Nintendo of America awarded $4.5m in lawsuit from Redditor for pirating Switch hardware and software
Nintendo of America has secured a $4.5 million judgment against James C. Williams, a Reddit moderator known as “Archbox,” in a copyright infringement case involving pirated Nintendo Switch games. A Washington federal court entered the default judgment after Williams failed to respond to the lawsuit.
Williams, who served as lead moderator of the r/SwitchPirates subreddit, operated multiple illegal online “pirate shops” that distributed hundreds or thousands of pirated Switch games to the public. The lawsuit, initially filed in June 2024, accused him of facilitating widespread copyright violations and illegal distribution of Nintendo’s intellectual property.
As part of the judgment, Williams is required to disable access to all online shops he operates or controls that have offered pirated Nintendo Switch content for download. He must also close any social media accounts associated with piracy activities.
Nintendo’s investigation showcased the company’s tracking capabilities—the firm located Williams through Reddit posts and his own Nintendo repair orders before filing the legal action. The judgment represents another victory in Nintendo’s ongoing campaign against Switch piracy and illegal game distribution networks.
Sources
- Nintendo of America awarded $4.5m in lawsuit from Redditor for pirating Switch hardware and software
- Switch Pirate Ignored Nintendo’s Lawsuit, Now He Owes $4.5 Million
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