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Ryan Michael Daly, who operated Modded Hardware, agreed to a $2 million civil judgment in Nintendo of America’s lawsuit over Switch circumvention devices, hacked consoles, and game copying. The amount was recorded in a joint stipulation for final judgment filed September 5, 2025—not imposed as a criminal fine or decided by a jury. The same filing sets out a permanent injunction restricting Daly’s related activities.
Why Nintendo sued Ryan Michael Daly
The case, Nintendo of America Inc. v. Ryan Michael Daly, doing business as Modded Hardware, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington at Seattle, Case No. 2:24-cv-00958-GJL. In the parties’ September 5, 2025 joint stipulation, Daly agreed that he marketed, distributed, and sold devices and services aimed at circumventing Nintendo Switch technological protection measures.
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The stipulated conduct involved the MIG Switch, which the filing says enabled play of unauthorized or pirated Switch games, and the MIG Dumper, used to copy cartridges to computer hard drives or external storage. It also covered mod chips, consoles sold with mod chips already installed, and installation services. The filing says Daly copied and distributed certain Nintendo games to customers in connection with hacked consoles and circumvention services.
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What the $2 million judgment means
The parties stipulated that the device and service activity violated the anti-circumvention provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. §§ 1201(a)(2) and 1201(b)(1). They also stipulated that copying and distributing Nintendo’s copyrighted games infringed copyright under 17 U.S.C. § 501. The final judgment records a monetary award of $2,000,000 to Nintendo of America.
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This was a civil judgment reached through the parties’ stipulation. It was not a criminal conviction, a criminal fine, or a jury’s damages verdict. The agreement states that Daly’s conduct caused Nintendo of America “significant and irreparable harm”; that characterization appears in the joint stipulation.
What the permanent injunction prohibits
The injunction bars Daly and people acting with him from a range of conduct tied to the covered circumvention devices, services, and Nintendo intellectual property. Its restrictions include:
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- 6.2” LCD screen
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- Local co-op, online, and local wireless multiplayer
- Detachable Joy-Con controllers
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- Trafficking in circumvention devices or services, and possessing or using those devices or hacked consoles.
- Helping create or develop the covered devices or services, or distributing related technology or instructions.
- Operating or linking to websites designed to help others obtain or use the covered devices.
- Specified reverse-engineering conduct and infringement of Nintendo intellectual property.
The order also requires transfer of the ModdedHardware.com domain to Nintendo. It permits Nintendo to select covered devices and materials for seizure, impoundment, or destruction.
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The stipulated judgment concerns Daly, his business, and the specific devices, services, and copying or distribution conduct described in the filing. It should not be read as a ruling that all console modification or emulation is unlawful; those broad categories are not what the parties adjudicated here. Nor is this the separate Nintendo case against Gary Bowser.
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- 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)
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The primary record is the filed joint stipulation for final judgment and permanent injunction. Contemporary coverage by Ars Technica and Nintendo Life also summarized the agreement.
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- 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
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