Nintendo is currently anticipating 2024 net sales of $8.4 billion and operating profits of $2.4 billion, and is actively cracking down on modding and emulating its systems and games. The company’s latest target is the Reddit sub SwitchPirates, as reported by Game File, and they are seeking information through subpoenas from various companies to identify individuals involved in “Pirate Shops.”
The Week In Games: Return To Hyrule
With a revenue of $16 billion in 2021, Nintendo is following up on its case against the subreddit’s moderator, James “Archbox” Williams, as they believe many others are also engaged in piracy activities. To uncover these individuals, Nintendo is seeking access to business records from Cloudflare, Discord, Github, Google, Reddit, Name Cheap, Go Daddy, and Tucows.
Investigation and Discovery
Nintendo’s move comes in the aftermath of the shutdown of Modded Hardware, an associated site with Archbox, with the aim of identifying all parties involved. Through a court filing, it was revealed that Nintendo learned crucial details about the Pirate Shops and the involvement of the defendant in these activities.
The investigation uncovered that the defendant was active in various Discord servers linked to the Pirate Shops, served as the primary moderator of the “SwitchPirates” Reddit community, and owned a Github account tied to these operations under the alias “Archbox.”
Despite identifying multiple online actors associated with the Pirate Shops, their identities could not be confirmed with certainty during the initial complaint. Nintendo aims to use subpoenas to uncover these individuals due to Williams evading their attempts to serve him.
Subpoena Details
Nintendo plans to request access to Google Drive and Gmail data from Google, while the intentions regarding Discord remain unspecified. In the case of Reddit, Nintendo believes that other accounts in the SwitchPirates community may also be controlled by the defendant or individuals collaborating with them.
The Nintendo Switch, with 146 million units sold, is on track to surpass the Nintendo DS as the second most successful console, currently at 154 million units, in the coming year.
Conclusion
Nintendo’s relentless crackdown on piracy and modding activities showcases the company’s commitment to protecting its intellectual property and revenue streams. The legal actions taken against individuals involved in “Pirate Shops” underline the seriousness with which Nintendo addresses unauthorized use of its systems and games.
FAQs
Q: Why is Nintendo cracking down on modding and emulating activities?
A: Nintendo aims to protect its intellectual property and revenue by preventing unauthorized use of its systems and games through legal actions against those involved in piracy activities.
Q: What steps is Nintendo taking to identify individuals engaged in piracy?
A: Nintendo is seeking access to business records from various companies and utilizing subpoenas to uncover individuals associated with “Pirate Shops” and modding activities.
Credit: kotaku.com
