Video Game Piracy Enters New Era as Japan Arrests Its First Alleged Modder of Nintendo Switch Consoles

Japanese authorities have made a landmark arrest in the fight against video game piracy. For the first time, a suspect has been apprehended for modifying Nintendo Switch consoles to play pirated games.

According to NTV News, a 58-year-old man was arrested on January 15th for violating Japan's Trademark Act. He allegedly altered used Switch consoles by soldering modified components onto their circuit boards, enabling them to run illegally copied games. Authorities claim he pre-loaded 27 pirated titles onto each console before selling them for approximately ¥28,000 ($180 USD) apiece. The individual has confessed to the charges, and further investigations are underway.

This arrest highlights the ongoing battle between game publishers and piracy. Nintendo, a frequent target, launched a takedown notice in May 2024 affecting 8,500 copies of the Yuzu Switch emulator, following the emulator's shutdown two months prior. A previous lawsuit against Yuzu's creator, Tropic Haze, alleged that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was pirated one million times before its official release.

Legal action against piracy is escalating. Previous successful cases include lawsuits against RomUniverse, resulting in $2.1 million and $12 million in damages awarded to Nintendo in 2021 and 2018, respectively. These actions also extended to blocking the Dolphin emulator's release on Steam.

Recently, a Nintendo patent lawyer shed light on the company's anti-piracy strategy. Koji Nishiura, Assistant Manager of the Intellectual Property Division, noted the ambiguous legality of emulators themselves, emphasizing that their illegality hinges on their usage. The use of emulators to run pirated games remains a clear violation.