Driver FixRecommendedSound, Wi-Fi or graphics acting up? Check drivers firstFind missing or outdated drivers fast.Check DriversOctober DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsPC HealthRecommendedCrashes, freezes, slowdowns? Check your PC nowSpot repairable issues before they interrupt work.Check PC×
Skip to content
VGSources
Blog

Did Nintendo Sue a Boy in Thailand? The Viral Story, Fact-Checked

The Thailand lawsuit story is unsupported. It appears to be a mutation of a real 2018 story about a Venezuelan child’s homemade cardboard Game Boy-style console.
WorldThailand? The Viral Story, Fact-Checked Length2 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team

What’s actually slowing this PC down?

Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

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.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
#1 Best Overall
Nintendo Switch 2 System
  • 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

Bestseller No. 1
Nintendo Switch 2 System
Nintendo Switch 2 System
The next evolution of Nintendo Switch; One system, three play modes: TV, Tabletop, and Handheld
$499.00
Bestseller No. 2
Nintendo Switch with Neon Blue and Neon Red Joy-Con - Handheld Gaming Console
Nintendo Switch with Neon Blue and Neon Red Joy-Con - Handheld Gaming Console
6.2” LCD screen; Three play modes: TV, tabletop, and handheld; Local co-op, online, and local wireless multiplayer
$339.00
SaleBestseller No. 3
Nintendo Switch Game Console - Black (HAC-001(-01) w/Blue & Red Joycon (Renewed)
Nintendo Switch Game Console - Black (HAC-001(-01) w/Blue & Red Joycon (Renewed)
This model includes battery life of approximately 4.5 - 9 hours.; Model number HAC 001( 01)
$199.90
SaleBestseller No. 4
Nintendo Switch with Neon Blue and Red Joy-Con (Renewed)
Nintendo Switch with Neon Blue and Red Joy-Con (Renewed)
6.2” LCD screen.; Three play modes: TV, tabletop, and handheld; Local co-op, online, and local wireless multiplayer
$195.00
Bestseller No. 5
Nintendo Switch – Neon Red and Neon Blue Joy-Con (Renewed)
Nintendo Switch – Neon Red and Neon Blue Joy-Con (Renewed)
One player can use a Joy-Con in each hand; Two players can each take one
$200.00
Best Value
Nintendo Switch – Neon Red and Neon Blue Joy-Con (Renewed)
  • 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
Sale
Nintendo Switch with Neon Blue and Red Joy-Con (Renewed)
  • 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
Sale
Nintendo Switch Game Console - Black (HAC-001(-01) w/Blue & Red Joycon (Renewed)
  • 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
Nintendo Switch with Neon Blue and Neon Red Joy-Con - Handheld Gaming Console
  • 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

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More quests from Patch Notes

  1. How to Turn On Vibrant Visuals in MinecraftMinecraftBlog3min
  2. Best Multiplayer Games for Low-End PCsBlog4min
  3. Minecraft: How To Use And Install OptiFineBlog5min
Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They SpreadFree repair scan
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You DownFree scan - exact matches

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.