Billy Mitchell Wins $237K in Defamation Suit Against YouTuber

Arcade gaming legend Billy "King of Kong" Mitchell has secured a significant victory in court, winning nearly a quarter of a million dollars in damages after successfully suing Australian YouTuber Karl Jobst for defamation. As reported by PC Gamer, Jobst, known for his focus on competitive and speedrunning gaming content, featured Mitchell in a video titled "The Biggest Conmen in Video Game History Strike Again!" which garnered 500,000 views. The court determined that Jobst's video contained defamatory, inaccurate, and unsubstantiated claims about Mitchell.

Mitchell's gaming prowess came under scrutiny in 2018 when his scores were removed from Twin Galaxies' leaderboards following allegations that he used a MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) rather than authentic arcade cabinets to achieve his records in games like Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong Jr. This practice is strictly prohibited by the rules. However, after a six-year battle to defend his records, Mitchell successfully had his accolades reinstated as part of a "historical database" on Twin Galaxies' website, and his high scores were also recognized again by the Guinness World Records in 2020.

The defamation lawsuit against Jobst was not directly related to the legitimacy of Mitchell's Donkey Kong scores. Instead, Mitchell took legal action due to claims made in Jobst's 2021 video. The video suggested that Mitchell's previous lawsuit against another YouTuber, Benjamin "Apollo Legend" Smith, led to Smith having to pay $1 million in damages and contributed to Smith's tragic suicide in 2020. It also implied that Mitchell had expressed joy over Smith's death.

After Mitchell threatened legal action, Jobst edited the video, and Smith's brother confirmed that no money was paid. Jobst acknowledged his defeat on X/Twitter, clarifying that he did not accuse Mitchell of cheating and that his claims about Smith were based on "incorrect information from multiple sources." He expressed regret for any upset caused and vowed to continue fighting against what he perceived as bullying, while also considering his legal options.

The judge ordered Jobst to pay $187,800 (AU$300,000) for non-economic loss, $31,300 (AU$50,000) for aggravated damages, and $22,000 (AU$34,668.50) in interest, totaling around $241,000. The judge noted that Mitchell could have justified a higher amount for aggravated damages, but awarded the amount Mitchell sought.

Mitchell's gaming achievements include a perfect score in Pac-Man during the '80s, and he gained widespread recognition through the 2007 documentary, King of Kong, which highlighted his rivalry with Steve Wiebe.