Nintendo Wins $4.5 Million Default Judgment Against Reddit Moderator Accused of Running Switch Piracy Network
SEATTLE — A federal judge in Washington state has ordered a Reddit moderator accused of operating a network of online piracy shops to pay Nintendo $4.5 million, handing the gaming giant a decisive default victory after the defendant failed to respond to the lawsuit. Judge Lauren King issued the judgment Wednesday against James Williams, who operated under the handle "archbox" and served as a leading moderator of the r/SwitchPirates community. The court found that Williams promoted online shops offering pirated Nintendo game files and circumvention software, encouraged others to contribute pirated games to those shops, and assisted in distributing pirated Switch titles despite knowing the activity violated copyright law. Nintendo filed suit in 2024, alleging Williams was the "operator, overseer and driving force behind several Pirate Shops." When Williams did not respond to the complaint, Nintendo moved for a default judgment last October. The court granted the full...