Nintendo Console Cracker Released from Prison Ahead of Schedule
Gary Bowzer, nicknamed the Nintendo console cracker, has been released from prison after serving time for selling console hacking devices and launching pirate copies of games since 2013 as part of the hacker group Team Xecuter. Bowzer was sentenced to a 40-month prison term and served his sentence in an American prison. However, due to good behavior, he was released ahead of schedule.
Although Bowzer is released, he is not yet free from his punishment. He is expected to be deported to Canada, his homeland, and he is required to pay $10 million in damages to Nintendo, the Japanese gaming company.
Bowzer will transfer 25-30% of his monthly salary to Nintendo as soon as he finds a stable job until he can pay off the damages. To date, he has paid $175, with several payments of $25 based on his prison income. While it is unlikely that the 51-year old boxer will be able to fully pay off his debts, Nintendo’s main goal is to prevent the emergence of new hackers.
Nintendo has announced that it will invest $65 million to strengthen its Switch anti-piracy measures, aimed at preventing similar tactics used by Team Xecuter in the future. Bowzer has another six months to start repaying the remaining amount of about $10 million.
In conclusion, Gary Bowzer’s early release from prison may have come as a surprise to many, but he still has a long road ahead of him to make amends for his actions. With the support of Nintendo’s anti-piracy measures and Bowzer’s contributions, the company hopes to prevent any future hacking attempts.