Nintendo Seeks $4.5 Million From Reddit Moderator Over Piracy Damages

Nintendo has filed a new lawsuit against a Reddit moderator known as Archbox, accusing him of moderating and promoting piracy-related communities on the platform. The company is seeking $4.5 million in damages.

According to Nintendo Everything, Nintendo had previously demanded that the moderator stop distributing copyrighted Nintendo Switch games. The company filed the lawsuit after the Reddit user, identified as James C. Williams, allegedly continued promoting so-called “Pirate Shops.”

“Williams not only copied and distributed Nintendo game files without authorization,” states the lawsuit. “He actively promoted their distribution and copying to thousands of others across a variety of websites and online ‘communities,’ and knowingly trafficked in unlawful software products aimed at circumventing Nintendo’s technological measures protecting against unauthorized access to and use of Nintendo Switch games and the Nintendo Switch console itself.”

In the complaint, Nintendo of America (NOA) claims that Williams, under the Reddit username Archbox, was aware of his illegal actions. The filing alleges he led a Reddit community called “SwitchPirates,” which reached over 190,000 members, where he offered access to and promotions for pirate shops. Nintendo also asserts that Williams provided technical support and detailed instructions for downloading and using pirated game copies.

“For the foregoing reasons, NOA respectfully requests that the Court enter a default judgment in favor of NOA and against Williams for a monetary award of $4,500,000 and an injunction in the form of the Proposed Injunction,” states the conclusion.

A U.S. federal judge is expected to issue a final order in the coming days, as no final ruling has been announced yet.

Nintendo keeps actively fighting against piracy. A few weeks ago, the video game giant won a $2 million lawsuit against the owner of the Modded Hardware website for selling devices that bypass Nintendo’s piracy protection. The Japan-based company has also warned users that hacking or modifying consoles can result in those devices being permanently disabled.