Nintendo Warns Against Playing Pirated Games On The 3DS; Threatens To Brick Consoles

[bloop2424]

"Nintendo is making it clear they do not support playing pirated or non-region approved games on the 3DS. Japanese retailers have been warned, Nintendo will disable any 3DS console that has illegal games detected on it. The console would be bricked via firmware update. The 3Ds launched last week in Japan and the American release will take place at the end of the month. I'm sure we can expect to see a similar warning from Nintendo once it hits shelves on March 27.
Many retailers in Japan have already warned their customers; issuing their own warning, stating they will not buy back a 3DS with custom software. According to GoNintendo, Japanese game chain Enterking posted this warning on their site."

The flier roughly translates to:
"Dear customers who resell Nintendo 3DS "
"non purchase able 3DS system"
In case if you use equipment which is illegal or unapproved by Nintendo or if you do customization which is unapproved by Nintendo, there is a possibility that Nintendo 3DS become non bootable by system update.
- From Nintendo 3DS terms of agreement
Because of terms of agreement above, Enterking refuses to buy 3DS system with record of illegal or unapproved equipment.' "Request to format before you sell"
Do you think Nintendo should be able to disable the 3DS if they detect illegal software? The 3DS won't be able to play games that aren't approved for your region. Could you have your 3DS disabled for playing an imported game, even if you payed for it?
Source: GoNintendo


Read more: http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/po...eatens-To-Brick-Consoles--.html#ixzz1GEKF8Do9

What do you guys think?

 

[Liquefy]

[deleted because of accidental double post]

 

[Liquefy]

It is very responsible for Nintendo to alert partners and customers of potential consequences.

 

[Callie]

I guess it's a good thing, but it seems a little harsh...

Rethinking about it, I can understand the pirated games, but imports? If I go on vacation to the UK, and buy a perfectly legal copy of a game there, I should not be penalized for wanting to play it on my 3DS back in the states.

 

[AndyB]

I can understand with the piracy side of things, but when games get different release dates from the other regions.. some people really want the game. So in turn will import it.
I feel that this is going to stop the Western World from getting those crazy Japanese games that make no sense whatsoever.

 

[«Jack»]

I can see why they'd do this for pirated games, but for imports and "non-approved" (which doesn't necessarily mean pirated) it seems almost unlawful.
Wouldn't disabling someone's 3DS over playing an import be akin to Apple suing over jailbroken iPods? The practice seems perfectly legal to me. As long as there's no actual theft, I don't see how this is in any way right.

 

[[Nook]]

Oh no, this is terrible.

The pirated and hacking things I can understand, but Japanese imports?
What the hell is Nintendo thinking?
That means less money for Nintendo, and disappointment for those Nintendo fans who won't just give up on getting a game that won't come out where they live or won't come out a long time.

But then again, you could always buy a Japanese 3DS.

 

[FallChild]

I get it, but they're kinda being a bit paranoid. But I guess if I was a leader of a company and I was losing money because of pirated games, then I suppose I would get upset. But still, it's kinda harsh.

 

[Squirrel with Nunchucks]

I find it kinda weird, honestly. Nintendo was never big on anti piracy measures (not nearly as bad as Sony at least). Still, kinda sucks. Though pirates are quite resourceful, I'm sure they'll find a way out of it eventually.

 

[Jake]

I don't really care.

 

[Trent the Paladin]

Well darn, guess I won't be picking up Love Plus 3DS.

 

[Zex]

in the end hackers are going to find a way so whats the point.

 

[Jeremy]

As long as they let people know it's going to happen a head of time.

 

[Nic]

They won't brick, they'll just keep updating the firmware and eventually will stop.

 

[DarthGohan1]

I think there are 2 completely separate discussions to be had here:

1) Pirated games: My opinion on this has always been the same - if you're doing something illegal, then Nintendo has every right to brick your 3DS. You are choosing not to pay the publisher/Nintendo/developer/etc. for the game they spent money and time on creating - so I guess you get what you deserve.

2) Games from other regions: How this deserves a system brick I don't know... There were a handful of awesome DS games that never came out in the US - and I know quite a few people were glad they could import them from Japan and still play them and find them enjoyable. Someone still had to buy the game from a retailer, and nothing illegal was being done. From the publishers' and Nintendo's point of view, the game is not brought to the US/Europe for one of two reasons: either not enough demand for the game to be brought overseas, or licensing/publishing issues. Either way, the publisher/Nintendo is spending no money at all distributing and marketing the game in the US/Europe, but any people buying the game over here still add to the game's sales in Japan. Like I said, I don't understand how this is wrong and deserves a system brick, or why Nintendo would even want to discourage this.

 

[Psychonaut]

nintendo's enforcing region-based releases, nbd.

this is the basic warning, imo. just kinda saying "hey guys, we don't support this, if it bricks, it's your fault. we don't like custom firmware and such." which is understandable.

who's to say that they won't, somewhere down the line, offer up a solution for region-based games? i mean.. there's many ways they could handle it, i'm sure.. they could sell a patch, simply update the firmware, or i dunno what else.

i think anything at this point, based on such a vague statement, is just getting all huffy about a simple warning. i dunno.

 

[DarthGohan1]

Didn't the Wii have the warning that Nintendo would brick your system if you cracked it?

 

[Psychonaut]

Didn't the Wii have the warning that Nintendo would brick your system if you cracked it?

i think so..
if you're stupid enough to update your firmware and crash it yourself, then lol @ u. i'm sure there's ways to revert your system back to the original/legal firmware, and if you already know how to install custom ones.. it shouldn't be too hard to undo the mod and play your games perfectly legally. just depends on how fast people can crack it.

nintendo's far from overbearing on this, imo.. meh.

 

[8bit]

NOOOOOOOOOOOO THIS MEANS I CAN'T GET THE NEXT POKEMON GAME THAT COMES OUT ON THE 3DS EARLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

 

[Iober]

Piracy is bad and its good that they are putting their foot down, but non region approved? really?