Billy Mitchell awarded $237K in defamation case

Arcade gaming legend Billy "King of Kong" Mitchell has been awarded nearly $250,000 in damages after an Australian court ruled that YouTuber Karl Jobst defamed him in a viral video.

As reported by PC Gamer, Jobst—known for covering competitive gaming and speedrunning—featured Mitchell in his video titled "The Biggest Conmen in Video Game History Strike Again!" The court found Jobst's video, which garnered 500,000 views, contained defamatory statements and unsubstantiated claims about Mitchell.

Mitchell first gained fame for his record-setting arcade performances before controversy erupted in 2018 when Twin Galaxies removed his high scores from their leaderboards. This followed allegations he used emulator software rather than original arcade hardware to set records in Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong Jr.—a violation of competitive gaming rules.

After a six-year battle to clear his name, Twin Galaxies reinstated Mitchell's records in their historical database, and the Guinness World Records restored his achievements in 2020.

Notably, Mitchell's lawsuit didn't concern the legitimacy of his gaming records. Instead, it focused on Jobst's 2021 video which allegedly implied Mitchell's earlier legal action against YouTuber Benjamin "Apollo Legend" Smith led to a $1 million judgment and contributed to Smith's tragic death in 2020. The video also reportedly suggested Mitchell expressed satisfaction about Smith's passing.

Following legal threats from Mitchell, Jobst edited the video, and Smith's family confirmed no money had changed hands.

"I accept the court's verdict," Jobst stated on X/Twitter, clarifying he never accused Mitchell of cheating and based his claims about Smith on "misinformation from multiple sources."

"Given how the judge perceived the evidence, the outcome was inevitable. I'll need to carefully review my options moving forward," Jobst continued.

"To my supporters who may be disappointed—I sincerely apologize. Your backing means everything, and I'll work tirelessly to make things right."

"Most importantly, I refused to let legal intimidation silence honest commentary," he added in a follow-up statement.

The court ordered Jobst to pay $187,800 for reputational damage, $31,300 in aggravated damages, plus $22,000 interest, totaling approximately $241,000. The judge noted Mitchell could have sought higher compensation but limited the award to the requested amount.

Mitchell first made gaming history in the 1980s with a perfect Pac-Man score before gaining wider recognition through the 2007 documentary King of Kong, which chronicled his rivalry with fellow gamer Steve Wiebe.