Home News Billy Mitchell Wins $237K in Defamation Suit Against YouTuber Karl Jobst

Billy Mitchell Wins $237K in Defamation Suit Against YouTuber Karl Jobst

by Sophia Apr 15,2025

Arcade gaming legend Billy "King of Kong" Mitchell has secured a significant victory in court, winning nearly a quarter of a million dollars in damages from Australian YouTuber Karl Jobst. As reported by PC Gamer, Jobst, known for his content on competitive and speedrunning gaming, featured Mitchell in a video titled "The Biggest Conmen in Video Game History Strike Again!" which garnered 500,000 views. The court found that Jobst's video contained defamatory, inaccurate, and unsubstantiated claims against Mitchell.

Mitchell's gaming accolades came under scrutiny in 2018 when his scores were removed from Twin Galaxies' leaderboards amid allegations that he used a MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) instead of arcade cabinets to achieve his records in games like Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong Jr. After a six-year battle, Mitchell successfully had his records reinstated in a "historical database" on Twin Galaxies' website, and his high scores were also recognized again by the Guinness World Records in 2020.

Billy "King of Kong" Mitchell has won a defamation lawsuit against Australian YouTuber Karl Jobst. Photo by David Greedy/Getty Images.

The defamation lawsuit Mitchell filed against Jobst was not related to the validity of his Donkey Kong scores but stemmed from Jobst's 2021 video. Mitchell claimed the video falsely suggested that his previous lawsuit against YouTuber Benjamin "Apollo Legend" Smith resulted in Smith paying $1 million in damages and contributed to Smith's suicide in 2020. The video also allegedly implied that Mitchell had "expressed joy at the thought" of Smith's suicide.

After Mitchell threatened legal action, Jobst edited the video, and Smith's brother confirmed that no money had been paid. Jobst admitted defeat on X/Twitter, stating, "I lost. The judge found Billy to be a credible witness and believed his entire testimony." He clarified that he did not accuse Mitchell of cheating and that his claims about Smith were based on "incorrect information from multiple sources." Jobst expressed regret and gratitude for the support he received, emphasizing his commitment to continue his work and repay his supporters.

In a subsequent update, Jobst reiterated his stance on not backing down and resisting attempts to control his free expression. The judge ordered Jobst to pay $187,800 (AU$300,000) for non-economic loss, $31,300 (AU$50,000) for aggravated damages, and $22,000 (AU$34,668.50) in interest, totaling around $241,000.

Mitchell, who achieved a perfect score in Pac-Man in the '80s, gained widespread recognition through the 2007 documentary, King of Kong, which highlighted his rivalry with Steve Wiebe.