Nintendo Subpoenas Reddit: Seeking Pirate Group Members’ Data

Nintendo Subpoenas Reddit to Uncover Switch Pirates

In brief: Nintendo, known for its aggressive legal actions against piracy, has issued subpoenas to Reddit and other companies. The goal is to identify individuals involved in a major piracy operation selling modded Switch consoles and cartridges.

Targeting the r/SwitchPirates Subreddit

Following a default judgment against James Williams, a moderator of the r/SwitchPirates subreddit and operator of pirate shops, Nintendo seeks user data from Reddit. They believe Williams or his associates may have used other accounts within the community.

Nintendo’s legal action extends to other companies including Name Cheap, Go Daddy, Tucows, Cloudflare, Github, Discord, and Google. The aim is to gather information to pursue infringement claims related to the sale of modded hardware and games.

Focus on Pirate Shops, Not Subreddit Members

It’s important to note that Nintendo is targeting individuals directly involved in the operation of the pirate shops, not every member of the r/SwitchPirates subreddit. This contrasts with past actions against emulation and ROMs.

This latest move follows Nintendo’s previous legal victories, such as the settlement with Yuzu emulator developers.