Nintendo Switch modder ordered to pay $2 million in piracy lawsuit

Nintendo has won a significant legal battle against piracy, with a Washington District Court judge ordering Ryan Daley to pay the company $2 million. Daley was accused of operating the website Modded Hardware, which sold modded Switch consoles, modchips, and devices that enabled the use of pirated games. Nintendo claimed that Daley's actions caused the company "significant and irreparable harm," and the judge agreed, stating that the devices and services offered by Daley allowed for the widespread distribution and play of pirated Nintendo games. Daley, who chose to fight the lawsuit without a lawyer, was banned from modding Switch consoles and using devices designed to circumvent the console's security measures. This ruling is part of Nintendo's ongoing efforts to combat piracy, which have included successful lawsuits against file-sharing sites and the shutdown of Switch emulators. The company has also made it clear that it may brick Switch 2 consoles if players attempt to modify the device.