Japanese authorities have made a significant arrest in the fight against video game piracy. For the first time, a suspect has been apprehended for modifying Nintendo Switch consoles to run 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 second-hand Switch consoles by soldering modified circuit boards, enabling them to play illegally obtained games. Authorities claim 27 pirated titles were loaded onto each modified console, which were then sold for approximately ¥28,000 ($180 USD) each. The suspect has confessed to the charges, and further investigations are underway.

This arrest highlights the ongoing battle between gaming companies and piracy. Nintendo, in particular, has been aggressively pursuing legal action against piracy. A notable example is their May 2024 takedown request targeting 8,500 copies of the Yuzu Switch emulator, following the emulator's shutdown two months prior. Their initial lawsuit against the creator, Tropic Haze, cited the unauthorized distribution of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, alleging one million pirated copies before the game's official release.

Legal precedents against piracy are increasingly common. Previous successes include lawsuits against RomUniverse, resulting in $2.1 million in damages to Nintendo in 2021 and over $12 million in 2018. These actions also impacted the availability of the Dolphin emulator on Steam.

Recently, a Nintendo patent lawyer shed light on the company's anti-piracy strategy. Koji Nishiura, Assistant Manager of the Intellectual Property Division, emphasized the ambiguity surrounding the legality of emulators themselves, clarifying that their illegality depends entirely on their intended use. The use of emulators to play pirated games remains illegal.