Nintendo Cracks Down on Switch Piracy with First Modder Arrest

Japanese authorities have made a significant arrest in the fight against video game piracy. For the first time, a 58-year-old man has been apprehended for allegedly modifying Nintendo Switch consoles to play pirated games. As reported by NTV News and translated by Automaton, the arrest, which occurred on January 15th, stems from a violation of the Trademark Act.

The suspect is accused of altering the circuit boards of pre-owned Switch consoles, enabling them to run illegally obtained software. Each modified console, reportedly containing 27 pirated games, was sold for approximately ¥28,000 ($180 USD). The individual has confessed to the charges, and further investigations are underway to uncover potential additional offenses.

This arrest highlights the ongoing battle between game developers and piracy. Nintendo, a frequent target, previously issued a takedown request for 8,500 copies of the Yuzu Switch emulator in May 2024, following the emulator's shutdown two months prior. Their earlier lawsuit against the creator, Tropic Haze, cited over one million pirated copies of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom before its official release.

Legal action against piracy is escalating. Past successes include lawsuits against RomUniverse, resulting in multi-million dollar damages awarded to Nintendo. Nintendo also successfully blocked the Dolphin emulator from appearing on Steam.

Recently, a Nintendo patent lawyer shed light on the company's anti-piracy strategy, emphasizing the link between emulator proliferation and software piracy. Koji Nishiura, Assistant Manager of the Intellectual Property Division, stated that while emulators themselves aren't inherently illegal, their use can become illegal depending on the context.