A Reddit user named James C. Williams has been hit with a $4.5 million fine for pirating Nintendo games and promoting them on social media. A U.S. District Court in Washington ruled in favor of Nintendo as Williams did not contest the lawsuit. The court’s decision included a default judgment that Williams must pay for pirating 30 games at $150,000 each, leading to the total fine.
Williams allegedly helped distribute unauthorized Nintendo games since 2019 under the online handle “archbox.” He was a moderator on the subreddit r/SwitchPirates, where he advertised his “Pirate Shops” and provided advice on running pirated games. Through these shops, he solicited donations to continue his activities.
As part of the ruling, Williams is permanently barred from operating pirate sites or distributing bootlegged games, and his Reddit account has already been suspended. Nintendo is known for its aggressive stance against piracy, often winning lawsuits that require damages to be paid. Now the company will need to locate Williams to secure the fine.
