Nintendo said Thursday that the company had filed suit against a network of sites that the gaming company said were used to sell game-copying technology.

Nintendo filed suit against NXPGAME of Queens, New York, charging that the site was selling so-called video game copiers that could be used to illegally copy Nintendo DS and DSi software.

"After multiple letters and telephone calls from Nintendo's legal counsel, the owner agreed to cease selling game copiers and closed his website," Nintendo said. "Shortly thereafter, the owner launched an identical business at a different website address, and redirected people who visited his old site to the new one to purchase illegal game copiers.

Nintendo said that the suit will reference Nintendo v. Chan, a 2009 case that ruled that game copiers violate the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

"Using game copiers to play unauthorized downloaded games is illegal and it's wrong," said Jodi Daugherty, Nintendo of America's senior director of anti-piracy, in a statement. "Piracy is especially harmful to smaller developers. When their creative works are stolen and copied illegally, some companies find it difficult to survive economically."

The suit was filed May 11 in the Western District of Washington.