Nintendo 3DS warning confirms bricking of system if you pirate games

There was a rumor that the Nintendo 3DS might be rendered useless if you use flash cards, or basically do stuff that Nintendo doesn't want you doing with their hardware. And now we seem to have proof, as a member of our forums pointed out that the back of Ridge Racer 3D's box has quite a clear warning:

Important! Read the Nintendo 3DS operations manual before setup or use of your system. This product contains technical protection measures. Use of an unauthorized device or any unauthorized technical modification to your Nintendo 3DS system, will render this game and/or system unplayable.

And boom goes the dynamite.

Update: People have pointed out that similars warnings have existed before. But neither the DS or the Wii are so focused on using features such as SpotPass, nor did Nintendo make such a big deal about anti-piracy as they have done recently. I think this warning could have more weight this time around. But I guess we'll see.

Update #2: This was sent in by my friend Franco for some clarification: "On the DS and Wii warning it doesn't mention the system and on the 3DS warning it does. Also, on the 3DS warning it uses the more forcefull "will render" whereas the Wii and DS one uses the more forgiving "may render."

Also, flash carts are working on the 3DS at the moment. But the whole point of this anti-piracy system is that the bricking happens after a system update that will come at some unknown time. And I bet Nintendo will package these bricking updates in with the most exciting features like the eShop and messaging system.

Link

Boo hoo? Cry me a river? Simply don't mod your 3DS and you have nothing to worry about. Get a job and buy your games. Become productive in your life and do something with it.

^ this. There's just no point of piracy.

Boo hoo? Cry me a river? Simply don't mod your 3DS and you have nothing to worry about. Get a job and buy your games. Become productive in your life and do something with it.

MicrosoftISdumb

ah yes because all hackers are evil scum bags right? sorry to break it to you folks thats not always the case hackers can do some amazing mods.kayoticdreamz

As I've pointed out before, if you're into the mod and homebrew scene then the 3DS isn't the system for you, and you'd be better off with something explicitly designed with that intent in mind (such as the Pandora).

Also, my gut tells me that people who are planning to mod their 3DS exclusively to use homebrew software (and I'm not talking about emulators for software pirated from older systems) are in a statistically insignificant minority.

So, I really don't have any sympathy for someone who mods their 3DS in any way and wakes up one morning to find that it has been rendered inoperable.

Unemployed people have more to worry about than games. Also, I'll believe this bricking when I see it. Sounds illegal, and like something another platform manufacturer would have implemented awhile ago if it wasn't.ClaudeLv250

Nintendo already did it with the Wii and weren't sued for it, so who knows.

Anyway, I've got no problem with Nintendo bricking users who pirate their games. It might only be effective for a short time (until it gets updates), but maybe it'll catch out enough people to be somewhat discouraging.

Sounds illegal...ClaudeLv250

Apparently it's not since it's just Nintendo modifying system firmware which they legally own, and if the firmware just happens to be "incompatible" with certain user modifactions, well, too bad for the user.

Good, and I hope they actually do it

With 3DS game development tripling, it's understandable.

Good. They should get bricked. But people will always be able to get around it. Saddly.

Good. They should get bricked. But people will always be able to get around it. Saddly.

Tasimb

It's going to be harder with the 3DS since features like SpotPass and StreetPass will almost certainly require the latest firmware, so if people figure out a way to get around automatic updates, they're probably going to wind up with a crippled system anyway.

[QUOTE="Tasimb"]

Good. They should get bricked. But people will always be able to get around it. Saddly.

dzimm

It's going to be harder with the 3DS since features like SpotPass and StreetPass will almost certainly require the latest firmware, so if people figure out a way to get around automatic updates, they're probably going to wind up with a crippled system anyway.

Harder, but never impossible. It'll only take time.

We can only hope that the 3DS is able to defend itself for as long as it can.

I do not condone piracy, but since Nintendo region locked the system, I do hope that they have an NA version of Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney. That and many Japanese titles they may announce.

Yeeaaaah. People will probably have zero problems pirating games, as usual. If updates can brick the 3DS, it wont take long until people can block the update.

[QUOTE="MicrosoftISdumb"]

Boo hoo? Cry me a river? Simply don't mod your 3DS and you have nothing to worry about. Get a job and buy your games. Become productive in your life and do something with it.

Batang_X990

Good, and I hope they actually do it

LaytonsCat

Yeeaaaah. People will probably have zero problems pirating games, as usual. If updates can brick the 3DS, it wont take long until people can block the update.

Litchie

Wont stop pirates you guys should know this by now. Whatever Nintendo does im sure they will find away around it. Also if flash cards are working already then they have already lost. I'm sure your not forced to update your system and if they employ firmware requirements for games like the psp did then hackers will just come up with custom firmware. Hell they'll create it anyway to add in features as Nintendo does.

The industry shouldn't be worried about pirates anyway because time and time again it has been proved that a good game will sell. Make a crappy game and not only will it not sell but it will be pirated all to hell. The problem with the industry being that most people are making crappy games now so their scared.

ah yes because all hackers are evil scum bags right? sorry to break it to you folks thats not always the case hackers can do some amazing mods. furthermore like all attempts to stop piracy this one will be beaten soon enough. i love how companies think oh great a new security feature will stop the pirates for sure...its laughable.kayoticdreamz

Thats good, but it probably also applies to homebrew aswell which i dont find anything wrong with. I just hope Nintendo doesn't pull a Sony.