120°

Nintendo is Taking on the Pirates

"Nintendo has urged the U.S. Trade Representative to put pressure on countries where pirating of its video games are rife. Nintendo says that its suffering huge losses due to the increasing amount of online piracy. The company also says that it wants certain file sharing websites to be blocked so that consumers can’t get hold of the downloadable games so easily. Nintendo will also pursue criminal prosecution against those who pirate games or facilitate copyright infringement."

Remember last year when Nintendo announced the large amount of pirated copies of Xenoblade Chronicles? Wii and DS games are the easiest systems in their categories to hack, and piracy runs rampant across both consoles. With infamous Wii and DS emulators like NO$GBA and Dolphin that allow users to play DS and Wii games on their PC, and console hacks such as R4 cards and the Homebrew Channel - it's no wonder why the Big N wants to crack down on pirates.

Read Full Story >>
mynintendonews.com
Jadedz4076d ago

Nintendo got hit bad during the Wii/NDS era.

Yi-Long4075d ago (Edited 4075d ago )

... they only have themselves to blame for it.

Releasing it much too late in the west, especially in the USA, and then making it an exclusive for 1 store which means it's now impossible to find and wayyy to expensive. Ofcourse people who are dying to play the game will then look at other ways to being able to play one of the best Wii games!

Oh, and as usual Nintendo is ignoring the fact that many MANY people only bought a DS and/or Wii BECAUSE it was capable of playing illegal copies of games!

rainslacker4075d ago

I agree on Xenoblade Chronicles. I've been looking for a copy that's reasonably priced for a while now. I'd buy the game new if it were available. I doubt highly we'll see a platinum release of it.:(

For the rest of their catalog I understand where they're coming from though. Companies should protect their interests.

HITANDRUN4075d ago

There is a reason why the ds sales so much, piracy its one of them. Nintendo said 6 years ago they will get the pirates, I guess its not working too well cause they are still after them, lol...

CouldHaveYelledUiiW4076d ago

Pirates are going to get Super Mario stomped.

hmm... This sounds like a new idea for a Mario game.

Myx234075d ago

where nintendo is landslide wrong here: to think that every pirated copy equals a loss of income. i beg to differ: most of their stuff gets pirated because no one is willing to pay much money for their low efforts. who on earth is going to pay for tons of shovelware except for some hardcore-dummies aka casuals?

this is the same misconception the movie-industry and the music-industry have been whining about: no sooner when the last medium gets hyperprotected against any kind of piracy then they will start to realize that shit just does not sell very well.

ElectricKaibutsu4075d ago

Wait, what? Are you saying the casual gamers are the ones doing the pirating? Or are you saying the only people that buy retail games are casuals? I don't pirate games but it certainly isn't because I lack the technical knowledge to work a bittorrent client.

I agree that each pirated game doesn't automatically equal one lost sale, but SOMEONE has to pay for games or else there wouldn't be any games to pirate. I want to support the industry I love. It's the same reason I don't sneak into movie theaters. You can pirate all the games you want but don't act like you have the moral high ground because you don't feel like paying.

FriedGoat4075d ago (Edited 4075d ago )

you needed more than a knowledge of a bit torrent client in the beginning, I manually reflashed my DS firmware before all the fancy cartidges came out that make it easy. I still bought games though, only did it to try stuff out.

I'm happy I bought the games then though, because Nintendo were actually making some decent stuff, Mario 64 DS was amazing and full of content and minigames.

I just look at the 3DS now though, the lack of effort in the 5 hour long Mario 3D land and all the other short games just arent worth their price tag. Kid Icarus being an exception. I sold all my 3DS games bar Ocarina of time and I dont miss any of them.

PS do people still use bit torrent? I never really did, Tried it once and it was god damned terrible. Newsgroups are where it's at.

ElectricKaibutsu4075d ago

@FriedGoat
I don't know about the DS but installing the Homebrew channel on the Wii is pretty darn easy. I don't use it for pirating games, just for messing around with homebrew.

Mario 3D Land wasn't 5 hours... I put 18 hours into mine. I would a agree with you that paying $60 for a five hour game (Aliens: Colonial Marines) would be a rip off. Although I'd probably just not buy it instead of pirating.

Here's a popular neogaf thread:
"Super Mario 3D Land - 50 hrs, Average Playtime 0:13, One of the best portables ever"
http://www.neogaf.com/forum...

FriedGoat4075d ago (Edited 4075d ago )

It took me around 5 hours to complete the game with all the standard star coins. I didn't want to play through the same levels over again because I found them to be short and repetitive. I understand people like the current Nintendo but Mario 64 DS had much more going for it (even if it was a remake)
Repeating the same or slightly rehashed levels does't add re playability for me, especially when the levels were short and so easy it put me to sleep.

Just to let you know, There are people suprised at how much time this person spent on the game. One person states he did everything humanly possible in under 15 hours.

ElectricKaibutsu4075d ago

Well, I guess it's different for everyone. I personally thought it was a great game and felt I got my money's worth. I played it more than Kid Icarus. Of course I would have preferred twice as many original levels than the remixes they did, but I found them challenging and fun at least.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4075d ago
Kratoscar20084075d ago (Edited 4075d ago )

Good luck Nintendo, you will need it.

I think the Region Lock of the system influences this a lot so thats why its the most likely to be supported by people to resort to hack it.

TongkatAli4075d ago

I wish they could unlock my Wii U so I can watch my Outlaw Star complete DVD collection. I see being a Nintendo fanboy as having a mother who is Jehovah witness.

paul19744075d ago

I hope the wii u is not so easy to crack! so far so good but those people who have advertised the fact they are trying to hack it need to be hauled up in front of a judge a put in jail!!! its the only way we will stop people ruining the gaming industry and the online experience on game platforms! look at the issues that were on wii with cod games? nearly every kid ran codes to cheat! look at the same issues with xbox, pc and ps3?

The companies need to take security of their consoles seriously as Sony nearly found out a couple of years ago!!!

Myx23! you are a sorry sad person that's all I can say!!

Show all comments (17)
80°

Nintendo's Massacre Of The 3DS And Wii U Is Finally Complete, Regrettably

Hanzala from eXputer: "The cruel hammer of Nintendo has fallen. Farewell, 3DS and Wii U, you surely brightened my life and many others; you won't be forgotten."

280°

Xbox's Preservation Step Sets A Much-Needed Example, Especially For Nintendo

Hanzla from eXputer inquires: "If Xbox can care about preserving its games and legacy, what exactly is wrong with Nintendo, trying to kill game preservation single-handedly?"

purple10111d ago

Ahh yes the good old game preservation of saving all your games to a removable hhd on the Xbox 360, taking it round your mates house, setting up multiple tvs to
Be met with “save data corrupted, please re download”

Or how about removing 360 games
From the store
, download them now or else, and, better hope to god that save data doesn’t corrupt, or it’s lost for ever

Nice one ☝️

Zeref10d ago

It's better than what Nintendo and Playstation is doing. It might not be perfect but at least they are TRYING. Unlike the others.

DarXyde10d ago

Trying? Take off the blinders for a moment, mate.

1. A failure to preserve games is just that: a failure to preserve games. Don't try to sugarcoat it: NO ONE is doing it properly. Better than awful is nothing to write home about.

2. At the time of this comment, isn't it the case that you need an internet connection to play Xbox games even if you buy physical discs that are hardly in circulation anymore? I don't have a Series X and I can't verify, but I think that is correct. I'm fairly certain you can at least play PS5 games at version 1.0 (not much of a win really when many games require day one patches). I think Microsoft's all digital, licensing approach is by far more aggressive than anyone else's. They really try to push you to game pass where you lose your entire library by umm.... Skipping a month of payments.

I don't think anyone is doing it right whatsoever. Don't get me started on Nintendo, who goes after anyone looking to preserve their games better than they ever would with extreme litigation.

Don't be a simp for any of these companies. Get it together.

PhillyDonJawn10d ago (Edited 10d ago )

@DarX never speak on Xbox again. You lost all credibility with your internet connection comment. Smh you have 0 clue and misinformed yet speaking on something you don't no squat about.

Einhander197210d ago

What has Sony done exactly? You guys keep deflecting to Sony but I am not actually seeing any results, and ai am certain nothing that you can come up with even comes close to what Microsoft has done and what they have tried and failed to do, like tie all your disks to your account on xbone.

Microsoft removed their whole indie section when they moved to the xbone because they were going to only allow games on the service that came from a publisher, id@xbox started after xbone launched and it only exists because Sony embraced indie and Microsoft was forced to cancel their plans and reverse course.

And every single game that was part of games for windows live including disk games (I have gta 4 on disk that won't work) so hundreds of games that use that DRM no longer work unless the company themselves patched it out which of course very few did.

MrBaskerville10d ago

Not trying. Tried. they killed of the backcomp program years ago. They set something up again, but sounds like it's more of an attempt to save the current library on whatever they are planning next. With luck they save everything and more, but let's see. I could see them killing off parts of the OG xbox and 360 libraries. Can't imagine that they would allow us to play Forza 5-7 in the future.

With that said, I do like what they've done and really wish they could have done more.

shinoff218310d ago

Zeref

So killing off physical media is trying what exactly. Ms don't really give a fk if you think they do your kidding yourself.

Profchaos9d ago

They are not trying this team is established for forward compatability the team is. It interested in preserving Xbox or 360 games.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 9d ago
isarai11d ago

Is that why Hellblade 2 is digital only?

Zeref10d ago

Just because it's digital only doesn't mean you can't preserve it. Just put it on an external and you have the exact same functionality of what a disc does.

MrNinosan10d ago

Guess you're trolling, but if you actually think that's how it works, I'd recommend buying some braincells.

mkis0079d ago (Edited 9d ago )

Volitile vs nonvolitile data. A disc will not corrupt either. A drive can be corrupted.

Einhander197210d ago

This is just a scammy PR move to distract from the fact they are going digital only and trying to push streaming and subscriptions only.

No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft.

Without discs there is no preservation, preservation can't be done by the rights holders it can only be done by the consumers, anything else is a lie.

10d ago Replies(3)
Einhander197210d ago

Anyone remember xblig which Microsoft removed their whole 360 indie section removing hundreds of games from people?

10d ago
10d ago
Zeref10d ago

Do you know you can put your games on an external and preserve them that way? There are no benefits to discs. ZERO. Idk why some of you are still obsessed with them.

DarXyde10d ago

Because games like Persona 5 exist. It's STILL V1.00. On Playstation, that's a win because 1.00 is installed on the disc—no need to download anything.

If a game does not require any updates, it's all on the disc.

Extremely low bar in the modern era, of course. It's not much of a win by any stretch.

But for now, physical media does have a purpose, at least on Playstation.

Einhander197210d ago

That is factually not how game licensing works, try plugging your hard drive into someone else xbox, It's not going to work, and it won't work if the licensing servers ever go down.

Einhander197210d ago

Anyone remember games for windows live.

I have around a dozen games, some on Steam itself that will not work because Microsoft shut off the licensing servers.

BehindTheRows10d ago (Edited 10d ago )

I do. I STILL have games (Gears of War being the big one) I cannot access because Games for Windows LIVE is total garbage and no one has held Microsoft accountable.

Zeref10d ago (Edited 10d ago )

You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership.

Chevalier10d ago

"You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership."

Damn how many times do people got to explain your idiocy to you? You can take a copy of Persona 5 like someone used as an example and play that game on ANY console WITHOUT logging in which means I can lend the game to a friend without internet and they can play my game. Can you lend your hard drive to anyone without logging in for them to play? NOPE. That is a huge difference and if you think otherwise then sorry you're an idiot.

Tacoboto10d ago

"No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft."

Ubisoft is literally erasing games people bought from their libraries... My PS1-3 discs are useless on modern hardware. Nintendo's re-published and resold almost their entire Wii U library, and the eShop is completely dead with no BC mechanism in the Switch software. Microsoft publishes everything they make today day one on Steam and Xbox/Windows. Sony only brings to PC the titles they think you might want some years later and Nintendo won't even design a functional long-lasting joystick.

You're absolutely trolling and not serious if you think Microsoft today is the worst offender.

shinoff218310d ago

Yay steam

Not everyone fks with computers though. The disc is still the best way as a console player. Period.

Tacoboto9d ago

How do Sony and Nintendo feel about these discs from 2001-2013?

Don't be stupid, you know Xbox is the best at this today.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 9d ago
Hofstaderman10d ago

Nobody wants this. Sales or the lack of it in the case of XBOX is very telling. I wonder how the adorably all digital series X will fare. Adorably dismal perhaps?

crazyCoconuts10d ago

Only time will tell, but for from someone like me suspecting that Xbox is trying to gracefully exit the console market, that "forward compatibility" team is trying to get Xbox games playing on Windows PCs. I mean, it's nice that they're not planning on exiting with a "enjoy your games while the hardware still works" message, so that's nice. They still have a brand to protect via Microsoft so probably feel obligated to have a better exit strategy.

Xeofate10d ago (Edited 10d ago )

That is not their plan, their plan is to transfer users accounts to the cloud.

Phil Spencer himself said as much a few months back, plans could have changed but I think people are reading way too much into one statement where Phil said he would allow Epic on xbox because he wants to be able to sell xbox games directly on other platforms. Aka, instead of selling Sea of Thives through PSN he wants to have an xbox store to sell his games on PlayStation without giving PlayStation any money.

Again, it's extremely unlikely that Phil plans to put PC on xbox and licensing would prevent them from just giving out other publishers games purchased on xbox copies of thier games on PC, Microsoft does not own their games.

crazyCoconuts9d ago

The thing that doesn't align with the cloud strategy is the giving up on exclusives. You'd still need strong exclusives for cloud streaming - it's still a "platform" , just with a lower upfront hardware investment. I feel like they've learned what PS learned with PSNow long ago. We're not ready to stream games and it's only gonna lose them money to try at this point

FinalFantasyFanatic9d ago

I would love that, I'd buy up some of the Xbox games if they could run on PC, like the Rare Replay, Lost Odyssey and Dead or Alive Ultimate, probably a pipe dream though.

Show all comments (43)
90°

Nintendo's War Against Player-Made Content Will Hurt The Company In The End

Danish from eXputer: "Nintendo has historically gone against player-made content and emulation of its games. This has done much to harm the company's image."

XiNatsuDragnel17d ago

I agree nintendo hire some these folks to help in your games it'll help imo.

banger8816d ago

They need to stop announcing these mods and fan remakes until they're finished. Finish it, upload it, and then if Nintendo dmca's it tough shit. Once it's online, people can share it around, even if the original download gets taken down.

Jingsing16d ago

True, but most modders need constant admiration during the process to motivate them.

PRIMORDUS16d ago

Yup, once it's a torrent nothing can be done Nintendo is helpless at that point. But it would be wise if they just had a site on the dark web, it's also easy to use with Tor and no one will bother you.

mastershredder15d ago

This is all coming from the mouth of short-sighted fandom and grifting madness.
No.... it wont. There is a clear defined reason why they don't. This is nothing new. Make your own shi7 from your own original ideas especially if you are trying to capitalize of it it. Duh.

Yeah, hire people that have zero respect or understanding for an established process. Wow. Yep. Totally makes sense.

shinoff218315d ago

Those guys that made that sonic game got a gig from sega or something along those lines and that game was dope as hell. One of the best sonics as of late.