Billy Mitchell Wins $237K in Defamation Suit Against YouTuber Karl Jobst

Arcade gaming legend Billy "King of Kong" Mitchell has successfully won a defamation lawsuit against Australian YouTuber Karl Jobst, securing nearly a quarter of a million dollars in damages. As reported by PC Gamer, Jobst's video, titled "The Biggest Conmen in Video Game History Strike Again!", which garnered 500,000 views, was found to contain defamatory content about Mitchell. The court ruled that Jobst's claims were inaccurate and unsubstantiated.

Mitchell, known as the "King of Kong," faced a significant setback in 2018 when his high scores were removed from Twin Galaxies' leaderboards due to allegations that he used a MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) instead of arcade cabinets to set his records in games like Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong Jr. However, after a six-year battle, Mitchell's records were reinstated in a "historical database" on Twin Galaxies' website and also by the Guinness World of Records in 2020.

The defamation lawsuit against Jobst was not related to the validity of Mitchell's Donkey Kong scores but stemmed from Jobst's 2021 video. Mitchell alleged that the video falsely implied his previous lawsuit against YouTuber Benjamin "Apollo Legend" Smith resulted in Smith owing $1 million in damages and contributed to Smith's suicide in 2020. Additionally, the video reportedly suggested Mitchell expressed joy at Smith's death.

Jobst later edited the video following legal threats from Mitchell, and it was confirmed by Smith's brother that no money was paid. Jobst acknowledged his defeat on X/Twitter, clarifying that he did not accuse Mitchell of cheating but had relied on "incorrect information from multiple sources" regarding Smith.

"I lost. The judge found Billy to be a credible witness and believed his entire testimony," Jobst stated, adding that he would consider his options moving forward. He expressed regret to his supporters and vowed to work hard to repay their support, emphasizing his pride in standing up against what he perceived as bullying.

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 been justified in seeking more in aggravated damages but awarded the amount Mitchell requested.

Mitchell rose to fame after achieving a perfect score in Pac-Man in the '80s and was further highlighted in the 2007 documentary, King of Kong, which chronicled his rivalry with Steve Wiebe.