The United States Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Atlanta office have now confirmed that staff have blocked and dismantled several notorious online video game transactions. These websites profit illegally from pirated games such as Switch and PlayStation 4, which provide illegal downloads to players, to the detriment of producers and industry development.
Last week, the FBI Atlanta Bureau announced the seizure of domain names nsw2u.com, nswdl.com, game-2u.com, biggame.com, ps4pkg.com, ps4pkg.net and mgnetu.com, and posted the FBI seizure notices on its website. According to the FBI, the operation not only blocked the website, but also destroyed its operating infrastructure.
In a statement, the FBI stated: “These web sites provide, over a period of more than four years, copies of pirated games with high expectations, often days or even weeks before the official launch date.” Key data were also disclosed in the statement: “As recorded, between 28 February and 28 May 2025, more than 3.2 million downloads were generated through the most important download services on these websites alone. These piracys are expected to cost up to $170 million.” The FBI added that the operation was assisted by Dutch law enforcement.
The closure of the website has triggered a strong rebound in the player community, and many users of social media who have long used such websites, including NSW2U, have expressed their dissatisfaction, which is particularly well known, by allowing users to run games without paying for them on Switch, a demagogic paradise, while providing download services and even covering PC platform games.
In fact, the strike was prepared. In May this year, the EU included NSW2U in its Counterfeiting and Piracy Watch List. In a report, the EU noted that stakeholders in the video game industry had reported the website to law enforcement agencies because they had openly provided unauthorized copies of the game. According to EU officials: “The operators of these domain names have reportedly not responded to the rights-holders’ requests for cessation of illegal activities”. Previously, the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany and France had adopted regulations to shield NSW2U and its associated domain names. EU data indicate that the website received 2.3 million visits globally in February 2025.
As early as 2021, the industry organization, the Recreational Software Association (ESA), represented by heaven, Microsoft and many other game giants, wrote to the United States Trade Representative’s Office to name NSW2U as a platform for blatant disregard of the next notice. At present, neither Sony nor Nintendo have responded to the operation.
In recent years, United States and European authorities have carried out several operations aimed at restricting public access to pirated content. Last year, the German authorities arrested two men who allegedly were behind the famous pirate film site Movie2K; in November last year, Europol arrested 11 people in yet another large-scale operation, successfully dismantling one of the largest illegal and then illegal media networks.
