Nintendo’s Lawyers Deal Potentially Fatal Blow to ROM Sharing

Mark
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Nintendo has just scored a major win in a long legal battle against the filesharing site 1Fichier. The French Supreme Court ruled in Nintendo’s favor after the site refused to remove pirated games despite multiple requests.

1fichier is a general-purpose filesharing site, not specifically a piracy hub, but it faced legal action for hosting and distributing pirated Nintendo content.

The court’s decision is a game-changer for filesharing sites in Europe. From now on, companies must take down infringing material or face hefty fines and be forced to compensate the rights holders. The ruling could affect how filesharing services operate across the continent, especially those hosting or sharing pirated content.

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Nintendo’s anti-piracy stance has been aggressive, and this victory is part of its ongoing efforts to stop piracy related to the Nintendo Switch.

The company’s statement warned gamers against downloading pirated copies of its games, stressing that it harms the gaming experience and risks functionality issues on legitimate hardware. However, the lack of retro game availability on newer systems has sparked debates about game preservation.

This case follows other legal actions Nintendo has taken against piracy, including shutting down popular Nintendo Switch emulators like Yuzu last year.

While emulation itself isn’t illegal, Nintendo has cracked down on websites distributing ROMs and modding communities running pirated games. Despite these efforts, piracy remains a challenge, especially since Switch hardware is easier to emulate than expected.

With the Nintendo Switch 2 set to launch later relatively soon, the company seems to be ramping up its efforts to stop piracy in its tracks. This ruling could signal the beginning of more strict enforcement across Europe, making it clear that the fight against illegal game sharing is far from over.

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Mark is the kind of person who gets way too excited about new software updates and can’t resist taking apart gadgets—just to see if they can put them back together. With years of experience in tech journalism and a love for all things digital, Mark writes about the stories behind the screens, from game-changing innovations to the everyday tech that keeps life running smoothly. Outside of work, they’re the go-to “tech support” for friends and family, whether it’s fixing a printer that won’t cooperate or explaining why Grandma’s laptop keeps showing pop-ups. When Mark isn’t glued to their screen, they’re probably building their dream PC, rewatching sci-fi movies for the hundredth time, or testing a gadget that promises to “change everything.” Spoiler: they’ll let you know if it actually does.