Nintendo Sues Streamer for $7.5 Million Over Pirated Switch Games Streaming

Nintendo is pursuing a significant legal battle against Jesse Keighin, the streamer known as "EveryGameGuru," who is accused of streaming pirated versions of popular Nintendo Switch games.

The lawsuit, filed in Colorado District Court on November 6, 2024, claims that Keighin streamed a number of unreleased games, including The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, on platforms such as Twitch, YouTube, and Kick.

Despite receiving multiple DMCA takedown notices and cease-and-desist orders, Keighin allegedly continued his activities, even going so far as to create new channels after each one was shut down.

The lawsuit further reveals that Keighin boasted about his ability to evade enforcement, claiming to have "a thousand burner channels" to keep the streams going. One letter to Nintendo from Keighin allegedly taunted the company, stating, “You can try to stop me, but I’ll keep going,” after his streams were taken down.

The case highlights the gaming industry’s ongoing battle with piracy, particularly regarding major titles. Nintendo's lawsuit claims that Keighin’s actions caused significant harm, with the company calculating damages at $150,000 per infraction.

The lawsuit includes at least fifty instances of pirated games being streamed over the last two years, resulting in a total claim of $7.5 million. Notably, the suit points to Keighin’s streaming of Mario & Luigi: Brothership on October 22, 2024, just weeks before its official release.

Nintendo’s aggressive stance reflects its long-standing efforts to curb piracy and protect its intellectual property, particularly for highly anticipated games. This lawsuit is part of a larger pattern of the company clamping down on both piracy and modding, especially as it seeks to safeguard its hardware exclusivity and preserve sales of its major game releases.