Japanese authorities make a landmark arrest in the fight against Nintendo Switch game piracy. For the first time, a suspect has been apprehended for modifying 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. The individual allegedly altered used Switch consoles by soldering modified components onto the circuit boards, enabling the execution of illegally copied games. Each modified console, pre-loaded with 27 pirated titles, was reportedly sold for ¥28,000 (approximately $180).
The accused has confessed to the charges, and investigations are ongoing to determine the extent of his involvement in further illegal activities.
This arrest highlights the ongoing battle between video 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. Their earlier lawsuit against Yuzu's creator, Tropic Haze, cited over one million pirated copies of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom before its official release.
Legal action against piracy is intensifying. Previous successful cases include lawsuits against RomUniverse, resulting in over $14 million in damages to Nintendo. Nintendo's efforts also extended to preventing the release of the Dolphin emulator 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, emphasized the ambiguous legality of emulators themselves, highlighting that their use, rather than their existence, determines their illegality.
