No. There is no credible evidence that Nintendo sued a boy in Thailand. The rumor appears to be a later mutation of a real 2018 story about a Venezuelan child’s homemade cardboard Game Boy-style console, with the lawsuit details added years afterward.
Where the Thailand rumor came from
The underlying cardboard-console story dates to July 26, 2018, when rapper Big Trueno posted a video attributed to a Venezuelan child named Rubén. The child had made a Game Boy-style console from cardboard and other household materials. Snopes’ account of the rumor traces the later lawsuit story back to this real creation.
In August 2018, the Mirror covered the homemade console as a story about the child’s ingenuity; that coverage did not report a lawsuit. The legal claim surfaced later, in a January 2021 meme alleging that Nintendo had sued a nine-year-old in Venezuela. Subsequent retellings changed details, including the country, and the story now circulates in a Thailand version. The reviewed coverage identifies no court filing, docket, or credible news report documenting a Thai lawsuit. Snopes; USA Today fact check.
What the viral claim got wrong
The meme claimed that Nintendo sued a nine-year-old named “Paco Gutierrez” for $200 million after he made the cardboard console, and that CEO Doug Bowser delivered a cease-and-desist. Those are meme allegations, not verified legal events. The name and lawsuit narrative do not match the 2018 account, which identified the child as Rubén and described a Venezuelan craft project.
#1 Best Overall
- The next evolution of Nintendo Switch
- One system, three play modes: TV, Tabletop, and Handheld
- Larger, vivid, 7.9” LCD touch screen with support for HDR and up to 120 fps
- Dock that supports 4K when connected to a compatible TV*
- GameChat** lets you voice chat, share your game screen, and connect via video chat as you play
USA Today’s January 29, 2021 fact check reported that Nintendo of America denied the lawsuit story. Because the available account does not establish a verified verbatim statement, the denial is best represented as a paraphrase rather than a direct quotation. USA Today’s fact check.
The real 1990 Nintendo case was the reverse
A separate case may add to the confusion, but it was not Nintendo suing a child. In 1990, nine-year-old Clark Thiemann sued Nintendo of America, LJN Toys, and Major League Baseball over a baseball video game. He reportedly sought to stop sales and recover the $40 he had paid for it; the case was later dismissed. This historical dispute involved a child suing companies, not Nintendo suing a child over a cardboard console. Snopes; FactCheck.org.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- One player can use a Joy-Con in each hand
- Two players can each take one
- Multiple Joy-Con can be employed by numerous people for a variety of gameplay options (additional Joy-Con sold separately)
- Slip a set of Joy-Con into a Joy-Con grip accessory, mirroring a more traditional controller. Or, select an optional Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.
Rank #4
- This pre-owned product is not Apple certified, but has been professionally inspected, tested and cleaned by Amazon-qualified suppliers.
- 6.2” LCD screen.
- Three play modes: TV, tabletop, and handheld
- Local co-op, online, and local wireless multiplayer
- Detachable Joy-Con controllers
Rank #3
- Play your way with the Nintendo Switch gaming system. Whether you’re at home or on the go, solo or with friends, the Nintendo Switch system is designed to fit your life. Dock your Nintendo Switch to enjoy HD gaming on your TV. Heading out? Just undock your console and keep playing in handheld mode
- This model includes battery life of approximately 4.5 - 9 hours.
- The battery life will depend on the games you play. For instance, the battery will last approximately 5.5 hours for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (games sold separately)
- Model number HAC 001( 01)
Rank #2
- 6.2” LCD screen
- Three play modes: TV, tabletop, and handheld
- Local co-op, online, and local wireless multiplayer
- Detachable Joy-Con controllers
- Nintendo Switch is the home of Mario & friends
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