Nintendo is Tracking Down More Switch Pirates

Nintendo is far from done with its ongoing investigation into Switch users and modders accused of piracy, as a recent federal court filing stated that the company is looking for more targets to serve. This news came after Nintendo had taken legal action against a known Switch modder accused of selling means to pirate Switch games.

The latest investigation is just part of Nintendo’s long-running legal battles to protect its intellectual property, as the company has a history of utilizing the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) to take down leakers and websites that distribute ROMS and emulators of its games and consoles. Earlier in 2024, Nintendo agreed to a $2.4 million settlement in its lawsuit against Tropic Haze, the creators of the Yuzu Switch emulator, which has since been pulled from code repositories. Although the Yuzu project was terminated, Tropic Haze reiterated its stance against game piracy.

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Even though Nintendo has already had a busy year in the courtroom, the gaming giant stated that it is moving forward with serving more legal notices. According to a US district court filing in Washington state (and corroborated by Stephen Totilo of Game File), Nintendo is going after more individuals after a recent investigation into a known Switch pirate. After Nintendo tracked down and sued James “Archbox” Williams, the company said that the SwitchPirates subreddit, of which Williams was a moderator, was under investigation. The SwitchPirates subreddit has over 216,000 registered members at the time of writing. Previously, Nintendo won a default judgment against Williams after he failed to represent himself in court. Nintendo is also seeking court approval to subpoena the business records of Reddit, Discord, GitHub, Cloudflare, Google, and domain hosts GoDaddy, Namecheap, and Tucows to track down Williams’ alleged associates.

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.

When Williams was sued in June 2024, Nintendo filed a separate lawsuit against Modded Hardware, which sold MIG Switch devices and mods that often included pirated copies of Nintendo titles. Modded Hardware’s leader, Ryan Daly, was previously served with a cease and desist order in March 2024 but continued to sell the MIG Switch devices until the lawsuit was filed.

With numerous legal victories to Nintendo’s name, it is clear that the company will not tolerate piracy of its properties. As the launch of the Switch’s successor console draws near, only time will tell how Nintendo’s continued investigations will fare.

Nintendo Switch

$285 $300 Save $15

The Nintendo Switch is a hybrid portable and home console that aims to be the only gaming system anyone needs. The hybrid controller is an undisputed success because it provides a high degree of portable visual quality and converts easily into a home console.

Brand

Nintendo

Battery

1 Lithium Polymer batteries required

Dimensions

13.7 x 7.8 x 3.66 inches

Weight

2.65 pounds