Nintendo has filed a lawsuit against streamer Jesse Keighin, known as "Every Game Guru." This comes after he boldly challenged the company with claims of having "a thousand burner channels" to continue his alleged illegal activities. The Nintendo lawsuit, filed in a Colorado court, targets Keighin for streaming unreleased games and reportedly teaching viewers how to access pirated content. What's the court saying?
Pattern of Defiance and Alleged Copyright Infringement
According to court documents, Keighin allegedly streamed at least 10 unreleased Nintendo games. These include high-profile titles like The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Super Mario Party Jamboree, and Mario & Luigi: Brothership. The streaming of emulated games appeared well before their official release dates, with Mario & Luigi: Brothership appearing 16 days before its November 7 launch, and Super Mario Party Jamboree streaming six days ahead of its October 17 release.
The situation intensified when Keighin reportedly sent a defiant letter to Nintendo in late October, boasting about his numerous backup channels and saying he could "do this all day." He might have borrowed the line from Steve Rogers, but we don't think Captain America stands for that. This came after multiple takedown notices failed to deter his activities across platforms including YouTube, Twitch, and Kick.
Nintendo Seeks Substantial Damages and Prevention Measures
The lawsuit details how Keighin allegedly facilitated game piracy by providing viewers with links to emulators like Yuzu and Ryujinx. Nintendo characterizes these actions as "trafficking" in illegal "circumvention devices." With over 50 alleged incidents since 2022, Nintendo is pursuing significant financial penalties:
- $150,000 for each violation of Nintendo's rights under the Copyright Act
- An additional $2,500 per violation of anti-circumvention provisions
- Potential total damages reaching $7.5 million
- Alternative option to pursue "actual damages" at trial
Beyond monetary compensation, Nintendo is demanding the seizure and destruction of all emulators, hacked devices, and hard drives containing pirated games in Keighin's possession. Many of his main channels have already been taken offline through copyright strikes, though reports suggest some alternate accounts remain active.
Wrapping Up
This case is another moment in Nintendo's ongoing battle against unauthorized game distribution. Recently, the company had a $2.4 million settlement with Yuzu's developer and the shutdown of Ryujinx's development.
From the look of things, there will be no slowing down in the fight against game piracy. As a Nintendo spokesperson speaking to Polygon put it: "Nintendo is passionate about protecting the creative works of game developers and publishers who expend significant time and effort to create experiences that bring smiles to all.”