Gamer's Threats Lead to Prison Sentence After Disrupting Major Nintendo Events

A 27-year-old man from Hitachi City, Japan, has been sentenced to one year in prison after sending multiple threatening letters to Nintendo. This behavior spanned from August to November last year and led to severe disruptions for the gaming company.
During this period, Kenshin Kazama submitted 39 threatening messages through Nintendo's online feedback form. Among these threats were warnings about events with spectators and an expression of regret aimed at a specific game. The exact game in question remains unidentified.
Addressing the reason behind these actions, it was reported by NHK that Judge Hiroshi Kawakami of the Kyoto District Court commented on Kazama's frustration. The judge mentioned that the individual became increasingly upset due to repeated losses in online matches of Nintendo games. This frustration eventually led Kazama to commit the crime as a means of stress relief.
It is evident that using threats as a coping mechanism is highly destructive, and in this case, it caused significant disruptions for Nintendo. The company had to delay both Nintendo Live 2024 and the Splatoon Koshien 2023 National Finals to ensure the safety of all attendees. With Kazama now sentenced, he will be spending the next year in prison.