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Nintendo awarded $4.5 million in default judgment over pirated Switch games

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GoKawiil Brief

Nintendo of America won a $4.5 million default judgment against James Williams, known online as Archbox, over allegations he ran online shops selling pirated Switch games. The suit, filed in 2024, claimed Williams was the operator behind several 'Pirate Shops,' and he was ordered to shut down access to any such shops he controls. Williams reportedly did not respond to the lawsuit, leading the court to rule in Nintendo's favor by default.

Why It Matters

GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.

The case shows Nintendo continuing its aggressive legal pursuit of individuals linked to piracy operations, even those tied to community moderation roles like on the r/SwitchPirates subreddit. A default judgment means the claims went largely unchallenged in court, so the size of the award reflects Nintendo's allegations rather than a contested legal test. This could serve as a warning to others involved in piracy distribution networks, though enforcement of the shutdown order may prove difficult if Williams remains unresponsive.

Key Takeaways
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Source: engadget.com — Anna Washenko, 2026-09-24

Published there as: “Nintendo wins $4.5 million from lawsuit over pirated Switch games”

Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.