Japanese Man Arrested: Nintendo’s Switch Modding Crackdown

Japanese Man Arrested: Nintendo’s Switch Modding Crackdown

In context: Nintendo’s aggressive anti-piracy stance is highlighted by the recent arrest of a 58-year-old Japanese man for selling modified Nintendo Switch consoles loaded with pirated games. This marks the first such arrest in Japan for circumventing the console’s copyright protection.

The Arrest

Fumihiro Otobe, a transportation worker, modified secondhand Switch consoles to play pirated games, selling them for 28,000 yen (~$180) each with 27 pre-installed pirated titles. Police found four modified units in his possession, and he confessed, stating his curiosity about selling the modified consoles.

Nintendo’s Legal Strategy

While Nintendo usually employs civil lawsuits, this arrest underscores their escalating anti-piracy efforts. Nintendo’s chief patent attorney acknowledged that emulators are technically legal, but distributing copyrighted software through them remains illegal. This aligns with previous legal actions against emulator developers Yuzu and Ryujinx, and a lawsuit against Modded Hardware for selling modified consoles with pirated games.

Implications for the Switch 2

Otobe’s arrest, coinciding with the upcoming release of the Switch 2, suggests intensified anti-piracy measures. The rapid emergence of Switch emulators after the original console’s release raises questions about Nintendo’s ability to prevent a similar situation with the