Nintendo Say Sending Hacker To Prison Was “Unique Opportunity” To Send A Message
You might recognize Gary Bowser if you have followed Nintendo news over the past year. This is not confused with Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser or King Bowser.
No, Gary Bowser wasn’t a member of the console hacking group Team Xecutor. He had sold and made kits specifically to hack the Switch. This allowed users to play both pirated and official games. This was not something Nintendo liked, revealing that Bowser would be sued for millions of dollars. Nintendo Life reports that things went beyond fines. Although a multi-million-dollar fine is not something to be taken lightly, the hacker was recently sentenced to three years in prison.
The Axios published a transcript of Bowser’s sentencing. The severe penalties were meant to send a message to other hackers. Nintendo described it as a ‘unique opportunity. Robert Lasnik, US District Judge, stated that the sentencing was not intended to send a message. Your role is to determine guilt or innocence based on the facts. Sometimes, my role does include sending a message.”
Ajay Singh, Nintendo’s lawyer, said, “This is an important moment for us.” The purchase of video games supports Nintendo and the Nintendo ecosystem. And it is the games that make people smile. We do everything we can to keep games on Nintendo systems safe from theft.
Also, the transcript reveals that Judge Lasnik asked Nintendo’s lawyer about other ways to convince people that hacking/piracy is not glory. Singh replied that it would be beneficial to educate the public.
Nintendo released an earlier press release (published on Business Wire) in which it thanked law enforcement and prosecutors who helped bring Bowser to justice. It stated: “Nintendo values the tireless efforts of federal prosecutors and law enforcement agencies to stop illegal activities worldwide that cause serious damage to Nintendo and the video gaming industry.
