Australian Gamer Out $1.5 Million for Wii Piracy

James Burt was lucky. He snagged a copy of New Super Mario Bros. Wii a week early from a retailer, and in his own words, did something ” very stupid.” To prove he actually had the game to internet friends, he uploaded it to the vast internets, where 50,000 pirating gamers downloaded the game for free.

Burt’s luck ran out, and he was caught. Not having any real defense, Burt has agreed to pay $1.5 million to Nintendo for their losses in a settlement out of court. Appearing on the Australian version of A Current Affair, the interview, despite from hyperbole for effect on the part of the interviewer, should serve as a wake-up call to those who don’t think they could be caught stealing games. Hopefully James is able to eventually pay off the debt, although even he admits that will be difficult.