On October 3, Nintendo submitted a legal motion seeking $4.5 million in compensation from James 'Archbox' Williams, an individual accused of operating piracy websites that distributed unauthorized copies of Nintendo Switch games. According to court documents, Williams has failed to respond to the ongoing legal proceedings initiated by the gaming company.

The legal action against Williams originated in 2024 when Nintendo initially filed a lawsuit alleging he was involved in the sale and distribution of pirated Nintendo Switch titles. Court filings indicate Williams operated what Nintendo described as "pirate shop" websites as part of his business operations. Additionally, Williams served as a moderator for the SwitchPirates subreddit community, which ultimately contributed to Nintendo's ability to identify and locate him. The company reportedly utilized Williams' social media activity and Nintendo console repair records to trace him to his residence in the Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area. Following service of legal documents, Williams did not enter a formal plea in court, resulting in a default judgment being awarded to Nintendo.

This legal action represents another step in Nintendo's ongoing campaign against video game piracy, following a separate $2 million settlement reached with Modded Hardware earlier in 2025. In documents filed with the US District Court for the Western District of Washington in Seattle, Nintendo requested a default judgment totaling $4.5 million against Williams. The company argued that despite retaining legal counsel to address third-party subpoenas, Williams has not formally responded to the lawsuit itself. Nintendo contends that since Williams has taken no action to challenge the default judgment issued in November 2024, the requested monetary damages are warranted. The hearing for Nintendo's motion against Williams is scheduled for Friday, October 24.

Nintendo's latest legal action forms part of the company's broader strategy to combat video game piracy. In July 2025, one of the most extensive repositories for pirated Switch games and ROMs, NSw2u, was shut down by the FBI after operating for approximately five years. The Federal Bureau of Investigation collaborated with the FIOD, a Dutch investigative agency, to seize the piracy website. Several days after the operation, the FBI officially acknowledged its involvement and cooperation with Dutch authorities in dismantling NSw2u. The extent of Nintendo's direct involvement in the NSw2u seizure remains unclear.