Video Game Piracy Enters New Era as Japan Arrests Its First Alleged Modder of Nintendo Switch Consoles

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. The individual allegedly altered used Switch consoles by soldering modified components onto the circuit boards, enabling the execution of illegally copied games. Authorities claim he pre-loaded 27 pirated titles onto each console before selling them for approximately ¥28,000 ($180 USD) apiece. The suspect has confessed to the charges, and further investigations are underway to determine the full extent of his activities.

This arrest highlights the ongoing battle between game developers and piracy. Nintendo, a frequent target, has pursued numerous legal actions. A notable example includes a 2024 takedown request targeting 8,500 copies of the Yuzu Switch emulator, following the emulator's shutdown two months prior. Nintendo's initial lawsuit against Yuzu's creator, Tropic Haze, cited the unauthorized distribution of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom—a million times before its official release—as evidence of the emulator's role in piracy.

Legal precedents against piracy are growing. RomUniverse, a game file-sharing website, faced significant financial penalties in 2018 and 2021, totaling over $14 million in damages awarded to Nintendo. Furthermore, Nintendo's actions prevented the Dolphin GameCube and Wii emulator from launching on Steam.

Recently, Koji Nishiura, Nintendo's Assistant Manager of the Intellectual Property Division, shed light on the company's anti-piracy strategy. He emphasized the ambiguous legality of emulators themselves, clarifying that their use, rather than their mere existence, determines their illegality. The arrest of the Switch console modifier underscores Nintendo's and other companies' commitment to combating the evolving landscape of video game piracy.