Top Nintendo Switch piracy subreddit banned after 3 years (2024)

Top Nintendo Switch piracy subreddit banned after 3 years (1)

The most prominent subreddit devoted to discussions of Nintendo Switch piracy—as well as emulation—was banned on Tuesday, after more than three years on the platform. The community was first created in May 2020, and as of June 10, its latest snapshot on the Wayback Machine, it had accrued more than 69,800 members

In recent weeks the subreddit had grown dramatically and may have become too high-profile for its controversial subject matter: it had just over 37,000 members on May 1, when I reported that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom had leaked onto pirate sites. Over the last month and a half r/NewYuzuPiracy became the de facto home for discussions centered around modding Tears of the Kingdom, at least for players who pirated the game.

As I wrote before the game's official launch, it was a messy situation for emulation developers, who usually take great care to distance themselves from any public connection to piracy. In addition to openly discussing pirated games, posters on the subreddit would also share "early access" builds of Nintendo Switch emulator Yuzu, which are normally locked behind a Patreon subscription unless you know how to compile a build yourself via Github. They also distributed in-development mods from one of the Switch emulator's most prominent modders, causing him to close his Discord server in frustration.

Considering the brazen name, it seems strange that Reddit's banning of r/NewYuzuPiracy has taken this long. According to the message that now appears in place of the subreddit, it was banned "due to a violation of Reddit's content policy against creating or repurposing a sub to reconstitute or serve the same objective as a previously banned or quarantined subreddit."

A replacement may quickly pop up in its wake. The subreddit r/YuzuPiracy was banned on April 21, 2020, just two weeks before r/NewYuzuPiracy was created and grew to dominate search results for Tears of the Kingdom mods. Clearly whatever Reddit's content moderation priorities are, actually banning duplicate subreddits isn't high on the list.

Top Nintendo Switch piracy subreddit banned after 3 years (2)

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Wes has been covering games and hardware for more than 10 years, first at tech sites like The Wirecutter and Tested before joining the PC Gamer team in 2014. Wes plays a little bit of everything, but he'll always jump at the chance to cover emulation and Japanese games.

When he's not obsessively optimizing and re-optimizing a tangle of conveyor belts in Satisfactory (it's really becoming a problem), he's probably playing a 20-year-old Final Fantasy or some opaque ASCII roguelike. With a focus on writing and editing features, he seeks out personal stories and in-depth histories from the corners of PC gaming and its niche communities. 50% pizza by volume (deep dish, to be specific).

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Top Nintendo Switch piracy subreddit banned after 3 years (2024)

FAQs

Is switch piracy illegal? ›

Online piracy and counterfeiting of Nintendo's video game products is illegal. We hope to enlist your support for intellectual property protection and, with your help, reduce video game piracy worldwide. We appreciate your support in the battle against piracy.

Why does Nintendo hate piracy? ›

Most importantly, game developers and publishers depend on the legitimate sales of their games in order to survive. Piracy discourages innovation and new game development which ultimately impacts the consumer.

Can you play pirated games on Nintendo Switch? ›

The Switch however, will not play a pirated game and you'll likely lose your Switch account, making it impossible to download games. You'd only be able to play offline any games already downloaded to the system or game cards you've already bought.

Can you go to jail for pirating Switch games? ›

That's illegal but you'll never get caught for it. But if you start selling pirated games and made profit from it, you can face civil or even criminal charges. For example, Gary Bowser was arrested in late 2020 for selling Switch modchips and he got sued by Nintendo for $10 million.

Can Nintendo sue you for pirating? ›

Nintendo seeks maximum statutory damages of $150,000 for each copyright infringed, $2,500 for each act of circumvention, and $2,500 for each act of offering circumvention technology to the public, as well as attorneys' fees and full costs.

Is piracy OK if you own the game? ›

No, it is not "OK." Theft is still theft. If, however, you had already purchased this game in the past, then I'd be much more supportive. (There's often official support/approval for this, too, by the IP owners.)

Are Nintendo mods legal? ›

It is illegal to import, market, sell or distribute circumvention devices (such as game copiers, USB piracy sticks and mod chips). Nintendo has obtained many decisions from criminal and civil courts across the world that confirms this.

Is game piracy dying? ›

Piracy isn't dying in a sense that people don't want to crack games. It's less relevant now in some games because of the online requirement of the game. Single player offline games are going to get cracked every time.

Will the Switch get hacked? ›

Not all Nintendo Switches can be hacked. Newer models, as well as Nintendo Switch Lite and OLED models, have been patched to prevent hacking.

How risky is jailbreaking a Switch? ›

One of the most significant risks of jailbreaking a Nintendo Switch is the possibility of rendering your console inoperable or "bricked." A bricked console becomes entirely non-functional, leaving you with a device that essentially becomes an expensive paperweight.

How to legally download Switch games? ›

Complete These Steps:
  1. Select “Nintendo eShop” on the HOME Menu to launch Nintendo eShop.
  2. Select the account you want to use.
  3. Locate the game that you want to purchase, then select it to reach its product information page. ...
  4. Select Proceed to Purchase.

Is emulating the Switch illegal? ›

Emulation software itself is not inherently illegal, as shown by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals case Sony Computer Entertainment v. Connectix Corporation in 2000.

Do you go to jail for piracy? ›

Penalties for Piracy

Maximum penalties for misdemeanor copyright infringement are one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. Maximum penalties for felony copyright infringement generally are: Commercial advantage or private financial gain: five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Can the police track your Nintendo Switch? ›

Using the device's serial number

Although the Nintendo Switch lacks GPS tracking built-in, knowing how to use its serial number will help law enforcement in their attempts to retrieve your system. Report the theft to local law enforcement immediately.

Is jailbreaking legal Switch? ›

Why is it illegal to jailbreak a video game console? Many people incorrectly assume that since they own the device, they are free to do with it as they please. However, according to U.S. law, while you own the physical hardware, you are only licensing the code contained within the system—it's not yours to alter.

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