New Wii Terms of Service Vexes Hackers

Kombo writes, "It looks like Nintendo is going to be cracking down on homebrew development in a big way. This adjustment to the terms of service will allow Nintendo to not only remove full channels from the Wii memory, this could also put your saved games in jeopardy. No word yet on if this will result in your Twilight Princess saved game getting pooched.

In further terms of service updates, Nintendo changed the terms of services on their website to reflect the new found ability to modify/update the Wii's firmware without the user's permission or notification...."

[Jimmy the Greek]

consoles will never be an instrument of their owners

[bgrundman]

It is sad to see that, considering that we pay for the device and all. But publishers need to protect their content from piracy too. :( It is a situation where nobody wins.

[bgrundman]

So much for customizing devices that you own!

[CrAppleton]

OUCH... I see why they want to do this.. but it's still pretty crappy

[bgrundman]

it is kinda creepy to think that they now have the right to install and make changes to your box without your notice... Wonder if they will get flack for it?

[Jimmy the Greek]

theyre protected by some clause in the eula but if theres a class action lawsuit, i want to be a part of it

[bgrundman]

Count me in too!

[ChickeyCantor]

@bgrund
Basically when you get a console you also automatically signed a contract in some way.

I think it does say somewhere that you can not modifie some stuff.

[killyourfm]

has been the best homebrew device to date, IMHO.

[bgrundman]

agreed, there is no device better for testing your programming skills.

[bgrundman]

Has anybody that hacked their Wii been affected by this?

[kevnb]

most wiis are modded to pirate games, but what about people who aren't pirating?

[ChickeyCantor]

It's just not piracy, you don't have the rights to modifie these things.

I really don't like the sound of this at all, but still if it can reduce piracy then why not?
Although Going to miss homebrew >_>...

But crackers and what not will rise above this anyway.=D

[Jotenks]

Wow Nintendo is surely ramping up their secure hold on the Wii, I am just glad that other systems do not (or rather have not) taken the chance to move to this type of action yet.

[kevnb]

this is why sony beat them so easily without very many first party hits with the ps1. N64 had very weak third party support thanks to Nintendo and their bumhole ways.

[ChickeyCantor]

Although i love HOMEBREW, They also have the rights to do this.
MS should have done the same actually, and if it were to happen to the PS3( in big terms that is) Sony should step in too.

[Product]

i dont see the big deal........you put an upgraded turbo on your car it voids the warranty.
I think of it like this......i bought the wii,it is mine,but its online and wiiconnect24 are not properties of mine.They are a privalege.
Me being able to buy classic games and play online games on dedicated servers not owned by me is out of my control.

[lizard81288]

good thing i don't have wi-fi
*plays homebrew apps*

also new firmware mess up things like freeloader, and other things you can buy, which is lame. it would be like nintendo blocking AR codes or something...

[Snipes20]

Nintendo should create something like XNA for the Wii so that the homebrew devs can put out their stuff and let other people try it out. They should have competitions and license the best games for official Wiiware games. I think it would help a lot because the homebrew community would have something to work with and game pirates would have no excuse. That's just my opinion, though...

[dib8rman]

No pun intended; there are other ways to send the message across.

If you want region free games, then email Nintendo with your problem, if the ammount of you were enough to force them to react like this. (IT took them hell of long to react, almost 8 months.) Then a mess of emails reminding them of your passions could lead to region free Wiis.

Spread that word like you guys did your homebrew and make it the "in thing" like you guys did with homebrew and I can assure you, Nintendo will listen... hey we got Nintendo channel now right?