Lawsuit Verdict
Nintendo has won its long-running lawsuit against a reddit moderator who sold pirated Switch games, and been awarded $4.5 million in damages.
Nintendo of America's legal action targeted James "Archbox" Williams, after the firm used a combination of reddit posts and Williams' own Nintendo repair orders to track him down and launch litigation.
The Accusations
Williams was accused of leading the reddit community SwitchPirates, whose 190,000 members discussed how to download illegally pirated games and circumvent Nintendo's anti-piracy measures. Williams was also accused of operating and advertising various online shops where piracy-enabling software and tools could be acquired.
Nintendo initially demanded $4.5 million from Williams, a full amount that has now been awarded by default because Williams did not respond to the lawsuit at any point.
Permanent Injunction
A ruling filed this week confirmed that Nintendo of America has been awarded the $4.5 million, as well as a permanent injunction barring Williams from selling pirated Switch games and other piracy-assisting software or modded consoles.
Williams must close all remaining online shops where libraries of pirated Nintendo Switch games were made available for download, alongside any social media accounts and Discord servers used for advertising.
Broader Enforcement
The legal victory follows another win for Nintendo in Europe, where the company successfully had the sale of piracy-enabling Switch accessories, such as the MIG Switch, banned from sale.
Nintendo has frequently initiated legal action to stop piracy devices, notably securing a $2 million judgment against a console modder and a $14.5 million judgment tied to Gary Bowser's anti-piracy device distribution.
Nintendo now faces the task of ensuring the judgment is fulfilled.
