Billy Mitchell Triumphs in $237K Defamation Suit Against Karl Jobst

Arcade gaming legend Billy "King of Kong" Mitchell has been awarded nearly a quarter of a million dollars in a defamation lawsuit against Australian YouTuber Karl Jobst. As reported by PC Gamer, Jobst, known for his content on competitive and speedrunning gaming, featured Mitchell in his video titled "The Biggest Conmen in Video Game History Strike Again!" which garnered 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 Twin Galaxies removed his scores from their leaderboards due to allegations that he used MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) instead of arcade cabinets to achieve his records in games like Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong Jr. After a six-year battle, Mitchell successfully had his scores reinstated in a "historical database" on Twin Galaxies' website and 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.

However, Mitchell's lawsuit against Jobst was not about the validity of his Donkey Kong scores. Instead, it stemmed from Jobst's 2021 video, which Mitchell claimed falsely suggested that his previous legal action 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 allegedly implied that Mitchell took pleasure in Smith's death.

After Mitchell threatened legal action, Jobst edited the video, and Smith's brother confirmed that no money had been paid. Jobst admitted defeat on X/Twitter, stating, "I lost. The judge found Billy to be a credible witness and believed his entire testimony." He clarified that he did not accuse Mitchell of cheating and that his claims about Smith were based on "incorrect information from multiple sources."

Jobst expressed regret and gratitude for the support he received, emphasizing his commitment to repaying his supporters. He also stated, "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 around $241,000. The judge noted that Mitchell could have been awarded more but adhered to the amount Mitchell sought.

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