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

Arcade gaming legend Billy "King of Kong" Mitchell has secured a significant victory in a defamation lawsuit against Australian YouTuber Karl Jobst, receiving nearly a quarter of a million dollars in damages. The ruling, highlighted by PC Gamer, stems from Jobst's video titled "The Biggest Conmen in Video Game History Strike Again!", which amassed over 500,000 views. The court found that the video contained defamatory, inaccurate, and unsubstantiated claims against Mitchell.

Mitchell's gaming accolades came under scrutiny in 2018 when his scores were removed from Twin Galaxies' leaderboards due to allegations of using MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) instead of authentic arcade cabinets to achieve his records in games such as Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong Jr. After a six-year battle, Mitchell successfully had his records reinstated in 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, however, was not about the legitimacy of Mitchell's Donkey Kong scores. Instead, Mitchell's legal action was in response to Jobst's video, which allegedly implied that Mitchell's earlier lawsuit against YouTuber Benjamin "Apollo Legend" Smith led to Smith having to pay $1 million in damages and contributed to Smith's tragic suicide in 2020. The video also reportedly suggested that Mitchell had taken pleasure in Smith's death.

Following Mitchell's legal threats, Jobst edited the video, and Smith's brother clarified that no money had been paid. Jobst took to X/Twitter to acknowledge his loss, emphasizing 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 and gratitude for the support he received, stating, "I am proud that I never backed down and never allowed a bully to control my 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, but the awarded amount was what Mitchell sought.

Mitchell's fame in the gaming world was cemented not only by his perfect score in Pac-Man in the '80s but also through the 2007 documentary, King of Kong, which highlighted his rivalry with Steve Wiebe.