Nintendo of America has successfully obtained $4.5 million in damages from Reddit user James C. Williams, also known as ‘Archbox,’ due to copyright infringements.
According to a report by Aftermath, the court issued a default judgment as Williams did not respond to the legal proceedings.
The court documents specify that Williams is required to “disable access to all online ‘shops’ that he operates or controls, offering a wide range of pirated Nintendo Switch games for download.”
Additionally, he must shut down any social media accounts associated with piracy and is prohibited from engaging in any activities related to distributing, advertising, or selling Nintendo software or hardware.
Nintendo of America initiated legal action against Williams in March 2024 and officially filed the lawsuit in June of the same year. In October, the damages were set at $4.5 million.
NOA stated that Williams’ actions have directly impacted their business by promoting the piracy of Switch games, facilitating their distribution online, and trafficking circumvention software.
The company claimed that these activities have caused significant harm to their business, intellectual property rights, as well as those of their development and publishing partners, affecting various individuals whose livelihoods rely on legitimate sales of Nintendo products.
Recently, the District Court of The Hague in the Netherlands ruled that the sale of Switch modding kits, enabling players to download and play pirated games, is now illegal.
Nintendo’s legal actions aim to safeguard its intellectual property and support video game developers globally who depend on legitimate sales of Nintendo games. The court’s decision bans the sale of MIG Switch and similar devices in Europe.
Nintendo encourages players to refrain from acquiring or using circumvention devices, software, or unauthorized copies of video games to preserve the authenticity and experience provided by genuine Nintendo consoles, games, and systems.