Nintendo has secured a decisive legal victory against Ryan Daly, the alleged operator of the Modded Hardware website. According to court filings, Daly has agreed to pay the Japanese gaming giant $2 million in damages and is now subject to a permanent injunction banning him from engaging in any activity related to console modification or piracy.

The case against Modded Hardware

Nintendo first moved against Modded Hardware in early 2024, accusing the site of selling hacked Nintendo Switch units, modding tools, and illegal firmware services that enabled users to play pirated games. While Daly initially denied the allegations — and even filed his first responses without legal representation — the site continued to operate, prompting Nintendo to escalate the case.

By mid-2024, Daly’s defense included claims of “fair use” and “invalid copyrights,” though these arguments were never substantiated. Now, more than a year later, the matter has been settled in Nintendo’s favor.

Permanent restrictions

Beyond the multimillion-dollar payout, the injunction prohibits Daly from selling, advertising, or even assisting others with console modifications or similar devices. The Modded Hardware website has since gone offline, with its associated domains ordered to be transferred to Nintendo.

Broader crackdown

This judgment is part of Nintendo’s wider crackdown on piracy and emulation ahead of the launch of its next-generation console. The company has taken aggressive legal action against sellers of modchips, circumvention tools, and even developers of emulators, seeking to protect its hardware ecosystem and massive software library.

For Nintendo, the $2 million settlement is less about the money and more about sending a message: when it comes to protecting the Switch platform, the company intends to fight piracy at every level.