Nintendo wins $4.5 million judgment against Reddit moderator

A federal court in the United States has ordered Reddit moderator James C. Williams, known online as ‘Archbox’, to pay $4.5 million to Nintendo of America for the unauthorized distribution of Nintendo Switch games.

The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Lauren King for the Western District of Washington on September 23, 2026, was a default judgment entered after Williams failed to appear or defend himself in court. The legal action, which began in June 2024, targeted the operation of digital storefronts and the promotion of software designed to bypass console protections.

The $4.5 million figure was calculated based on a statutory maximum of $150,000 for each of the 30 specific games identified in the lawsuit, including titles such as ‘Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’, ‘Animal Crossing: New Horizons’, and ‘Metroid Dread’.

In addition to the financial penalty, the court issued a permanent injunction prohibiting Williams from managing pirate game stores or distributing unauthorized copies of games and software used to circumvent technical protections.