Nintendo is Tracking Down More Switch Pirates

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Nintendo is Tracking Down More Switch Pirates

Key Takeaways

  • Nintendo continues its legal campaign against piracy by seeking more individuals involved, including associates of known modder James “Archbox” Williams.
  • Legal battles include a recent lawsuit against Modded Hardware for selling MIG Switch devices with pirated Nintendo titles.
  • Nintendo’s pursuit of enforcing intellectual property rights remains strong as the company prepares for the launch of the Switch’s successor.

As a long-time Nintendo enthusiast who has witnessed their relentless pursuit of justice, I can confidently say that the company is like a pitbull with a bone when it comes to protecting its intellectual property. With over three decades of gaming under my belt, I’ve seen Nintendo take on piracy battles since the days of cartridges and ROMs, and they show no signs of slowing down.

Nintendo continues to pursue individuals involved in unauthorized use and distribution of Switch games, as indicated by a recent court filing. The move follows legal action taken against a well-known Switch modder who was alleged to have been peddling tools for game piracy.

The ongoing legal action is simply one more step in Nintendo’s prolonged courtroom fights to safeguard its creative works, given that it consistently employs the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) to eliminate leakers and platforms distributing ROMS and emulators of their games and consoles. In 2024, Nintendo reached a $2.4 million settlement with Tropic Haze, developers of the Yuzu Switch emulator, which was subsequently removed from coding repositories. Despite the closure of the Yuzu project, Tropic Haze maintains its opposition to game piracy.

As a dedicated Nintendo fan, I can’t help but share some exciting, if somewhat concerning, news about the gaming titan. Despite already having a packed court schedule this year, Nintendo has declared that they are pressing forward with issuing additional legal notices. According to recent filings in a US district court in Washington state and confirmed by Stephen Totilo of Game File, Nintendo is taking action against more individuals following an investigation into a well-known Switch pirate.

Nintendo Seeks More Individuals in Legal Campaign Against Piracy

  • A US district court filing from Nintendo states the company is looking for more individuals in its ongoing piracy investigations.
  • Nintendo is looking for people connected to James “Archbox” Williams, who the company sued for piracy and copyright infringement.
  • Williams lost a default judgment against Nintendo after failing to represent himself in court.
  • Nintendo seeks to subpoena the business records of websites like Reddit, Discord, and GitHub as part of its investigation.

In June 2024, Nintendo brought a separate legal action against Modded Hardware, the company that sold MIG Switch devices and modifications. These devices frequently contained unauthorized versions of Nintendo games. Prior to this lawsuit, Ryan Daly, the head of Modded Hardware, had received a stop-and-desist order in March 2024, but he persisted in selling the MIG Switch devices until the legal action was initiated.

It’s evident that Nintendo stands firm against piracy of their intellectual properties, having garnered multiple legal wins in this area. With the approaching launch of a new console successor to the Switch, we can only wait and see how their ongoing anti-piracy efforts will pan out.

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2024-11-29 03:23