By LawInspectsYes, nowadays there is legal drama going on within the gaming scene as well, and sure enough, it is not a small thing because we’re talking about two big names in the industry. See, this Karl Jobst Lawsuit is about, of course, Karl Jobst himself, who is an Australian YouTuber, and then there is Billy Mitchell, who’s the one suing Karl. Just to brief you a little bit, this whole case is a defamation case, and spoiler alert, it was Mitchell who won the case. But still, let’s just go over the details of this case for now.
Who is Billy Mitchell?
Billy Mitchell has been almost a permanent name on the gaming scene since the 1980s. He came to be called the “King of Kong” for setting world records in games such as Donkey Kong and Pac-Man. His rivalry with gamer Steve Wiebe was the subject of the 2007 documentary The King of Kong.
On the downside, this happened to him around 2017. Allegations went forth that he was employing emulators as opposed to arcade machines to put up his records, which is not within the bounds of competitive gaming. By 2018, his scores were removed by Twin Galaxies, and he was banned, after which Guinness World Records stepped in and rescinded his titles.
In 2020, the Guinness World Records reversed the decision and reinstated his records. Later in 2024, in January, Mitchell reached a settlement with Twin Galaxies, thereby reinstating the recognition of his scores. There still remained questions as to his reputation.
What Did Karl Jobst Say in His Video?
Karl Jobst generates gaming content, speedrunning, and gaming records, being his subject matter. In May 2021, he put up a video titled “The Biggest Conmen in Video Game History Strike Again!” which soon went viral and garnered over 500,000 views.
In this video, Jobst alleged that Mitchell was cheating and that he was suing critics. The truly serious matter arose when Jobst spoke of Apollo Legend, another YouTuber who died in December 2020. Jobst asserted that Apollo Legend had to pay Mitchell in a legal settlement and insinuated that stress from such matters contributed to his death.
This happened to be the very case of an untrue claim. The family of Apollo Legend had asserted that no money had ever passed into their hands. Later on, Jobst recanted his declaration in another video but refused to directly correct his statements. If anything, a court would later rule that this apology was insufficient, which was at the heart of the lawsuit.
The Defamation Lawsuit
In Brisbane, Australia, Billy Mitchell sued Karl Jobst for defamation, claiming that the video damaged his reputation. He claimed AU$400,000 in general damages and AU$50,000 in aggravated damages.
Five claims were examined by the court from Jobst’s video, the gravest being the false accusation that Apollo Legend had died. Judge Ken Barlow said Jobst exhibited a “reckless indifference” to the truth, meaning he took his allegations without verifying the facts.
The court further observed that Jobst seemed to be putting himself forward as the one exposing Mitchell. Then, in fact, he bungled the situation. And interestingly, this case was never about whether or not Mitchell cheated at Donkey Kong; that consideration remains separate.
Damages Awarded
The court ordered Karl Jobst to pay the following:
- AU$300,000 in non-economic damages (reputation and emotional impact).
- AU$50,000 in aggravated damages (due to poor handling of the claims).
- Over AU$40,000 in interest, plus legal costs.
In total, the payout was between US$237,000 and US$241,000, depending on currency rates.