In the ongoing battle against piracy, Nintendo achieved a significant win by securing a $2 million settlement from a vendor selling modchips for their Nintendo Switch consoles. This represents another success in their efforts to safeguard intellectual property.
The focus of the legal matter revolved around Ryan Daly, the administrator of Modded Hardware, who was implicated for selling items such as the MIG Switch flashcart and MIG Dumper. These tools enabled users to play unauthorized games or extract data from Nintendo Switch game cartridges.
In this scenario, modchips serve as hardware tools that work around the Nintendo Switch’s safety measures. When inserted or linked, they enable users to utilize unapproved software, which can include pirated game versions along with illegally duplicating and disseminating official game cartridges.
Nintendo contends that these items inflict “substantial and unrecoverable damage” on their operations, and they’ve consistently held the view that their main function is to support piracy, making them unlawful according to copyright regulations.
Modchip seller forced to pay Nintendo $2 million
The legal action was initiated in a Seattle federal court in July 2024, following Daly’s initial agreement to halt sales. However, Daly persisted in distributing the devices. In his justification, Daly submitted 17 arguments, some pertaining to fair use and questionable copyrights, but the court rejected them all.
Daly’s website not only provided tutorials and manuals for installing and operating the devices, but these resources were instrumental in facilitating piracy, as highlighted by the court. This month, a permanent order was issued prohibiting Daly from disseminating any documentation or details concerning console modifications.
According to Nintendo’s reports, devices like the MIG Switch are designed specifically to circumvent the Nintendo Switch’s security measures, thereby promoting widespread game piracy. Nintendo believes that continuing sales of such devices could potentially disrupt the integrity of their gaming platform if not addressed appropriately.
In the terms of the agreement, Daly is obligated to pay a sum of two million dollars to Nintendo and is permanently prohibited from manufacturing, advertising, or distributing any modding devices. Additionally, he must forfeit all modchips, flashcarts, and consoles related to his business, with these items being destroyed. Furthermore, his Modded Hardware domain will be transferred to Nintendo’s possession.
As a dedicated gamer in 2024, I’ve seen firsthand how Nintendo stands firm against unauthorized distribution of their games. They won a significant $2.4 million settlement from the creators of the Yuzu emulator, Tropic Haze, and have been relentless in taking down piracy hubs like NSw2u, demonstrating their commitment to protecting their intellectual property.
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2025-09-08 13:50