You might think selling modding hardware is just serving enthusiast gamers, but Ryan Daly just discovered the $2 million difference between tinkering and trafficking. The Michigan resident operated Modded Hardware until September 2025, when a federal court handed Nintendo a complete victory in their intellectual property lawsuit. Daly’s decision to represent himself against one of gaming’s most litigious companies proves that confidence doesn’t substitute for competent legal counsel.
The Devices That Started It All
Daly’s website sold the MIG Switch flashcart and MIG Dumper—devices marketed for “backing up” owned games but widely used to copy, distribute, and play Nintendo Switch titles without authorization. These tools bypass Nintendo’s digital protection measures, essentially turning your Switch into a piracy machine. Despite the innocent “backup” branding, courts recognized what everyone already knew: these devices facilitate large-scale game theft.
Ignoring Nintendo Never Ends Well
Facing Nintendo’s legal team without a lawyer is like bringing a plastic sword to a gunfight. After Daly ignored their March 2024 cease-and-desist notice, Nintendo filed suit in July 2024. Daly’s self-defense strategy invoking fair use and invalid copyrights crumbled faster than a Joy-Con’s drift resistance. The court found his arguments unpersuasive—legal speak for “completely ridiculous.”
Total Surrender Required
The September 5, 2025 stipulated judgment reads like Nintendo’s wish list. Daly must:
- Pay $2 million in damages
- Permanently shut down Modded Hardware
- Surrender the website domain to Nintendo
- Turn over all remaining modding hardware and stock
- Accept permanent ban from selling, possessing, or distributing any console modification devices or documentation
Nintendo didn’t just win—they obliterated any possibility of Daly continuing in this business. This victory continues Nintendo’s pattern of crushing anyone who enables Switch piracy, from emulator projects to hardware distributors. If you’re in the modding business, this case sends a clear message: Nintendo’s legal budget exceeds your life savings, and they’re not afraid to prove it.
