Nintendo Reveals How They Track Down Switch Pirates

Nintendo is no stranger to lawsuits. Over the years, the company has taken legal action and emerged victorious multiple times. Recently, its cases have focused on combating piracy, leaving many to wonder: how does the Big N track down its targets? A recent legal dispute has finally shed light on this question.

Legal Disputes Highlight Nintendo’s Anti-Piracy Efforts

In a recent case (thanks Game File), Nintendo sued James “Archbox” Williams for allegedly selling pirated Switch games. The court documents revealed that Nintendo enlisted the help of the law firm Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp in 2023 to investigate “freeshops,” which are online stores offering pirated versions of Switch games.

The investigation led to the discovery of the name Archbox in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. However, the individual’s true identity remained unknown at this stage. To progress further, Nintendo and its legal team turned to social media platforms like Reddit for additional clues.

In a significant breakthrough, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp unearthed an email address and name associated with Archbox in a 2015 post about Midwestern University. This information allowed Nintendo to search its internal database, where they found that the same address was used to request Switch repairs. By connecting the dots, Nintendo identified the person behind the pirated game stores.

In June 2024, Nintendo filed a lawsuit against James “Archbox” Williams. The case resulted in a default judgment in Nintendo’s favor after Williams failed to present his case within the court’s deadlines. This example demonstrates the depth of Nintendo’s investigative process, including their use of social media to uncover key evidence.

A Long but Effective Process

While the process of tracking down pirates is relatively straightforward, it demands significant time and effort. In this instance, the investigation began in 2023, and it took nearly a year to identify the culprit. Nintendo’s dedication shows that even those who share seemingly minor details online can be found with enough perseverance.