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Piracy

All articles tagged with #piracy

US Court Awards Nintendo $4.5M in Default Judgment Against Former Reddit Mod
legal-and-tech12 days ago

US Court Awards Nintendo $4.5M in Default Judgment Against Former Reddit Mod

A US federal court has ordered James Williams, a former Reddit moderator known as 'Archbox,' to pay Nintendo $4.5 million in damages for distributing pirated Switch games. The ruling, issued on September 23, 2026, is a default judgment because Williams failed to respond to the lawsuit filed in June 2024. The court also issued a permanent injunction requiring Williams to shut down all online 'pirate shops' and disable accounts on platforms like Reddit, Discord, and Telegram. The damages reflect the statutory maximum of $150,000 per title across 30 specific games, including 'The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom' and 'Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.'

Federal Court Awards Nintendo $4.5M in Default Judgment Against Former Reddit Mod
legal13 days ago

Federal Court Awards Nintendo $4.5M in Default Judgment Against Former Reddit Mod

A US federal court has awarded Nintendo of America $4.5 million in damages against James Williams, a former Reddit moderator known as 'Archbox,' for distributing pirated Nintendo Switch games. The ruling, issued on September 23, 2026, is a default judgment because Williams failed to respond to the lawsuit filed in June 2024. The court also issued a permanent injunction requiring Williams to shut down all online 'pirate shops' and disable accounts on platforms like Reddit, Discord, and Telegram. The damages reflect the statutory maximum of $150,000 per title across 30 games, including 'The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom' and 'Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.'

PS5 Emulator Port Debuts; Court Awards Nintendo $4.5M in Piracy Case
gaming13 days ago

PS5 Emulator Port Debuts; Court Awards Nintendo $4.5M in Piracy Case

Custom software enthusiasts have released ProsperoEden, an early alpha port of the Eden Switch emulator for PlayStation 5 consoles with homebrew support. This project allows direct launch of Nintendo Switch games on Sony hardware, supporting image output, audio, controller input, and save systems. Benchmark results show Hollow Knight running stably, while Metroid Dread achieves 59-60 FPS on the title screen. Super Mario 3D World runs at 35-53 FPS on the intro. The emulator requires a PS5 with homebrew mode enabled, along with Switch key dumps, system firmware, and game files. Source code will be published later, and current compatibility is limited due to the early stage of development. This development confirms the gradual transformation of the PS5 into a platform for third-party apps and emulators. In a related legal development, a federal court in Washington ordered Reddit moderator James 'Archbox' Williams to pay Nintendo $4.5 million in damages over alleged Switch piracy. US District Judge Lauren King granted Nintendo's motion for default judgment on September 23, along with a permanent injunction barring Williams from distributing pirated games or circumvention tools. Nintendo filed the lawsuit in June 2024, accusing Williams of running a network of 'Pirate Shops' offering libraries of pirated Switch games. Williams never responded to the lawsuit, leading to the default judgment. The $4.5 million figure reflects the statutory maximum of $150,000 per title across 30 Switch games named in the suit, including The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Nintendo Secures $4.5M Default Judgment Against Former Reddit Moderator Archbox
legal13 days ago

Nintendo Secures $4.5M Default Judgment Against Former Reddit Moderator Archbox

A US federal court has awarded Nintendo of America $4.5 million in damages against James Williams, known online as 'Archbox,' in a copyright infringement case. The ruling, issued by Judge Lauren King in the Western District of Washington, is a default judgment because Williams failed to respond to the lawsuit filed in June 2024. The court also issued a permanent injunction requiring Williams to immediately shut down all online 'pirate shops' and disable social media accounts used to distribute pirated Nintendo Switch games. The damages reflect the statutory maximum of $150,000 per title across 30 alleged infringements, including The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Nintendo tracked Williams down via his Reddit activity and a Nintendo repair account, leading to the initial cease-and-desist and subsequent litigation.

US Court Awards Nintendo $4.5M in Default Judgment Against Former Reddit Moderator
legal-and-gaming14 days ago

US Court Awards Nintendo $4.5M in Default Judgment Against Former Reddit Moderator

A US federal court has awarded Nintendo of America $4.5 million in damages against James Williams, a former moderator of the r/SwitchPirates subreddit. The default judgment stems from Williams' failure to respond to a lawsuit filed in June 2024. The court ordered Williams to immediately shut down online 'pirate shops' and issued a permanent injunction barring him from distributing any pirated Nintendo games. Nintendo sought $150,000 for each of 30 alleged infringements, including titles like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The judge noted that Williams' inaction, despite hiring a lawyer for a separate subpoena, supported the maximum damages award. This ruling follows Nintendo's broader legal efforts against piracy, including previous cases against Gary Bowser and the Yuzu emulator.

US Court Orders Former Reddit Mod to Pay Nintendo $4.5M for Switch Piracy
legal15 days ago

US Court Orders Former Reddit Mod to Pay Nintendo $4.5M for Switch Piracy

A US federal court awarded Nintendo of America $4.5 million in damages against James Williams, a former Reddit moderator known as 'Archbox,' for distributing pirated Switch games. The default judgment, issued on September 24, 2026, follows Williams' failure to respond to the lawsuit filed in June 2024. The court ordered him to shut down online 'pirate shops' and prohibited him from distributing Nintendo software or hardware. The award reflects $150,000 per violation across 30 copyrighted titles, including Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Luigi’s Mansion 3.

US Judge Orders Former Reddit Mod to Pay Nintendo $4.5M for Switch Piracy
gaming16 days ago

US Judge Orders Former Reddit Mod to Pay Nintendo $4.5M for Switch Piracy

A US federal court awarded Nintendo $4.5 million in damages against James Williams, a former Reddit moderator known online as 'archbox,' for distributing pirated Switch games. The default judgment, issued on September 24, 2026, also ordered Williams to immediately shut down the online stores he operated. Nintendo sued Williams in June 2024, alleging he solicited gift cards and game copies to copy and distribute via 'pirate shops.' Williams did not respond to the lawsuit, leading to the default judgment.

technology1 month ago

Authors accuse OpenAI of training GPT on pirated books, seek summary judgment

A group of authors filed a motion for summary judgment in New York accusing OpenAI of training its GPT models on pirated LibGen copies, concealing the piracy and building the business on mass piracy, and asking the court to find liability and that such copying isn’t fair use; the filing covers 194 titles and also argues Microsoft is vicariously liable, while OpenAI counters with a cross-motion asserting fair use as part of broader lawsuits against OpenAI and Microsoft.

Switch 2 online bans puzzle players who swear they did nothing wrong
technology1 month ago

Switch 2 online bans puzzle players who swear they did nothing wrong

Nintendo is reportedly banning Switch 2 consoles from online services (eShop access and Game-Key Card installs) with error code 2124-4508, even for owners who say they used legitimate titles; the bans appear hardware-based and can’t be fixed by simply switching accounts, prompting widespread discussion on Reddit and in the Switch Help community. Some users have since been unbanned, with Nintendo attributing at least some cases to server errors; the exact cause and the scope of the bans remain unclear as affected buyers across multiple regions fear losing access to digital purchases and owned games.

Turkish Navy Frees Lutuf from Somali Pirates After Prolonged Operation
world1 month ago

Turkish Navy Frees Lutuf from Somali Pirates After Prolonged Operation

Turkish commandos freed the cargo ship Lutuf from Somali pirates after a 10‑day operation off Somalia, ending a seizure that began two weeks earlier; ransom talks reportedly started as high as $10 million and later lowered to about $2 million. The 1,400‑dwt Lutuf, carrying supplies to a Turkish base, had a 10‑member crew (six Indian nationals, one Turkish national, one Georgian, two Serbian guards). Unconfirmed reports said four to six pirates were killed as they fled the scene, and the vessel was secured and resumed its voyage. The incident underscores Turkey’s growing naval involvement to protect maritime routes in the Horn of Africa.

Bootleg Spider-Man Flies Through Russia Amid Hollywood Boycott
world1 month ago

Bootleg Spider-Man Flies Through Russia Amid Hollywood Boycott

Despite Sony halting Russian releases, hundreds of fans flock to screenings of Spider-Man: Brand New Day using illegally copied prints obtained via third-party distributors, with authorities largely turning a blind eye; the film still posted a record box-office weekend in Russia, underscoring the tension between foreign franchises and a state-influenced local cinema scene.

Somali piracy surges as US-Iran war drags Red Sea shipping into peril
africa1 month ago

Somali piracy surges as US-Iran war drags Red Sea shipping into peril

Piracy off Somalia has surged amid spillover from the US-Iran war and related Red Sea tensions, with at least 13 ships attacked this year and two hijackings in four days, drone strikes on pirates, and several vessels held for ransom near Puntland. Experts say reduced naval patrols and local anger over foreign trawling are fueling the surge, with possible Turkish involvement under scrutiny, though no confirmed direction from Tehran or Houthi actors.

Pirates Hijack Sanctioned Tanker Off Yemen, Steering Toward Puntland
east-africa1 month ago

Pirates Hijack Sanctioned Tanker Off Yemen, Steering Toward Puntland

Somali pirates hijacked the Eritrean-flagged MT Sibu 1, a U.S.-sanctioned oil products tanker, about 252 km east of Al-Mukalla, Yemen, and steered it toward Puntland with a 20-member crew (16 Indians, plus a Syrian, a Sudanese and an Iraqi; one nationality unclear). The vessel’s port of call and final destination remain unknown, and the attack follows a surge of piracy since April in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean, with Somali pirates responsible for most hostage-taking in early 2026; Puntland authorities say the renewed piracy involves forces beyond their control but did not identify any group or country.