In a copyright infringement lawsuit brought by Nintendo of America, a court ordered pirate game seller James Williams to pay $4.5 million in damages. The default judgment also bars Williams from operating the relevant stores and from distributing software that circumvents copy protection.
A court has ordered James Williams, an Arizona resident who described himself as a "pirate," to pay $4.5 million in damages in a copyright infringement lawsuit brought by Nintendo of America. The court reportedly ruled in Nintendo's favor on all claims by default judgment after the defendant failed to appear at hearings, resolving the case without the need for a jury trial.
Basis of the lawsuit
According to Nintendo's complaint, Williams operated multiple online stores selling unlicensed copies of games for Nintendo Switch consoles. The company alleged that the defendant also helped third parties access software that circumvented Nintendo's copy protection.
This assistance was reportedly provided largely through the r/SwitchPirates community on Reddit, where Williams served as a moderator under the username "Archbox."
How the penalty was calculated and the bans imposed
The total $4.5 million penalty was reportedly calculated by multiplying the maximum statutory damages of $150,000 per work under the DMCA by the 30 Switch games listed in Nintendo's complaint.
The court ordered Williams and any possible accomplices to immediately shut down all relevant online stores. The defendant is completely prohibited from downloading, uploading, offering, advertising, or distributing any software or materials related to copy protection circumvention, games, or consoles. Williams must also permanently close all social media accounts he used to distribute Switch games or circumvention methods.
