Nintendo secures $4.5 million judgment over pirated Switch games operation

Nintendo of America has been awarded $4.5 million in damages after a court ruled in its favor in a lawsuit against James Williams, known online under the handle Archbox. The company filed the suit in 2024, alleging that Williams was the operator and driving force behind several so-called "Pirate Shops" offering pirated Nintendo Switch games for download.

Williams is reportedly connected to the Reddit community r/SwitchPirates, where he previously served as a moderator. He no longer appears listed among the subreddit's moderators, though the community itself remains active.

A win without a fight

Because Williams did not respond to the lawsuit in court, the case was decided in Nintendo's favor by default, meaning the matter was resolved without the usual back-and-forth of a contested trial. Nintendo, known for aggressively pursuing legal action to protect its intellectual property, had comparatively little work to do this time since the defendant never engaged with the proceedings.

As a result, Williams has been ordered to pay Nintendo $4.5 million in damages. He has also been directed to immediately disable access to all online shops he operates or controls that have offered the public extensive libraries of pirated Nintendo Switch games.

The case is part of Nintendo's ongoing pattern of pursuing legal action against those involved in distributing pirated copies of its games.