The Switch 5.0 Update is a Reminder that Hacking Only Hurts

— Nintendo Enthusiast:

Nintendo's 5.0 firmware update for the Switch did a lot to stop hackers in their tracks. The company clearly isn't messing around this time.

[Aceman18]

It's just gonna go back and forth between them lol.

[mikeslemonade]

I like my games free. Go hackers!

[MikePWV]

Get lost. Piracy is not the answer.

[mkis007]

have fun with your micro-transactions

[Newmanator]

Rebel scum you are

[mixelon]

You don’t think developers should be paid?

[dantesparda]

The only thing this is a reminder of is just how bad and lame Nintendo is at this (fw updates).

[ZaWarudo]

It's not going to stop them with the current chip. That's probably what the (speculation) Switch revision is for, a more secure chip.

[DillyDilly]

It might delay but wont stop whats coming

[DillyDilly]

The fact that the original lower firm wares got hacked quickly means the newer ones are next

[Avengerz43]

I won't be updating, the potential of a hacked switch is pretty awesome. I can't wait to hack mine. A GameCube emulator on the go?? Yes please.

[Cobra951]

You won't be able to play newer games without updating. Even older games can be updated to require newer firmware, so you'd have to get them used if you don't have them already, to play on a hacked firmware.

[Avengerz43]

There's always a bypass around that, going back to when my 360 and even my Wii was hacked they tried similar tricks of putting firmware updates on the discs and the hacking community quickly found ways around that. It's never been a problem and will never be one.

[Servbot41]

That has literally never stopped piracy before. You simply strip the update data out of the game file.

[PCgamer98]

Funny how I was downvoted on the other thread about 5.0.0 new security might be causing more issues with third party docks when now even nintendo enthusiast mentions about it. Spawnwave has been using his nyko dock for months and never had issues with it until updating to 5.0.0 which then brick his switch.

[Shiken]

Nyko docks were bricking Switches long before 5.0.0 though, so how does his getting bricked right after the update prove to be anything more than coincidence?

I mean if it was never a problem before, then sure it would be suspect. However Nyko docks have had known issues from the start, so I find it hard to believe there is a connection between the two.

[AKR]

There is a connection. Spawn Wave, who was mentioned in the article, did a video review on the dock a few months ago. He's been using it without any issues until the update. He said that after using the dock for just an hour on the new firmware, it killed his Switch. While it's true the Nyko Dock already had issues, it didn't affect everyone. Now it is, along with just about every other third party dock out there.

[Cobra951]

Why would the Nyko dock brick anything? It's one thing to simply not work. But if it kills the system, there's something very wrong there to begin with.

[PCgamer98]

Spawnwave also said that the issue isn't only isolated to nyko docks alone but he's also receiving reports that it also affects other third party docks where it also brick their system after updating to 5.0.0.

[chris235]

as long as nintendo stuff is not worth anything there will be more pirated n-stuff. sad thing is, priacy never hurt them.

[Yi-Long]

I'd argue piracy actually benefitted them. They sell hardware with a (big) profit, and when a system is cracked, casual gamers who usually wouldn't invest in the hardware and games, would now flock to it.

So many people I know who aren't gamers, did buy (multiple) DS handhelds for their kids, as well as Wii's for the living room, because 'free games'. And thus invested in the hardware, and also ended up buying (or being gifted) games. Hardware they otherwise never would have bought. Games they otherwise never would have played or bought.

Not to mention it breeded those children onto gamers, who will end up buying consoles and games for the rest of their lives.

[notachance]

that is exactly what happened with PS2 in my country, and could be the main reason it's shattering sales record over a decade ago when gamers weren't as many as today.

back then there's almost a PS2 in every household in my country, which was unprecedented because well.. I'm in a third-world country, gaming was (and still is) considered a rich people hobby, but because it can be pirated many are willing to invest in the hardware they otherwise wouldn't even think of buying. The next gen, PS3, can't be cracked until late in its lifespan so those possible millions PS2 marketshare reduced to maybe less than 100 thousand in here.

Now that 2018 is here, many of those kids from way back have grown and have full time job which can afford the hobby (like me), so the numbers slowly rise again.

[AKR]

I mentioned this "hardware sales increase" scenario in the article. Even if this gets a few people interested in buying the hardware, that doesn't make it okay. A platform that can be easily hacked is a platform that developers become wary of. Hardware sales are only one piece of the puzzle. What about software sales? If users can get the games for free, that naturally lowers software sales, making it unappealing to developers.

So again, hacking and piracy do not help any system. The 'benefits' are outweighed by the consequences.

[Yi-Long]

@AKR: You say piracy deters developers/publishers from releasing games on a platform.

I say it doesn't. It's actually been protected devices like the VITA and the WiiU which have had problems getting decent software-support.

If 100 people have console A, compared to 3 people owning console B, then it doesn't really matter if console B is protected from piracy, while console A is 'open'. If it's a good game, there will still be people with console A who will go ahead and buy the game, either at release, or from the bargain bin half a year later.

Console B simply isn't interesting to developers, cause nobody owns it.

The best way to fight piracy is simply to create a decent product, and price it fairly, so people are willing to spend money on it, regardless of having the option to pirate it or not.

[AKR]

@Yi-Long: "I say it doesn't. It's actually been protected devices like the VITA and the WiiU which have had problems getting decent software-support. "

Pardon me, but isn't the PS4 also a "protected device?" Hasn't it been selling well for four years, without hacking or piracy? Breaking records, again, without hacking or piracy? What about the Switch; also breaking records, without hacking or piracy?

So remind me again how hacking and piracy helps?

[Yi-Long]

At AKR: Well, like I said, if you develop and publish great quality games, people are more than willing to pay for it. We are all gamers here, many of us investing many hundreds, some years maybe thousands (when there's a new console out) on our hobby.

So obviously, a great console, like the PS4, which has a huge library of amazing games that appeal to the core demographic of enthousiast gamers, will obviously do well.

With the DS and the Wii, we very clearly saw that once it was hacked, it became appealing to non-gamers, who were suddenly willing to buy the hardware, for themselves, or for their kids. I have seen so many families picking those systems up exactly for that reason. They knew it was hacked, they had small kids, so the kids were receiving their own DS, and there was a Wii in the living room, with a big HDD connected to it, which had downloaded/copies games on them.

When a system doesn't appeal to the core demographic of gamers, it simply won't sell well unless it's either has a lot of hype behind it (early days of Wii had the hype, where shows like Oprah and Ellen featured it heavily, and got casuals excited about the bowling, tennis, etc), or it's hacked.

[Christopher]

People obviously didn't pay attention to what happened with the PSP. Great hardware sales. Immediately stopped having third party support and the future models never recovered.

[ShadowWolf712]

It really doesn't, given that nothing mandates hacking be used for Piracy.

[AKR]

Sure, because anytime after a system is hacked, piracy doesn't follow right after. We can go with that story if you'd like, but history would like to have a word with you first.

[Christopher]

Once you make it available to the public, it only follows that it will be used for piracy.

[ShadowWolf712]

Then it's still the piracy that hurts. A hacked system can be used for a lot of benign to good things as well.

[Christopher]

Right, but the people who create it for personal use *know* it's going to be used for piracy but release it anyway to the public rather than keeping it limited. The fact they know it will be used for piracy and release it anyway makes them culpable.

These are people who try to wear a white hat and act as if they aren't doing anything bad, but they aren't that when they knowingly make it available to people they know will use it to pirate games.

[antikbaka]

it's a reminder that Nintendo when they are on Hype Wave will do whatever they want with property you bought

[Profchaos]

And the game of cat and mouse begins again.

[CurbStompin]

Except we almost have CFW. Which will negate the patches in 5.0. The smart people wont update officially.

[Silly gameAr]

b b b hackers are heroes! I wish I could find that dumb article and link it.

[mixelon]

I would use it for home brew and emulators but never for piracy of recent gens games. (Emulation often amounts to a piracy grey area) its a shame there’s no way to unlock a bit of the potential without opening up the whole thing to bad actors.

[subtenko]

this is gonna hurt the switch

[AKR]

How?

[frostlatch]

If they keep up their quality then I dont mind buying. Will be getting one of these for the fiance and will appreciate an authentic experience. I dont mind emulating the past consoles though.