Billy Mitchell Wins $237K in Defamation Suit Against YouTuber

Arcade gaming legend Billy "King of Kong" Mitchell has secured a significant legal victory, winning nearly a quarter of a million dollars in a defamation lawsuit against Australian YouTuber Karl Jobst. As reported by PC Gamer, Jobst's video titled "The Biggest Conmen in Video Game History Strike Again!" which garnered over 500,000 views, was deemed defamatory by the court. The video contained inaccurate and unsubstantiated claims about Mitchell.

Mitchell's gaming prowess came under scrutiny in 2018 when his high scores in games like Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong Jr. were removed from Twin Galaxies' leaderboards. The controversy stemmed from allegations that Mitchell used a MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) instead of traditional arcade cabinets, which is against the rules. After a six-year battle, Mitchell successfully had his records reinstated in a "historical database" on Twin Galaxies' website and by the Guinness World Records in 2020.

The defamation lawsuit against Jobst was not related to the validity of Mitchell's Donkey Kong scores. Instead, Mitchell took legal action over claims made in Jobst's 2021 video, which suggested that Mitchell's previous lawsuit against YouTuber Benjamin "Apollo Legend" Smith resulted in Smith paying $1 million in damages and contributed to his suicide in 2020. The video also alleged that Mitchell had expressed joy over Smith's death. Jobst later edited the video following legal threats from Mitchell, and Smith's brother confirmed that no money had been paid.

Jobst acknowledged the loss on X/Twitter, stating, "I lost. The judge found Billy to be a credible witness and believed his entire testimony." He clarified that he did not accuse Mitchell of cheating and that his claims about Smith were based on "incorrect information from multiple sources." Despite the setback, Jobst expressed his determination to continue fighting for his right to free expression, saying, "I am proud that I never backed down and never allowed a bully to control my free expression."

The court 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 approximately $241,000. The judge noted that Mitchell could have been justified in seeking more than AU$50,000 in aggravated damages but awarded the amount requested by Mitchell.

Billy Mitchell, known for achieving a perfect score in Pac-Man during the '80s, gained widespread recognition through the 2007 documentary "King of Kong," which highlighted his rivalry with Steve Wiebe.