Reddit moderator who bragged about pirating Nintendo Switch games now owes Nintendo £3.4 million
A United States court has ordered James Williams, a Reddit moderator known as Archbox, to pay Nintendo $4.5 million in damages for running Switch piracy shops and promoting intellectual property theft. Williams ignored the lawsuit and failed to make a court appearance, resulting in a default judgment. Nintendo initially filed the lawsuit in October 2025. The judgment requires the former moderator to shut down any websites associated with the distribution of unauthorized games.
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- ✓ A US court has ordered former Reddit moderator James Williams, also known as Archbox, to pay Nintendo $4.5 million in damages.
- ✓ Nintendo filed the lawsuit against the Reddit moderator in October 2025 for running Switch piracy shops and promoting intellectual property theft.
- ✓ The default judgment was issued after Williams ignored the lawsuit and failed to appear in court.
What changed
A court issued a $4.5 million default judgment against a former Reddit moderator who ignored Nintendo's piracy lawsuit.
Live updates
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Nintendo Wins $4.5M Lawsuit Against Reddit Mod
A United States court has ordered James Williams, a Reddit moderator known as Archbox, to pay Nintendo $4.5 million in damages for running Switch piracy shops and promoting intellectual property theft. Williams ignored the lawsuit and failed to make a court appearance, resulting in a default judgment. Nintendo initially filed the lawsuit in October 2025. The judgment requires the former moderator to shut down any websites associated with the distribution of unauthorized games.
Why it matters
Nintendo has a long-standing history of aggressively protecting its intellectual property against copyright infringement and piracy networks. This default judgment concludes a high-profile legal battle against a community moderator who openly bragged about stealing and selling unauthorized Switch software. The penalty emphasizes the severe financial consequences awaiting individuals who distribute pirated console games online.
What is confirmed
- A US court has ordered former Reddit moderator James Williams, also known as Archbox, to pay Nintendo $4.5 million in damages.
- Nintendo filed the lawsuit against the Reddit moderator in October 2025 for running Switch piracy shops and promoting intellectual property theft.
- The default judgment was issued after Williams ignored the lawsuit and failed to appear in court.
What to watch next
- Any response or appeal from James Williams regarding the default judgment
- Confirmation that the associated piracy websites have been shut down
confidence 100%Sources used for this update (12)
- www.cnet.com — Sony Will Pay Out $7.85 Million in PlayStation Store Credit. How to Claim Part of the Settlement
- www.ign.com — Nintendo Wins $4.5 Million From Reddit Mod Who Sold Pirated Switch Games
- Aftermath — Nintendo Wins $4.5M In Switch Pirate Lawsuit
- Nintendo Wire — Court awards $4.5 million in damages to Nintendo in case against Reddit moderator ‘Archbox’
- TechPowerUp — Court Orders Reddit Moderator to Pay Nintendo $4.5 Million Over Switch Piracy
- Eurogamer.net — Reddit moderator who bragged about pirating Nintendo Switch games now owes Nintendo £3.4 million
- Video Games Chronicle — Court orders Reddit moderator who widely pirated Switch games to pay Nintendo $4.5 million in damages
- www.polygon.com — Reddit moderator has to pay Nintendo $4.5M after lawsuit
- www.eurogamer.net — Reddit moderator who bragged about pirating Nintendo Switch ...
- www.thegamer.com — Nintendo Wins $4.5 Million Switch Pirate Lawsuit Against ...
- www.yahoo.com — Switch Pirate Ignored Nintendo’s Lawsuit, Now He Owes $4.5 ...
- www.yahoo.com — Nintendo Wins $4.5 Million Piracy Lawsuit Against Subreddit ...
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