Nintendo has obtained a court order, demanding UK internet service providers block access to certain websites they deem shares or encourages piracy of Nintendo Switch games.
The court order– which was obtained on September 10th, request four websites to be blocked “or at least impede access“; including Team Xecuter, SX Xecuter, SX Flashcart, and Stargate 3DS.
All of the above can be accessed via URLs hosted on the main Team Xecuter website, and all of them providing ways to purchase equipment or programs (dubbed SX OS) to “jail-break” the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS to play pirated and “home brewed” games.
The order requests “the five main retail internet service providers” in the UK to block access to those websites; including Sky, British Telecom, EE Limited, TalkTalk, and Virgin Media.
Speaking to Eurogamer, a Nintendo representative expressed their gratitude at the decision:
“Today, the UK High Court found the sale and distribution of ‘circumvention’ devices for the Nintendo Switch unlawful. Nintendo is pleased that the UK High Court has confirmed that dealing in devices or software that enable piracy on Nintendo Switch systems is unlawful.
This decision will help protect the UK games industry and the more than 1800 developers worldwide that create games for the Nintendo Switch platform, and who rely on legitimate sales of games for their livelihood and to keep bringing quality content to gamers.”
UK ISPs have allegedly blocked “over 1000” piracy websites, but have supposedly relented in recent years. Meanwhile Nintendo has been hammering down on piracy attempts for quite a while, with some decisions being less clear cut in the case of emulators or fan games. In November 2018, a former ROM website owner was ordered to pay $12 million in damages to Nintendo. The owner of Emuparadise effectively ceased operations of the website in August 2018, fearing legal action against them.
A fan made remake of Metroid 2, “AM2R”, was ordered to be shut down via DMCA back in August 2016. Nintendo’s official remake of that game, Metorid: Samus Reutrns on 3DS was announced in June 2017. Fan game Pokemon Uranium was also shut down in August 2016– though there are still doubts as to whether Nintendo sent the supposed cease and desist letters.
