Nintendo has initiated legal proceedings against a Switch modchip seller and the moderator of a prominent Switch piracy Reddit page. The company filed complaints against Ryan Daly, who runs Modded Hardware, and James Williams, also known as Archbox, the moderator of r/SwitchPirates, according to TorrentFreak.
Importance: Nintendo is known for taking a no-nonsense approach to their products, and they won’t hesitate to take action against anyone messing around with their intellectual property without permission. Such occurences are not surprising for the giant, since it is pretty common for them.
Modded Hardware Lawsuit:
The lawsuit against Modded Hardware claims that Daly was contacted by Nintendo in March and warned to cease selling modded Switch consoles and MIG Switches, which allow pirated Switch games to be played on unmodded hardware. Despite agreeing to stop, Daly allegedly continued his activities, prompting Nintendo to file a complaint in a federal court in Seattle.
Nintendo accuses Daly of six charges, including “trafficking in circumvention devices” and copyright infringement. The lawsuit states that Daly not only sold modded consoles but also offered a mail-in service where customers could send in their Switch consoles to be modded, often with pirated games preinstalled.
The complaint details that Daly provided hardware and firmware for playing pirated games and even supplied customers with copies of popular Nintendo titles like Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Metroid.
Nintendo is seeking financial damages, the shutdown of Daly’s website, and the surrender of all circumvention devices and hacked consoles.
James Williams Lawsuit:
The second lawsuit targets James Williams, who is claimed to be the operator behind several pirate shops offering extensive libraries of pirated Nintendo Switch games. Williams, using the name Archbox, was a moderator on the r/SwitchPirates Reddit group, which grew to nearly 190,000 members under his moderation.
Nintendo’s complaint alleges that Williams posted numerous comments and messages on the Reddit group, directing users to pirate shops and providing technical advice on modding their Switch consoles and playing pirated games.
The lawsuit states that Williams was involved in running three pirate shops, now closed, with a fourth still active. It also claims that Williams has openly acknowledged his unlawful activities, stating that he is a “pirate” who refuses to pay for Nintendo games.
Nintendo is seeking financial damages from Williams and an order to shut down any remaining pirate shops and associated social media accounts.
By taking these legal steps, Nintendo aims to protect its intellectual property and curb the distribution of pirated games and modded hardware.
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