Retro gaming YouTuber faces 3 years in jail for reviewing handheld consoles

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An Italian YouTube personality who specializes in retro gaming could be looking at a potential jail term of up to three years and a substantial financial penalty, due to his reviews featuring handheld gaming devices containing ROMs.

In a recent YouTube update, the mastermind behind Once Were Nerd, renowned for his extensive retro gaming reviews, disclosed an unexpected incident: on April 15, both his home and office were raided by Italian customs officials. The search warrants, issued by the Guardia di Finanza, are said to be linked to accusations of promoting pirated content.

According to Android Authority’s report, more than 30 portable devices from manufacturers such as ANBERNIC, Powkiddy, and TrimUI were taken during the operation. Notable among these is the ANBERNIC RG Slide, often delivered with microSD cards containing emulated Nintendo games, which forms a crucial part of the investigation. Additionally, his personal phone was taken and later returned on June 15.

YouTuber denies promoting consoles with emulated games

In spite of the extensive search, the YouTuber maintains that he was compliant during the entire process and provided records of discussions with game developers as evidence to support his claim that he never intentionally endorsed video game piracy via “sponsorships” – a charge he firmly refutes.

He emphasized that these gaming consoles can only be utilized if you own the authentic version of the game, as he does. He’s made it clear that he hasn’t endorsed any product but has instead provided fair and impartial reviews, pointing out both the advantages and disadvantages of every device.

Nonetheless, if the situation in question falls under Article 171-ter of Italy’s 1941 Copyright Law, it may lead to a fine of approximately €15,000 (around $17,300 USD) and imprisonment for up to three years. What’s worrying is that the authorities might temporarily suspend his social media platforms, such as YouTube, before establishing any misconduct.

At this point, specific accusations or official charges haven’t been made public yet. In accordance with Italian law, investigators don’t need to disclose all the details until the preliminary investigation is over.

Originally, the initiator set up a GoFundMe campaign to meet the expenses related to legal matters. He assured that every donated euro would be accounted for thoroughly, with full transparency, allowing everyone to see where the funds were being used.

So far, the Financial Guard has been taking steps to make my social media platforms less accessible, which means I can’t share additional content unrelated to this ongoing investigation,” he explained further.

Currently, he has collected slightly more than $6,000 for his legal fight. The YouTuber also mentioned that he might need to relocate following the trial if he can no longer produce videos in Italy. He cautioned other creators in the country to exercise caution, as they could potentially face similar circumstances.

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2025-07-16 18:48