According to VGC , Gary Bowser, a famous hacker who was once imprisoned for violating Nintendo's copyright, has now spoken out to confirm that his sentence is not only a personal punishment but also carries a strong deterrent message.

Bowser is set to be released in 2023 after pleading guilty to being part of the notorious hacking group Team-Xecuter, which has been developing and distributing devices that allow users to illegally play ROMs of games on the Switch and 3DS since 2013. In an interview with The Guardian, Bowser said frankly: "My sentence is like a wake-up call for those who are still out there. If they are caught, they will face serious consequences."

Bowser was arrested in September 2020 and charged with 11 felony counts in 2021. Instead of going to trial, he pleaded guilty to two counts and agreed to pay Nintendo $4.5 million. In addition to the criminal conviction, Bowser faces a separate civil judgment that requires him to pay an additional $10 million in damages to Nintendo for selling game console hacking tools.

According to US government estimates, Team-Xecuter's illegal activities have generated tens of millions of dollars and caused losses to game developers of up to 150 million dollars.