Nintendo has won a $2 million stipulated judgment and sweeping injunction against Ryan Michael Daly, the U.S.-based modder behind the now-defunct 'Modded Hardware' storefront. Daly, who sold devices like the MIG Switch and MIG Dumper, agreed to the judgment after initially denying wrongdoing and defending himself in court. According to the judgment, Daly originally agreed to stop selling the unauthorized devices but then reneged, prompting Nintendo to sue.
The order, signed September 5 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, concludes a year-long legal fight with Daily, who represented himself throughout the case. As part of the settlement, Daly admits to violating both copyright law and the DMCA’s anti-circumvention provisions by selling modchips and tools that bypassed Switch security systems, thereby enabling piracy and unauthorized game backups.
The injunction also bans Daly from “reverse engineering” Nintendo systems, hosting tutorials, and even linking to circumvention materials. It also invokes the All Writs Act to compel third parties — including web hosts and registrars — to help shut Daly down for good.
This isn’t the first time Nintendo has gone after modders. In 2021, the company famously helped jail Team-Xecuter hacker Gary Bowser (yes, really), who was also ordered to pay Nintendo millions in restitution after distributing Switch modchips. Bowser, who was released from prison in 2023, will have to pay 25-30% of his earnings to Nintendo for the rest of his life.
