{
  "id": 9763464,
  "title": "Nintendo Wins $4.5 Million From Reddit Mod Who Sold Pirated Switch Games",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/nintendo-wins-4-5-million-from-reddit-mod-who-sold-pirated-switch",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-25T10:53:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "IGN",
    "slug": "ign",
    "url": "https://www.ign.com/articles/nintendo-wins-45-million-from-reddit-mod-who-sold-pirated-switch-games"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a recent legal victory, Nintendo has been awarded $4.5 million in damages from James C. Williams, a former moderator of the SwitchPirates subreddit. The lawsuit, which began in late 2014, accused Williams of leading a community of over 190,000 members that discussed how to download pirated games and bypass Nintendo's anti-piracy measures. Williams was also accused of operating online shops where piracy-enabling software and tools could be purchased. Initially, Nintendo demanded the full amount of $4.5 million, though they acknowledged it was not the full compensation for Williams' actions. After not responding to the lawsuit, a default judgment was entered against Williams, awarding Nintendo the full amount and granting a permanent injunction that bars him from selling pirated Switch games and piracy-assisting software or modded consoles. Williams is now required to close all his remaining online shops and social media accounts where pirated Switch games have been advertised. This win follows another major legal victory for Nintendo in Europe, where the sale of piracy-enabling Switch accessories known as MIG Switch was banned. Previous legal actions against Nintendo have included a $2 million judgment against a console modder and a $14.5 million fine for Gary Bowser, an employee of a company that sold anti-piracy devices, who is serving a life sentence. Nintendo remains committed to tracking down Williams and ensuring he pays the awarded damages.",
  "summary": "Nintendo has finally won its long-running lawsuit against a reddit moderator who sold pirated Switch games, and been awarded $4.5 million in damages.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}