My Little Pony fighting game from MANE6, built to feel like a Capcom crossover fighter. C&D'd shortly after raising over $200,000 for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation — money, even for charity, put it on the map. The team later rebuilt it with original characters as Them's Fightin' Herds.

Metal Gear remake — Konami, 2014

Fan developer Outer Haven was initially told by Konami that it was "happy for them to go ahead" so long as the game was non-profit; the trailer even featured David Hayter's voice work. A few months later Konami reversed and the project was canned. The pattern of one part of a company blessing a project while another kills it shows how little a verbal go-ahead is worth.

Pokenet — The Pokémon Company / Nintendo, ~2011–2013

A Pokémon MMO in beta, shut down while numerous other Pokémon MMOs kept running — the clearest illustration that enforcement picks targets rather than follows a rule.

Sources: GamesRadar ("6 fangames shot down by cease and desist letters"), Wikipedia (Chrono Trigger: Crimson Echoes), WIRED, Polygon.