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

Arcade gaming legend Billy "King of Kong" Mitchell has secured a significant legal victory, winning nearly a quarter of a million dollars in damages after successfully suing Australian YouTuber Karl Jobst for defamation. This ruling, as reported by PC Gamer, stems from a video Jobst produced titled "The Biggest Conmen in Video Game History Strike Again!" which garnered over 500,000 views and was found to contain defamatory and unsubstantiated claims about Mitchell.

Mitchell, who had previously faced controversy when his high scores were removed from Twin Galaxies' leaderboards in 2018 due to allegations of using emulators rather than original arcade cabinets, fought hard to restore his reputation. His efforts paid off when his records were reinstated in Twin Galaxies' "historical database" and recognized again by the Guinness World Records in 2020.

The defamation lawsuit against Jobst was not related to Mitchell's Donkey Kong scores but rather focused on claims made in Jobst's video. Mitchell alleged that the video falsely implied his prior legal action against another YouTuber, Benjamin "Apollo Legend" Smith, led to Smith owing $1 million in damages and contributed to his tragic suicide in 2020. Additionally, the video reportedly suggested Mitchell had expressed joy over Smith's death.

After legal threats from Mitchell, Jobst edited the video, and Smith's brother confirmed no money had been paid. Jobst admitted his defeat on X/Twitter, clarifying 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 vowed to continue supporting his followers despite the setback.

The court ordered Jobst to pay 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.

Mitchell's fame began with his perfect score in Pac-Man during the '80s and was further cemented by the 2007 documentary King of Kong, which chronicled his rivalry with fellow gamer Steve Wiebe.