Japanese authorities have made a landmark 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 copied software. He reportedly loaded each modified console with 27 pirated games and sold them for approximately ¥28,000 ($180 USD) each. The individual has confessed to the charges, and further investigations are underway to determine the extent of his activities.
This arrest highlights the ongoing battle between video game publishers and piracy. Nintendo, in particular, has been aggressively pursuing legal action against piracy, including a May 2024 takedown request targeting 8,500 copies of the Yuzu Switch emulator, following the emulator's shutdown two months prior. A previous lawsuit even alleged that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was pirated one million times before its official release.
The legal landscape surrounding video game piracy is evolving. Past successes include lawsuits against RomUniverse, resulting in multi-million dollar damages awarded to Nintendo. Nintendo's efforts also extended to preventing the release of the Dolphin emulator on Steam. Recently, a Nintendo representative clarified the company's stance, emphasizing that while emulators themselves aren't inherently illegal, their use for piracy constitutes a violation. This arrest underscores the increasing efforts to combat the sophisticated methods employed by modern-day game pirates.
