Billy Mitchell Triumphs in $237K 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 damages from a defamation lawsuit against Australian YouTuber Karl Jobst. As reported by PC Gamer, Jobst, known for his focus on competitive and speedrunning gaming content, featured Mitchell in his video titled "The Biggest Conmen in Video Game History Strike Again!" which garnered 500,000 views. The court found that Jobst's video contained defamatory, inaccurate, and unsubstantiated claims about Mitchell.

Mitchell's gaming accolades faced scrutiny in 2018 when his scores were removed from Twin Galaxies' leaderboards due to allegations that he used a MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) instead of arcade cabinets to achieve his records in games such as Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong Jr., a practice against the rules. After a six-year battle, Mitchell successfully had his records reinstated in a "historical database" on Twin Galaxies' website and also by the Guinness World Records in 2020.

Billy "King of Kong" Mitchell has won a defamation lawsuit against Australian YouTuber Karl Jobst. Photo by David Greedy/Get

However, Mitchell's lawsuit against Jobst was not related to the validity of his Donkey Kong scores but rather to claims made in Jobst's 2021 video. Mitchell alleged that the video falsely implied that his previous lawsuit against YouTuber Benjamin "Apollo Legend" Smith led to Smith paying $1 million in damages and contributed to Smith's suicide in 2020. Additionally, the video reportedly suggested that Mitchell had expressed joy over Smith's death.

Following legal threats from Mitchell, Jobst edited the video, and Smith's brother confirmed that no money was paid. Jobst later took to X/Twitter to acknowledge his loss, 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." Jobst expressed regret for the outcome and vowed to continue his efforts to repay the support he received, emphasizing his commitment to free expression.

The judge awarded Mitchell $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 might have been justified in receiving more than AU$50,000 in aggravated damages, but the amount sought by Mitchell was awarded.

Mitchell's fame in the gaming community was cemented with his perfect score in Pac-Man in the '80s and further highlighted in the 2007 documentary, King of Kong, which documented his rivalry with Steve Wiebe.