Nintendo is doing everything in its power to stop the public from playing pirated games on the Switch console.

This involves sending a steady stream of cease and desist letters and takedown notices. If those don’t work, Nintendo is prepared to go to court as well.

Nintendo Sues r/SwitchPirates Mod

In July, Nintendo filed a lawsuit at a Washington federal court against Arizona-resident J. Williams, known online as ‘Archbox’. Nintendo accused Archbox of being involved in several ‘pirate shops’ through which copies of unauthorized games are distributed.

“Defendant is the operator, overseer, and driving force behind several Pirate Shops, through which Defendant has offered massive libraries of pirated Nintendo Switch games,” the complaint read.

Nintendo specifically named ‘Jack-in-the-Shop’, ‘Turtle in the Shop’ and ‘NekoDrive’, which were shut down following a cease and desist letter Nintendo sent in March. A fourth shop, LiberaShop, remained on Telegram, but shut down soon after the complaint was filed.

In addition to running these pirate shops, the defendant allegedly helped people to obtain and use circumvention software, so they could play pirated games. Nintendo says that this activity was boosted through the SwitchPirates subreddit, where Archbox was a moderator.

“Defendant became a leading (if not the primary) moderator of the SwitchPirates Reddit community, which he helped grow to nearly 190,000 members,” the complaint read.

According to Nintendo, the moderator used Reddit to direct people to pirate shops, show them how to download and install circumvention software, and guide them on playing pirated Nintendo Switch games.

Nintendo Seeks Info From Reddit, Discord, Google, and Others

After filing the lawsuit, Nintendo had trouble serving the defendant, but it eventually managed to do so in August. However, Mr. Williams didn’t file an answer to the complaint, which led to an entry of default earlier this month.

In the absence of a defense, Nintendo can now request a default judgment, ideally based on additional evidence not yet in its possession. As a result, Nintendo is requesting a subpoena to obtain information from Reddit, Discord, Google, GitHub, Namecheap and other third party services.

These companies may hold evidence to strengthen the claims against Mr. Williams and may be able to help identify additional defendants, including members of the r/SwitchPirates subreddit who were also involved in the pirate shops.

“[W]ithout third party discovery it will be impossible for [Nintendo] to ascertain the identity of the unnamed individuals who worked with Mr. Williams in operating the Pirate Shops or otherwise making available to the public pirated Nintendo games,” the company writes.

Nintendo says that it’s looking for limited information that can help to identify account holders and payment streams, as well as traffic and access statistics for the pirate shops.

Identifying More Reddit Users?

In addition to revealing the owners of various accounts, some companies can likely provide more detailed information. GitHub, for example, may know how often ‘circumvention’ software was downloaded, and Google can share Gmail data and traffic statistics for the files it stored.

Reddit may also hold key information, as the SwitchPirates subreddit plays a central role in the accusations. Nintendo believes that the defendant was a moderator there and may have controlled other user handles, or collaborated with other potential defendants.

Through the requested subpoenas, Nintendo hopes to get more clarity and potentially identify any additional defendants.

“Reddit is therefore likely to be in possession of information that will aid in preparation of Nintendo’s anticipated motion for a default judgment against Defendant, and that will assist in identifying any other individuals appropriate to name in an amended complaint.

“Reddit is also expected to have information pertaining to the growth of, and traffic to, the SwitchPirates subreddit during the relevant period of Defendant’s activities,” Nintendo adds.

At the time of writing, the court has yet to grant the motion. If Nintendo is allowed to proceed, it’s possible that additionally defendants will eventually be added to the lawsuit.

—

A copy of Nintendo’s ex parte motion for leave to take limited early discovery is available here (pdf)

From: TF , for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.

Nintendo is doing everything in its power to stop the public from playing pirated games on the Switch console.

This involves sending a steady stream of cease and desist letters and takedown notices. If those don’t work, Nintendo is prepared to go to court as well.

Nintendo Sues r/SwitchPirates Mod

In July, Nintendo filed a lawsuit at a Washington federal court against Arizona-resident J. Williams, known online as ‘Archbox’. Nintendo accused Archbox of being involved in several ‘pirate shops’ through which copies of unauthorized games are distributed.

“Defendant is the operator, overseer, and driving force behind several Pirate Shops, through which Defendant has offered massive libraries of pirated Nintendo Switch games,” the complaint read.

Nintendo specifically named ‘Jack-in-the-Shop’, ‘Turtle in the Shop’ and ‘NekoDrive’, which were shut down following a cease and desist letter Nintendo sent in March. A fourth shop, LiberaShop, remained on Telegram, but shut down soon after the complaint was filed.

In addition to running these pirate shops, the defendant allegedly helped people to obtain and use circumvention software, so they could play pirated games. Nintendo says that this activity was boosted through the SwitchPirates subreddit, where Archbox was a moderator.

“Defendant became a leading (if not the primary) moderator of the SwitchPirates Reddit community, which he helped grow to nearly 190,000 members,” the complaint read.

According to Nintendo, the moderator used Reddit to direct people to pirate shops, show them how to download and install circumvention software, and guide them on playing pirated Nintendo Switch games.

Nintendo Seeks Info From Reddit, Discord, Google, and Others

After filing the lawsuit, Nintendo had trouble serving the defendant, but it eventually managed to do so in August. However, Mr. Williams didn’t file an answer to the complaint, which led to an entry of default earlier this month.

In the absence of a defense, Nintendo can now request a default judgment, ideally based on additional evidence not yet in its possession. As a result, Nintendo is requesting a subpoena to obtain information from Reddit, Discord, Google, GitHub, Namecheap and other third party services.

These companies may hold evidence to strengthen the claims against Mr. Williams and may be able to help identify additional defendants, including members of the r/SwitchPirates subreddit who were also involved in the pirate shops.

“[W]ithout third party discovery it will be impossible for [Nintendo] to ascertain the identity of the unnamed individuals who worked with Mr. Williams in operating the Pirate Shops or otherwise making available to the public pirated Nintendo games,” the company writes.

Nintendo says that it’s looking for limited information that can help to identify account holders and payment streams, as well as traffic and access statistics for the pirate shops.

Identifying More Reddit Users?

In addition to revealing the owners of various accounts, some companies can likely provide more detailed information. GitHub, for example, may know how often ‘circumvention’ software was downloaded, and Google can share Gmail data and traffic statistics for the files it stored.

Reddit may also hold key information, as the SwitchPirates subreddit plays a central role in the accusations. Nintendo believes that the defendant was a moderator there and may have controlled other user handles, or collaborated with other potential defendants.

Through the requested subpoenas, Nintendo hopes to get more clarity and potentially identify any additional defendants.

“Reddit is therefore likely to be in possession of information that will aid in preparation of Nintendo’s anticipated motion for a default judgment against Defendant, and that will assist in identifying any other individuals appropriate to name in an amended complaint.

“Reddit is also expected to have information pertaining to the growth of, and traffic to, the SwitchPirates subreddit during the relevant period of Defendant’s activities,” Nintendo adds.

At the time of writing, the court has yet to grant the motion. If Nintendo is allowed to proceed, it’s possible that additionally defendants will eventually be added to the lawsuit.

—

A copy of Nintendo’s ex parte motion for leave to take limited early discovery is available here (pdf)

From: TF , for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.

Nintendo is doing everything in its power to stop the public from playing pirated games on the Switch console.

This involves sending a steady stream of cease and desist letters and takedown notices. If those don’t work, Nintendo is prepared to go to court as well.

Nintendo Sues r/SwitchPirates Mod

In July, Nintendo filed a lawsuit at a Washington federal court against Arizona-resident J. Williams, known online as ‘Archbox’. Nintendo accused Archbox of being involved in several ‘pirate shops’ through which copies of unauthorized games are distributed.

“Defendant is the operator, overseer, and driving force behind several Pirate Shops, through which Defendant has offered massive libraries of pirated Nintendo Switch games,” the complaint read.

Nintendo specifically named ‘Jack-in-the-Shop’, ‘Turtle in the Shop’ and ‘NekoDrive’, which were shut down following a cease and desist letter Nintendo sent in March. A fourth shop, LiberaShop, remained on Telegram, but shut down soon after the complaint was filed.

In addition to running these pirate shops, the defendant allegedly helped people to obtain and use circumvention software, so they could play pirated games. Nintendo says that this activity was boosted through the SwitchPirates subreddit, where Archbox was a moderator.

“Defendant became a leading (if not the primary) moderator of the SwitchPirates Reddit community, which he helped grow to nearly 190,000 members,” the complaint read.

According to Nintendo, the moderator used Reddit to direct people to pirate shops, show them how to download and install circumvention software, and guide them on playing pirated Nintendo Switch games.

Nintendo Seeks Info From Reddit, Discord, Google, and Others

After filing the lawsuit, Nintendo had trouble serving the defendant, but it eventually managed to do so in August. However, Mr. Williams didn’t file an answer to the complaint, which led to an entry of default earlier this month.

In the absence of a defense, Nintendo can now request a default judgment, ideally based on additional evidence not yet in its possession. As a result, Nintendo is requesting a subpoena to obtain information from Reddit, Discord, Google, GitHub, Namecheap and other third party services.

These companies may hold evidence to strengthen the claims against Mr. Williams and may be able to help identify additional defendants, including members of the r/SwitchPirates subreddit who were also involved in the pirate shops.

“[W]ithout third party discovery it will be impossible for [Nintendo] to ascertain the identity of the unnamed individuals who worked with Mr. Williams in operating the Pirate Shops or otherwise making available to the public pirated Nintendo games,” the company writes.

Nintendo says that it’s looking for limited information that can help to identify account holders and payment streams, as well as traffic and access statistics for the pirate shops.

Identifying More Reddit Users?

In addition to revealing the owners of various accounts, some companies can likely provide more detailed information. GitHub, for example, may know how often ‘circumvention’ software was downloaded, and Google can share Gmail data and traffic statistics for the files it stored.

Reddit may also hold key information, as the SwitchPirates subreddit plays a central role in the accusations. Nintendo believes that the defendant was a moderator there and may have controlled other user handles, or collaborated with other potential defendants.

Through the requested subpoenas, Nintendo hopes to get more clarity and potentially identify any additional defendants.

“Reddit is therefore likely to be in possession of information that will aid in preparation of Nintendo’s anticipated motion for a default judgment against Defendant, and that will assist in identifying any other individuals appropriate to name in an amended complaint.

“Reddit is also expected to have information pertaining to the growth of, and traffic to, the SwitchPirates subreddit during the relevant period of Defendant’s activities,” Nintendo adds.

At the time of writing, the court has yet to grant the motion. If Nintendo is allowed to proceed, it’s possible that additionally defendants will eventually be added to the lawsuit.

—

A copy of Nintendo’s ex parte motion for leave to take limited early discovery is available here (pdf)

From: TF , for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office ( EUIPO ) regularly conducts studies to see how piracy develops over time.

These studies help the public to understand local piracy trends and can be used as input for future policy decisions.

This week, EUIPO released another in-depth piracy report titled “Online Copyright Infringement in the European Union.” The research is part of a recurring series which has tracked European piracy rates since 2017.

Last year’s study, for example, revealed after years of declining piracy volumes, there was a small uptick of 3.3% in 2022. This rise was primarily driven by a surge in illegal TV streaming, which accounted for nearly half of all online piracy.

The latest report finds that in 2023 the piracy numbers have somewhat stabilized in the EU. However, it’s hard to make generalized statements as piracy habits differ greatly from country to country.

New EU Piracy Report

As in previous years, the research is based on data purchased from piracy tracking firm MUSO. This doesn’t measure piracy consumption directly. Instead, it is based on estimated visits to pirate sites.

The main findings can be summarized in one chart (pictured below). This shows that, similar to last year, there were an average of 10 piracy visits per user per Internet month across the EU.

In Latvia, Estonia, Cyprus, and Lithuania, the number of visits was more than double the EU average (20+). On the other end of the spectrum, we see that Italy, Germany and Romania are the three countries with the least piracy visits per Internet user, between 7 and 8 per month.

The chart also reveals the most popular content categories per country. Across the EU, 50% of all pirate site visits go to TV content. In Malta, this goes up to 61%, while it’s ‘only’ 42% in France.

Software and movies piracy are relatively popular in Croatia, while Ireland has the highest percentage of music pirates. Finally, in France publishing piracy, which includes manga, is relatively popular with 37% of all visits.

Unemployment and Income Inequality

For those interested, the research delves much deeper into these content categories. However, our attention was drawn to the econometric analysis that aims to find drivers of the various piracy habits.

EUIPO reports that countries with higher average incomes and those where people are more aware of legal options tend to have less piracy. This suggests that, when people have more to spend, they pirate less.

On the flip side, factors such as youth unemployment, a larger youth population, and overall income inequality are linked to higher piracy volumes.

Digging more into the details, we see that these broader conclusions don’t always hold up. For example, the impact of youth unemployment on piracy varied depending on the type of content. For TV and music piracy, higher youth unemployment was surprisingly linked to lower piracy rates.

The study suggests this might be because unemployed young people may live with parents who pay for legal subscriptions. However, for film and live sports events, higher youth unemployment was still associated with higher piracy rates.

IPTV Surge?

Finally, EUIPO’s report makes an effort to capture some IPTV related trends as well. This has long been a gap in the reporting, as MUSO’s data is based on website visits. However, the research now uses visits to IPTV subscription signup pages as a proxy.

It finds that, in 2023, there was a 10% increase in visits to pirate IPTV registration pages, with an average of 2.14% of internet users visiting these websites each month.

Although the actual number of users who subscribe to pirate IPTV services is unknown, a simulation indicates that, even with conservative assumptions, 1% of EU internet users could have subscribed to illegal IPTV services in just two years.

These percentages are hard to interpret without a historical reference. Previously, research commissioned by Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance (AAPA), estimated that 4.5% of the EU population used pirate IPTV services in 2021. This number presumably went up in the following years.

All in all, the research provides a detailed overview of the piracy landscape. The year-over-year comparisons will help to evaluate policy and to determine where more progress can be made.

—

A copy of the “Online Copyright Infringement in the European union title-level study: Film, Music, Publications, Software and TV (2017-2023)” report, is available here (pdf) .

From: TF , for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office ( EUIPO ) regularly conducts studies to see how piracy develops over time.

These studies help the public to understand local piracy trends and can be used as input for future policy decisions.

This week, EUIPO released another in-depth piracy report titled “Online Copyright Infringement in the European Union.” The research is part of a recurring series which has tracked European piracy rates since 2017.

Last year’s study, for example, revealed after years of declining piracy volumes, there was a small uptick of 3.3% in 2022. This rise was primarily driven by a surge in illegal TV streaming, which accounted for nearly half of all online piracy.

The latest report finds that in 2023 the piracy numbers have somewhat stabilized in the EU. However, it’s hard to make generalized statements as piracy habits differ greatly from country to country.

New EU Piracy Report

As in previous years, the research is based on data purchased from piracy tracking firm MUSO. This doesn’t measure piracy consumption directly. Instead, it is based on estimated visits to pirate sites.

The main findings can be summarized in one chart (pictured below). This shows that, similar to last year, there were an average of 10 piracy visits per user per Internet month across the EU.

In Latvia, Estonia, Cyprus, and Lithuania, the number of visits was more than double the EU average (20+). On the other end of the spectrum, we see that Italy, Germany and Romania are the three countries with the least piracy visits per Internet user, between 7 and 8 per month.

The chart also reveals the most popular content categories per country. Across the EU, 50% of all pirate site visits go to TV content. In Malta, this goes up to 61%, while it’s ‘only’ 42% in France.

Software and movies piracy are relatively popular in Croatia, while Ireland has the highest percentage of music pirates. Finally, in France publishing piracy, which includes manga, is relatively popular with 37% of all visits.

Unemployment and Income Inequality

For those interested, the research delves much deeper into these content categories. However, our attention was drawn to the econometric analysis that aims to find drivers of the various piracy habits.

EUIPO reports that countries with higher average incomes and those where people are more aware of legal options tend to have less piracy. This suggests that, when people have more to spend, they pirate less.

On the flip side, factors such as youth unemployment, a larger youth population, and overall income inequality are linked to higher piracy volumes.

Digging more into the details, we see that these broader conclusions don’t always hold up. For example, the impact of youth unemployment on piracy varied depending on the type of content. For TV and music piracy, higher youth unemployment was surprisingly linked to lower piracy rates.

The study suggests this might be because unemployed young people may live with parents who pay for legal subscriptions. However, for film and live sports events, higher youth unemployment was still associated with higher piracy rates.

IPTV Surge?

Finally, EUIPO’s report makes an effort to capture some IPTV related trends as well. This has long been a gap in the reporting, as MUSO’s data is based on website visits. However, the research now uses visits to IPTV subscription signup pages as a proxy.

It finds that, in 2023, there was a 10% increase in visits to pirate IPTV registration pages, with an average of 2.14% of internet users visiting these websites each month.

Although the actual number of users who subscribe to pirate IPTV services is unknown, a simulation indicates that, even with conservative assumptions, 1% of EU internet users could have subscribed to illegal IPTV services in just two years.

These percentages are hard to interpret without a historical reference. Previously, research commissioned by Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance (AAPA), estimated that 4.5% of the EU population used pirate IPTV services in 2021. This number presumably went up in the following years.

All in all, the research provides a detailed overview of the piracy landscape. The year-over-year comparisons will help to evaluate policy and to determine where more progress can be made.

—

A copy of the “Online Copyright Infringement in the European union title-level study: Film, Music, Publications, Software and TV (2017-2023)” report, is available here (pdf) .

From: TF , for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office ( EUIPO ) regularly conducts studies to see how piracy develops over time.

These studies help the public to understand local piracy trends and can be used as input for future policy decisions.

This week, EUIPO released another in-depth piracy report titled “Online Copyright Infringement in the European Union.” The research is part of a recurring series which has tracked European piracy rates since 2017.

Last year’s study, for example, revealed after years of declining piracy volumes, there was a small uptick of 3.3% in 2022. This rise was primarily driven by a surge in illegal TV streaming, which accounted for nearly half of all online piracy.

The latest report finds that in 2023 the piracy numbers have somewhat stabilized in the EU. However, it’s hard to make generalized statements as piracy habits differ greatly from country to country.

New EU Piracy Report

As in previous years, the research is based on data purchased from piracy tracking firm MUSO. This doesn’t measure piracy consumption directly. Instead, it is based on estimated visits to pirate sites.

The main findings can be summarized in one chart (pictured below). This shows that, similar to last year, there were an average of 10 piracy visits per user per Internet month across the EU.

In Latvia, Estonia, Cyprus, and Lithuania, the number of visits was more than double the EU average (20+). On the other end of the spectrum, we see that Italy, Germany and Romania are the three countries with the least piracy visits per Internet user, between 7 and 8 per month.

The chart also reveals the most popular content categories per country. Across the EU, 50% of all pirate site visits go to TV content. In Malta, this goes up to 61%, while it’s ‘only’ 42% in France.

Software and movies piracy are relatively popular in Croatia, while Ireland has the highest percentage of music pirates. Finally, in France publishing piracy, which includes manga, is relatively popular with 37% of all visits.

Unemployment and Income Inequality

For those interested, the research delves much deeper into these content categories. However, our attention was drawn to the econometric analysis that aims to find drivers of the various piracy habits.

EUIPO reports that countries with higher average incomes and those where people are more aware of legal options tend to have less piracy. This suggests that, when people have more to spend, they pirate less.

On the flip side, factors such as youth unemployment, a larger youth population, and overall income inequality are linked to higher piracy volumes.

Digging more into the details, we see that these broader conclusions don’t always hold up. For example, the impact of youth unemployment on piracy varied depending on the type of content. For TV and music piracy, higher youth unemployment was surprisingly linked to lower piracy rates.

The study suggests this might be because unemployed young people may live with parents who pay for legal subscriptions. However, for film and live sports events, higher youth unemployment was still associated with higher piracy rates.

IPTV Surge?

Finally, EUIPO’s report makes an effort to capture some IPTV related trends as well. This has long been a gap in the reporting, as MUSO’s data is based on website visits. However, the research now uses visits to IPTV subscription signup pages as a proxy.

It finds that, in 2023, there was a 10% increase in visits to pirate IPTV registration pages, with an average of 2.14% of internet users visiting these websites each month.

Although the actual number of users who subscribe to pirate IPTV services is unknown, a simulation indicates that, even with conservative assumptions, 1% of EU internet users could have subscribed to illegal IPTV services in just two years.

These percentages are hard to interpret without a historical reference. Previously, research commissioned by Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance (AAPA), estimated that 4.5% of the EU population used pirate IPTV services in 2021. This number presumably went up in the following years.

All in all, the research provides a detailed overview of the piracy landscape. The year-over-year comparisons will help to evaluate policy and to determine where more progress can be made.

—

A copy of the “Online Copyright Infringement in the European union title-level study: Film, Music, Publications, Software and TV (2017-2023)” report, is available here (pdf) .

From: TF , for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.

Founded over a decade ago, Dramacool became a go-to destination for pirated copies of Asian dramas and related content.

The site was originally started by a group of ‘students’ who wanted to share their passion for this entertainment niche. But what started as a hobby, eventually became a multi-site streaming operation with tens of millions of users.

Most recently, Dramacool operated Asianc , Watchasia , Dramanice , and Runasian . The domain names used by these sites switched regularly due to blocking efforts and other problems.

Updates on these domain changes, as well as news about the latest dramas, were disseminated through Asianwiki.co, which functioned as an unofficial communication channel for Dramacool followers.

Dramacool Shuts Down

Earlier this month, several Dramacool domains ran into trouble again, becoming unreachable. Making matters worse, the Asianwiki.co information portal went offline too, leaving many users in the dark.

These issues didn’t come out of nowhere. The Dramacool sites have been under legal pressure for a while and yesterday, the site’s operators decided that they’ve seen enough drama.

“We are sorry to announce that we will be closing all 5 websites: Asianc, Dramanice, Watchasia, Runasian, Asianwiki. Due to the copyright, we cannot run the sites anymore. We apologize to every fan that always supported and loved DRAMACOOL,” the operators wrote on X.

The surprise shutdown came as a major disappointment to the many people who had made these sites a regular visit. This triggered an outpouring of responses on social media, mourning the sites’ demise.

“Oh nooooooo this is such a shame, because dramacool holds such an extensive archive of Asian media, it’s wonderful, stuff you couldn’t find anywhere else. I feel so sad that this will all be lost,” one fan wrote.

Recent Legal Troubles

The shutdown message doesn’t provide any detail on the “copyright” issues, but there have been a few recent developments that likely played a role. For example, three months ago the Delhi High Court in India granted a dynamic blocking order ( pdf ) that affected several Dramacool domains.

Domain blocking orders are not new. However, Indian court orders have done a lot of damage this year, also internationally. In this case, the order was requested by Warner Bros, Disney, Netflix, and other major Hollywood players, which adds additional weight.

Following the order, local ISPs blocked domains including dramanice.la, asianc.sh, and runasian.net. The order also applies to all new domains these sites register going forward.

While the legal paperwork doesn’t mention domain registrars as a party, previous blocking orders have . As a result, even international domain registration companies such as Namecheap have suspended the targeted pirate domains.

It’s possible that something similar happened here, as many of the Dramacool domains were indeed suspended. The Watchasia.to and Asianwiki.co domains, for example, now use the blockedforabuse.pleasecontactsupport.com nameserver associated with previous Namecheap suspensions.

Dramanice.la, Runasian.net, and Asianc.sh, meanwhile , were put on “ clientHold status “, which is another way for Namecheap to suspend domain names.

With Namecheap taking a clear stand, Dramacool’s troubles grew, which likely factored into their shutdown decision. There may be much more going on behind the scenes, but it’s a clear signal that legal pressure was building.

Many of the movie companies that obtained the blocking order are part of anti-piracy coalition ACE . While this group hasn’t taken credit for or shared any in-depth information about Dramacool’s demise, we are informed that it will continue to crack down on pirate sites in the region.

“The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment is aware of these developments and will continue to take firm action against operators running illegal streaming services across the region, including operators based in Vietnam,” a spokesperson said.

From: TF , for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.

Founded over a decade ago, Dramacool became a go-to destination for pirated copies of Asian dramas and related content.

The site was originally started by a group of ‘students’ who wanted to share their passion for this entertainment niche. But what started as a hobby, eventually became a multi-site streaming operation with tens of millions of users.

Most recently, Dramacool operated Asianc , Watchasia , Dramanice , and Runasian . The domain names used by these sites switched regularly due to blocking efforts and other problems.

Updates on these domain changes, as well as news about the latest dramas, were disseminated through Asianwiki.co, which functioned as an unofficial communication channel for Dramacool followers.

Dramacool Shuts Down

Earlier this month, several Dramacool domains ran into trouble again, becoming unreachable. Making matters worse, the Asianwiki.co information portal went offline too, leaving many users in the dark.

These issues didn’t come out of nowhere. The Dramacool sites have been under legal pressure for a while and yesterday, the site’s operators decided that they’ve seen enough drama.

“We are sorry to announce that we will be closing all 5 websites: Asianc, Dramanice, Watchasia, Runasian, Asianwiki. Due to the copyright, we cannot run the sites anymore. We apologize to every fan that always supported and loved DRAMACOOL,” the operators wrote on X.

The surprise shutdown came as a major disappointment to the many people who had made these sites a regular visit. This triggered an outpouring of responses on social media, mourning the sites’ demise.

“Oh nooooooo this is such a shame, because dramacool holds such an extensive archive of Asian media, it’s wonderful, stuff you couldn’t find anywhere else. I feel so sad that this will all be lost,” one fan wrote.

Recent Legal Troubles

The shutdown message doesn’t provide any detail on the “copyright” issues, but there have been a few recent developments that likely played a role. For example, three months ago the Delhi High Court in India granted a dynamic blocking order ( pdf ) that affected several Dramacool domains.

Domain blocking orders are not new. However, Indian court orders have done a lot of damage this year, also internationally. In this case, the order was requested by Warner Bros, Disney, Netflix, and other major Hollywood players, which adds additional weight.

Following the order, local ISPs blocked domains including dramanice.la, asianc.sh, and runasian.net. The order also applies to all new domains these sites register going forward.

While the legal paperwork doesn’t mention domain registrars as a party, previous blocking orders have . As a result, even international domain registration companies such as Namecheap have suspended the targeted pirate domains.

It’s possible that something similar happened here, as many of the Dramacool domains were indeed suspended. The Watchasia.to and Asianwiki.co domains, for example, now use the blockedforabuse.pleasecontactsupport.com nameserver associated with previous Namecheap suspensions.

Dramanice.la, Runasian.net, and Asianc.sh, meanwhile , were put on “ clientHold status “, which is another way for Namecheap to suspend domain names.

With Namecheap taking a clear stand, Dramacool’s troubles grew, which likely factored into their shutdown decision. There may be much more going on behind the scenes, but it’s a clear signal that legal pressure was building.

Many of the movie companies that obtained the blocking order are part of anti-piracy coalition ACE . While this group hasn’t taken credit for or shared any in-depth information about Dramacool’s demise, we are informed that it will continue to crack down on pirate sites in the region.

“The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment is aware of these developments and will continue to take firm action against operators running illegal streaming services across the region, including operators based in Vietnam,” a spokesperson said.

From: TF , for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.

Founded over a decade ago, Dramacool became a go-to destination for pirated copies of Asian dramas and related content.

The site was originally started by a group of ‘students’ who wanted to share their passion for this entertainment niche. But what started as a hobby, eventually became a multi-site streaming operation with tens of millions of users.

Most recently, Dramacool operated Asianc , Watchasia , Dramanice , and Runasian . The domain names used by these sites switched regularly due to blocking efforts and other problems.

Updates on these domain changes, as well as news about the latest dramas, were disseminated through Asianwiki.co, which functioned as an unofficial communication channel for Dramacool followers.

Dramacool Shuts Down

Earlier this month, several Dramacool domains ran into trouble again, becoming unreachable. Making matters worse, the Asianwiki.co information portal went offline too, leaving many users in the dark.

These issues didn’t come out of nowhere. The Dramacool sites have been under legal pressure for a while and yesterday, the site’s operators decided that they’ve seen enough drama.

“We are sorry to announce that we will be closing all 5 websites: Asianc, Dramanice, Watchasia, Runasian, Asianwiki. Due to the copyright, we cannot run the sites anymore. We apologize to every fan that always supported and loved DRAMACOOL,” the operators wrote on X.

The surprise shutdown came as a major disappointment to the many people who had made these sites a regular visit. This triggered an outpouring of responses on social media, mourning the sites’ demise.

“Oh nooooooo this is such a shame, because dramacool holds such an extensive archive of Asian media, it’s wonderful, stuff you couldn’t find anywhere else. I feel so sad that this will all be lost,” one fan wrote.

Recent Legal Troubles

The shutdown message doesn’t provide any detail on the “copyright” issues, but there have been a few recent developments that likely played a role. For example, three months ago the Delhi High Court in India granted a dynamic blocking order ( pdf ) that affected several Dramacool domains.

Domain blocking orders are not new. However, Indian court orders have done a lot of damage this year, also internationally. In this case, the order was requested by Warner Bros, Disney, Netflix, and other major Hollywood players, which adds additional weight.

Following the order, local ISPs blocked domains including dramanice.la, asianc.sh, and runasian.net. The order also applies to all new domains these sites register going forward.

While the legal paperwork doesn’t mention domain registrars as a party, previous blocking orders have . As a result, even international domain registration companies such as Namecheap have suspended the targeted pirate domains.

It’s possible that something similar happened here, as many of the Dramacool domains were indeed suspended. The Watchasia.to and Asianwiki.co domains, for example, now use the blockedforabuse.pleasecontactsupport.com nameserver associated with previous Namecheap suspensions.

Dramanice.la, Runasian.net, and Asianc.sh, meanwhile , were put on “ clientHold status “, which is another way for Namecheap to suspend domain names.

With Namecheap taking a clear stand, Dramacool’s troubles grew, which likely factored into their shutdown decision. There may be much more going on behind the scenes, but it’s a clear signal that legal pressure was building.

Many of the movie companies that obtained the blocking order are part of anti-piracy coalition ACE . While this group hasn’t taken credit for or shared any in-depth information about Dramacool’s demise, we are informed that it will continue to crack down on pirate sites in the region.

“The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment is aware of these developments and will continue to take firm action against operators running illegal streaming services across the region, including operators based in Vietnam,” a spokesperson said.

From: TF , for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.