Nintendo is continuing to clamp down on Switch piracy this week by filing two brand-new lawsuits (thanks, TorrentFreak).
The first of these targets Modded Hardware, a group that has been on Nintendo’s radar for a few months now — and with a name like that, you can imagine why. Run by Ryan Daly (aka “Hombrew Homie”, apparently) Modded Hardware had built up a reputation for selling fully modded Switch consoles, memory cards that enable pirated downloads and other modding services.
According to TorrentFreak, Nintendo threatened to sue Daly earlier this year, resulting in an agreement where Modded Hardware would cease sales. The deal was obviously not upheld, leading to Nintendo’s lawsuit where the company claims that Daly’s continued service has caused “substantial and irreparable harm”.
The fines against Modded Hardware could potentially extend to millions of dollars as Nintendo hopes to recoup damages.
But that’s not all from the world of Nintendo lawsuits this week. TorrentFreak also reports that the Big N has opened a case against James ‘Archbox’ Williams, the lead moderator of the r/SwitchPirates subreddit which has amassed almost 190,000 members.
Nintendo’s legal claim connects Williams to several “pirate shops” offering “massive libraries of pirated Nintendo Switch games”. The filing also accuses Williams of encouraging piracy via the subreddit where he was “offering technical advice and encouragement to other users about how to use the Pirate Shops”.
What’s more, Nintendo claims that Williams knew he was committing an act of piracy. “Defendant is well aware that his conduct is unlawful and infringes Nintendo’s intellectual property rights,” the filing suggests, “Indeed, Defendant has bragged publicly that he is a ‘pirate’ who ‘[isn’t] going to give Nintendo $50 for a game’”.
TorrentFreak has shared copies of the complaints against Modded Hardware and Archbox and we will be keeping an eye out for the results of each.
Of course, these filings are just the latest in Nintendo’s clampdown on Switch piracy. Earlier this year, the creators of the Switch emulator Yuzu, Tropic Haze, agreed to pay $2.4 million in damages just a week after Nintendo filed a lawsuit against them.
Nintendo is continuing to clamp down on Switch piracy this week by filing two brand-new lawsuits (thanks, TorrentFreak).
The first of these targets Modded Hardware, a group that has been on Nintendo’s radar for a few months now — and with a name like that, you can imagine why. Run by Ryan Daly (aka “Hombrew Homie”, apparently) Modded Hardware had built up a reputation for selling fully modded Switch consoles, memory cards that enable pirated downloads and other modding services.
According to TorrentFreak, Nintendo threatened to sue Daly earlier this year, resulting in an agreement where Modded Hardware would cease sales. The deal was obviously not upheld, leading to Nintendo’s lawsuit where the company claims that Daly’s continued service has caused “substantial and irreparable harm”.
The fines against Modded Hardware could potentially extend to millions of dollars as Nintendo hopes to recoup damages.
But that’s not all from the world of Nintendo lawsuits this week. TorrentFreak also reports that the Big N has opened a case against James ‘Archbox’ Williams, the lead moderator of the r/SwitchPirates subreddit which has amassed almost 190,000 members.
Nintendo’s legal claim connects Williams to several “pirate shops” offering “massive libraries of pirated Nintendo Switch games”. The filing also accuses Williams of encouraging piracy via the subreddit where he was “offering technical advice and encouragement to other users about how to use the Pirate Shops”.
What’s more, Nintendo claims that Williams knew he was committing an act of piracy. “Defendant is well aware that his conduct is unlawful and infringes Nintendo’s intellectual property rights,” the filing suggests, “Indeed, Defendant has bragged publicly that he is a ‘pirate’ who ‘[isn’t] going to give Nintendo $50 for a game’”.
TorrentFreak has shared copies of the complaints against Modded Hardware and Archbox and we will be keeping an eye out for the results of each.
Of course, these filings are just the latest in Nintendo’s clampdown on Switch piracy. Earlier this year, the creators of the Switch emulator Yuzu, Tropic Haze, agreed to pay $2.4 million in damages just a week after Nintendo filed a lawsuit against them.
