A significant legal confrontation between Nintendo and Modded Hardware has reached its final resolution, with the creator of MiG Switch and comparable hacking tools compelled to pay Nintendo $2 million as part of a settlement agreement. The modding equipment manufacturer faces additional restrictions through a permanent injunction that prohibits possession or sale of any flash cartridges, modification chips, or similar devices.

This litigation represents the newest development in Nintendo's continuous campaign against software piracy and unauthorized hardware modification. Earlier in March 2024, the gaming giant reached a comparable settlement with Tropic Haze, the development team behind the Yuzu Switch emulator. That agreement involved a $2.4 million payment to Nintendo and immediate termination of operations under court order. Nintendo successfully argued that Yuzu fundamentally violated the Digital Millennium Copyright Act through its capacity to run Switch games such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of Kingdom before their official release dates.

Following extensive legal proceedings that began over twelve months ago, Nintendo and Modded Hardware have arrived at a mutual agreement. Court documentation from the United States District Court in Seattle reveals that Ryan Daly, founder of Modded Hardware, has consented to pay $2 million to Nintendo as part of a joint stipulation and final judgment. After initially disputing any misconduct or association with Modded Hardware, Daly proceeded without legal representation in the Nintendo litigation. Beyond the financial penalty, the court has imposed a permanent injunction prohibiting Daly from marketing MiG Switches, modification chips, or any equipment designed to bypass Nintendo's anti-piracy safeguards. Nintendo will additionally confiscate all inventory and business assets connected to Modded Hardware's operations.

The settlement agreement establishes that MiG Switch and related devices infringed upon Nintendo's copyright protections under DMCA regulations, consistent with previous legal victories in the company's anti-piracy efforts. This resolution marks Nintendo's second significant legal achievement during the summer months, coming after collaboration between the FBI and Dutch law enforcement resulted in the shutdown of NSw2u, previously among the most prominent platforms for distributing unauthorized Switch game files.

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