Nintendo has secured a $4.5 million judgment against a former Reddit moderator accused of operating pirate shops for Nintendo Switch games. The decision comes after the individual, identified as James "Archbox" Williams, reportedly ignored a lawsuit filed by Nintendo.
US District Judge Lauren King ordered Williams to pay Nintendo $4.5 million in damages, according to a September 25 report by TorrentFreak. Nintendo had accused Williams of running several pirate shops since at least 2019, using software described as a "circumvention device" to bypass the company's security systems. This allowed for the decryption and public distribution of over 30 Nintendo Switch titles, including major releases like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
The lawsuit was initially filed in a Washington federal court in June 2024. Nintendo sought the statutory maximum of $150,000 per title after Williams allegedly ignored the complaint. Judge King noted in her ruling that Williams was aware of the case, citing his hiring of a lawyer to object to a Google subpoena and his continued activity on Reddit, despite not formally responding to the lawsuit.
Evidence presented in the case included Reddit posts where Williams allegedly referred to himself as a "pirate" and expressed reluctance to pay Nintendo's prices for games, particularly when new releases were unavailable elsewhere. Judge King stated that the "egregious infringement activities merit substantial punishment" and found that Williams "willfully undertook his copying and distribution efforts" despite knowing the games were copyrighted.
In addition to the financial damages, Williams is subject to a permanent injunction that prohibits him from distributing pirated Switch games. This order also bars him from encouraging others to download pirated titles or circumvent Nintendo's security measures. The injunction requires him to cease operating his pirate shops and deactivate associated social media accounts.
TorrentFreak reports that many of these actions have already been taken, with Williams' accounts on Discord, Instagram, Reddit, Telegram, TikTok, and X reportedly deactivated. Some of the pirate shops were also taken offline earlier this year following a cease-and-desist letter from Nintendo in March 2024.
This judgment represents another legal victory for Nintendo in its ongoing efforts to combat game piracy and deter infringement activities. The company aimed not only to halt Williams' alleged operations but also to serve as a warning to others involved in similar practices.