Nintendo has filed a major lawsuit against a Reddit moderator accused of running Switch piracy networks. The company is asking for $4.5 million in damages, continuing its long fight to protect its games from illegal distribution.
Nintendo Targets Reddit Mod “Archbox”
Court documents name James C. Williams, known online as “Archbox”, as the main defendant. Nintendo accuses him of running several “Pirate Shops” — websites that allegedly distributed hundreds of thousands of pirated Switch games.
The company claims Williams promoted these platforms on Reddit, especially in the r/SwitchPirates community. It describes him as a “self-proclaimed Nintendo pirate” who managed, operated, and supplied multiple piracy sites since 2019.
Nintendo says his activities hurt both its business and the many artists, programmers, and developers who rely on official game sales.
See also: Switch Piracy Website Seized: FBI Takes Down NSW2U in Major Crackdown
The legal case began in mid-2024. Nintendo sent Williams a cease-and-desist letter demanding he shut down his sites. He initially acknowledged the letter but later refused to cooperate.
Investigators traced his real identity through an email linked to his Reddit account, allowing Nintendo to file the lawsuit under his name later that year.
Nintendo Seeks $4.5 Million in Damages
Nintendo wants the court to award $4,500,000 in damages, saying even that figure may not cover the harm done.
The company told the court:
“The amount sufficient to remedy Nintendo of America’s injury would be extremely difficult to quantify; but it is indisputable that such amount would be large.”
Williams reportedly ignored earlier notices and defaulted on court communications. The case continues, and no final ruling has been made.
Nintendo Ongoing War Against Game Piracy
This lawsuit is part of a broader pattern. In recent years, Nintendo has taken legal action against many individuals and companies for similar violations:
- Ryan Daly, owner of Modded Hardware, paid $2 million in 2024 for selling the MIG Switch modding tool.
- In 2023, hacker Gary Bowser was sentenced to prison and fined $14 million for distributing Switch hacking devices.
- Nintendo also forced Yuzu and Citra emulators to shut down after claiming they encouraged piracy.
The community remains divided. Some fans see Nintendo as defending its rights, while others believe its tactics are too harsh — especially when targeting community moderators.
See also: Epic Games Lawsuit Against Fortnite Cheaters: Legal Action, Bans & Apology Videos
For now, the lawsuit is still pending. Williams’ lawyer has only filed a limited appearance related to a subpoena involving Google. It’s unclear whether he plans to defend the case further.
If the court sides with Nintendo, Williams could owe millions — a huge penalty for one person. Yet, this case once again shows Nintendo’s determination to protect its software and hardware ecosystem, no matter how small the target may be.
