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 circuit boards, enabling them to run 27 illegally obtained games. These modified consoles were then sold for approximately $180 each. The suspect has confessed to the charges, and further investigations are underway.
This arrest highlights the ongoing battle between game developers and piracy. Nintendo, a frequent target, launched a takedown notice in May 2024 affecting 8,500 copies of the Yuzu Switch emulator, following its shutdown two months earlier. Their initial lawsuit against Yuzu's creator cited one million pirated copies of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom before its official release.
Legal action against piracy is escalating. Previous successful cases include lawsuits against RomUniverse, resulting in over $12 million in damages in 2018 and an additional $2.1 million in 2021. Nintendo also prevented the Dolphin GameCube and Wii emulator from launching 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 blurry line between emulators themselves and their illegal use, stating that while an emulator isn't inherently illegal, its application can be.
Latest Downloads
Downlaod
Top News
![Cockham Superheroes – New Version 0.5.2 [EpicLust]](https://images.5534.cc/uploads/36/1719595948667ef3acb2d9e.jpg)
