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 court, winning nearly a quarter of a million dollars in damages after successfully suing Australian YouTuber Karl Jobst for defamation. As reported by PC Gamer, Jobst, known for his content on competitive and speedrunning gaming, featured Mitchell in a video titled "The Biggest Conmen in Video Game History Strike Again!" which garnered over 500,000 views. The court found that the video contained inaccurate and unsubstantiated claims that defamed Mitchell.

Mitchell's gaming credentials came under scrutiny in 2018 when his scores were removed from Twin Galaxies' leaderboards amid allegations that he used a MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) instead of authentic arcade cabinets to achieve records in games like Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong Jr. After a six-year battle to defend his records, Mitchell managed to have his accolades reinstated in a "historical database" on Twin Galaxies' website. Additionally, his high scores were recognized again 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/Getty Images.

The defamation lawsuit against Jobst was not related to the validity of Mitchell's Donkey Kong scores but stemmed from claims made in Jobst's 2021 video. Mitchell alleged that the video falsely suggested that his previous lawsuit against YouTuber Benjamin "Apollo Legend" Smith resulted in Smith paying $1 million in damages and contributed to Smith's suicide in 2020. The video also reportedly implied that Mitchell had expressed joy at the thought of Smith's suicide. After Mitchell threatened legal action, Jobst edited the video, and Smith's brother confirmed that no money had been paid.

Jobst acknowledged his loss on X/Twitter, stating that the judge found Mitchell to be a credible witness and believed his entire testimony. Jobst emphasized 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, vowing to work hard to repay his supporters. In a subsequent update, Jobst reaffirmed his commitment to free expression, stating, "I am proud that I never backed down and never allowed a bully to control my free expression."

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 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 Mitchell requested.

Mitchell, who achieved a perfect score in Pac-Man in the '80s, rose to fame through the 2007 documentary, King of Kong, which highlighted his rivalry with Steve Wiebe.