Nintendo files two new lawsuits to combat Switch piracy

Nintendo continues to fight Switch piracy this week by filing two new lawsuits (thanks, TorrentFreak).

The first of these groups targets Modded Hardware, a group that has been in Nintendo’s crosshairs for a few months now. With a name like that, you can imagine why. Run by Ryan Daly (aka “Hombrew Homie,” apparently), Modded Hardware has built a reputation for selling fully modded Switch consoles, memory cards that allow for hacked downloads, and other modding services.

According to TorrentFreak, Nintendo threatened to sue Daly earlier this year, which resulted in an agreement that Modded Hardware would cease sales. The agreement was obviously not honored, leading Nintendo to file a lawsuit where the company claims that Daly’s continued service has caused “substantial and irreparable harm.”

Fines against Modded Hardware could potentially run into the millions of dollars, Nintendo hopes to recoup damages.

But that’s not all in the world of lawsuits against Nintendo this week. TorrentFreak also reports that Big N has opened a case against James “Archbox” Williams, the lead moderator of the r/SwitchPirates subreddit that has amassed nearly 190,000 members.

Nintendo’s complaint links Williams to several “pirate stores” that offer “massive libraries of pirated Nintendo Switch games.” The complaint also accuses Williams of encouraging piracy through the subreddit where he “offered technical advice and encouragement to other users on how to use the pirate stores.”

Additionally, Nintendo claims that Williams knew he was committing piracy. “Defendant is fully aware that his conduct is illegal and violates Nintendo’s intellectual property rights,” the filing suggests. “Indeed, Defendant has publicly bragged about being 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’ll be keeping an eye on the results of each.

Of course, these lawsuits are just the latest in Nintendo’s crackdown on Switch piracy. Earlier this year, the creators of the Yuzu Switch emulator Tropic Haze agreed to pay $2.4 million in damages, just a week after Nintendo filed a lawsuit against them.