The FBI has taken down seven websites, including nsw2u.com and nswdl.com, known for distributing pirated video games, particularly Nintendo Switch titles.
On Thursday, the agency announced the seizure as users noticed the affected sites displaying the federal seizure banner. The FBI described these sites as “online criminal marketplaces” supplying unauthorized copies of popular video games.
Other seized domains include game-2u.com, bigngame.com, ps4pkg.com, ps4pkg.net, which offered pirated games for Nintendo, PC, and PS4 platforms. Additionally, mgnetu.com, a site used for sharing torrents of video game downloads, was also taken over.
Massive Scale of Piracy and Estimated Losses
According to the FBI, the sites hosted pirated versions of highly anticipated games for over four years, often available days or weeks before official release.
Between February 28 and May 28, 2025, approximately 3.2 million downloads were recorded from these sites, resulting in an estimated $170 million in losses.
While the FBI has not commented extensively on the operation, the seizure banner notes involvement by the Netherlands’ Fiscal Information and Investigation Service, indicating possible European ties of the site operators.
It remains unclear if Nintendo initiated the investigation. However, the company has a longstanding aggressive stance against piracy, including disabling Switch 2 consoles detected running unauthorized third-party software.
What The Author Thinks
While shutting down piracy sites protects developers and the industry from massive losses, authorities and companies must also consider consumer access and education. Strict enforcement without addressing affordability and availability risks alienating legitimate gamers and may not fully deter piracy. A balanced approach including legal, accessible alternatives will better support the gaming ecosystem.
Featured image credit: Jonathan via Flickr
For more stories like it, click the +Follow button at the top of this page to follow us.