Nintendo Wins Lawsuit Against Streamer Over Leaked Games

Nintendo secured a $17,500 judgment against a Colorado man who streamed pirated versions of unreleased Nintendo games online, the latest salvo in the Japanese gaming giant's aggressive defense of its intellectual property.

A federal judge awarded the sum to Nintendo after Jesse Keighin, who operates under the username "Every Game Guru," failed to respond to the company's copyright-infringement lawsuit. The ruling highlights Nintendo's willingness to pursue individual streamers who broadcast its games before their official release.

Nintendo accused Mr. Keighin of streaming at least 10 unreleased titles more than 50 times beginning in 2022, including "Mario & Luigi: Brothership." The company said Mr. Keighin boasted in messages of using "a thousand burner channels" to continue his activities and taunted Nintendo's legal team on social media, according to court documents reported by TorrentFreak.

Court Issues Default Judgment After Streamer Evades Legal Notice

The case took an unusual turn when Nintendo informed the court in April that Mr. Keighin had evaded service of the lawsuit. The court subsequently served him through email and letters sent to his mother, grandmother and partner. When he missed the response deadline, the court clerk entered a default judgment against him on March 26.

While Nintendo prevailed on damages, U.S. District Court Judge rejected the company's request for a permanent injunction that would have required Mr. Keighin to destroy emulation software and extended restrictions to third parties. The judge deemed those demands "unclear" and "unreasonable" or insufficiently detailed.

Nintendo opted to seek $17,500 rather than pursue the maximum statutory damages of at least $100,000 for the 10 games. The company requested $10,000 for the most recent infringement and $7,500 for multiple anti-piracy violations, arguing the amount was appropriate given Mr. Keighin's deliberate actions and repeated disregard for copyright warnings.

The verdict underscores Nintendo's vigilant protection of its franchises and sends a warning to content creators that unauthorized streaming of unreleased games carries legal consequences.