Nintendo Wins $2 Million Lawsuit Against 'MiG Switch' Piracy Distributor, Reinforces Anti-Piracy Efforts on Nintendo Switch

Nintendo has secured another significant legal victory in its ongoing fight against piracy on the Nintendo Switch and the upcoming Switch 2 hardware.

In a recent court decision dated September 5th, 2025, the company prevailed in a lawsuit against Ryan Daly, the operator behind the 'MiG Switch' modification device and the Modded Hardware website, marking another win in its campaign to safeguard its intellectual property and gaming platforms.

The court ruled that Daly must pay Nintendo a total of $2 million in damages for distributing devices that enabled users to bypass security features on the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, allowing for the illegal creation, sharing, and playing of pirated Nintendo games.

Alongside the financial penalty, a permanent injunction prohibits Daly from engaging in the marketing, sale, or promotion of piracy devices, including the ‘MiG Switch’ and similar circumvention tools.

The ruling also mandates that Daly cease any involvement with hardware that has been altered or manipulated to breach Nintendo's system protections. Addressing the severity of the impact caused by Daly's actions, the court documents state that the defendant's operations have inflicted significant and lasting damage on Nintendo of America (NOA).

The distribution and use of the MiG Switch, mod chips, and associated circumvention services have enabled large-scale piracy, undermining NOA’s goodwill, reducing its customer base, and making illegal copying of Nintendo games both widespread and challenging to detect. As part of the court order, Daly is required to dismantle the Modded Hardware website and transfer any domains containing Nintendo-owned content to the company.

This decisive action further underlines Nintendo's uncompromising stance on defending its platforms and intellectual property against infringing activities. The victory is the latest in a string of legal successes for Nintendo, who has been increasingly proactive in protecting the Nintendo Switch ecosystem.

Recent years have seen high-profile piracy cases, including the FBI-led seizure of major ROM site 'nsw2u' and Nintendo’s takeover of the 'Ryujinx' ROM website, reinforcing the company's strategy to curb piracy and protect both the integrity of its hardware and the financial interests of game developers. Nintendo Switch owners, as well as second-hand buyers, have also been affected by Nintendo's robust security measures, with reports indicating that consoles detected running unauthorized software might be rendered inoperable or 'bricked.' These measures, coupled with decisive legal action, demonstrate Nintendo's ongoing commitment to providing a safe and secure gaming experience for players and developers alike. As Nintendo prepares for the continued evolution of its hardware, including the anticipated Switch 2, the company’s resolute legal victories send a clear message to would-be infringers and reinforce its role as a leader in anti-piracy enforcement within the gaming industry.

Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2 Switch Modded Hardware Ryan Daly MiG Switch NOA Engadget FBI Ryujinx nsw2u