Switch modder owes Nintendo $2 million after representing himself in court

It has often been said that the lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client. That truism apparently extends to Switch modders as well, at least in the case of Ryan Daly. The operator of the now-defunct moddedhardware.com (archived) now owes Nintendo $2 million after a recent settlement filed in a Washington state District Court.

The final judgement, which was jointly agreed to by both parties, asserts that Daly knowingly sold devices such as the MIG Switch and MIG Dumper that "are primarily designed for the purpose of circumventing the [technological protection measures, and] have limited commercially significant purpose or use other than to circumvent the TPMs." Daly also sold and installed mod chips to get around Switch DRM and "copied and distributed certain copyrighted Nintendo games to his customers," according to the judgment.

Nintendo's lawsuit alleged that the company initially approached Daly about the sale of these devices in March 2024, and that Daly agreed at the time "both verbally and in signed writing" to refrain from further sales. After Daly continued to sell the devices, though, Nintendo took the further step of bringing this lawsuit last June.