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    The Nintendo DS is a handheld featuring two screens, one of which is a resistive touchscreen. Four different models are available: the original DS, the DS Lite, the DSi, the DSi XL.

    Nintendo's piracy claim dismissed by courts

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    Jeust

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    #1  Edited By Jeust

    Nintendo found their first loss in court against piracy. 
     
    In spanish courts the company tried to stop the marketing of homebrew products in a website called Movilquick, and the jury found them with lack of evidence to ban the product, emitting this statement: 
     

    "[The device] may be used by acquirers for both pirating games and for adding legitimate functions, including use of legitimate games from other countries, backing up original games, or various other functions such as managing photos, music or operation of free software.

    Ultimately what occurs is the manipulation of hardware to extend its functionality, allowing use for both legitimate and illegitimate ends, but not only illegitimate ones." 

    Source
      
    What do you think of the way Nintendo is trying to end piracy and the courts rulling against it? 
     
    Do you agree with any of it? 
     
    For me i think that it's good that this happened, because there is more to piracy than banning the said products. There has to be action upon the desires of the consumers.  
     
    Removing of region locks and the capacity for creating homebrew software with the Nintendo's software, for instance. 
     
    Or they can be arrogant about it, and make their new console software download only. 
     
    Let's see where this takes us... 
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    toowalrus

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    #2  Edited By toowalrus

    I think that people who pirate games (well, current-gen games, anyway) are scumbags, but it's partially Nintendo's fault for making their carts so easy to reproduce and sell. I'm hoping that all of the next-gen systems and handhelds have the ability to detect pirated copies of games, and BRICK whatever device that is playing them.
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    Cerza

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    #3  Edited By Cerza

    I see this as sort of a mixed blessing. I don't think the piracy thing with the DS is as big as Nintendo claims it to. Heck where I am nobody even knows about these devices, or that you can this with a DS. It feels like whenever something that is being marketed as a big game or whatever today doesn't sell then the company selling it immediately jumps on piracy skapegoat it as opposed to looking into the real issues for why something didn't sell.
     
    I wouldn't be surprised if their next hand held is download only like the PSP Go. Heck I wouldn't be surprised if that's the road the entire industry eventually heads down. Companies make games to make money and there is more money that can be made by cutting out the middleman and selling directly to the consumer via download online. This method also gives companies much more control over what they are selling.

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    worknman

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    #4  Edited By worknman

     One nice thing about DS flash carts is that they allow you to carry around all of your legally owned games on a single mircoSD card, instead of having to carry around game cartridges with you. Why does not Nintendo provide us a 'legit' way to do this? Just like it's stupid for record companies to not sell their songs online (since one can easily rip a CD and upload it), it's equally stupid that Nintendo does not provide us with a legal alternative to flash carts... since pirating on the DS is so easy, those who want to pirate will do so anyway.

    And they're probably not happy with the fact that folks are downloaidng ROMs to play NES/SNES games on their DS, but where's the virtual console for the DS?

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    PureRok

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    #5  Edited By PureRok
    @TooWalrus said:
    " I think that people who pirate games (well, current-gen games, anyway) are scumbags, but it's partially Nintendo's fault for making their carts so easy to reproduce and sell. I'm hoping that all of the next-gen systems and handhelds have the ability to detect pirated copies of games, and BRICK whatever device that is playing them. "
    That will be impossible. Once you let someone get their hands on the hardware they will find a way to hack it. You can keep living in a dream world if you want, though.
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    toowalrus

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    #6  Edited By toowalrus
    @PureRok:
    Jesus, everyone has to find a way to be a prick online, don't they? OK, Microsoft can tell when amateur pirates play bootleged games. They then ban that console from playing online. Is it that farfetched to think that in 10 years they'll be able to tell when the pirates (at least the stupid ones) try to connect online with a bootleg game, and trip a code that will make their console unusable? It won't stop it 100% of coarse, but it'll put a dent in the pirate-fest that the DS and PSP have found their selves in.
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    ZenaxPure

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    #7  Edited By ZenaxPure
    @Cerza said:
    " I see this as sort of a mixed blessing. I don't think the piracy thing with the DS is as big as Nintendo claims it to. Heck where I am nobody even knows about these devices, or that you can this with a DS.  "
    Really? For me it is exactly the opposite, I have about 3 friends that actually buy legit DS games and every single one of the rest use carts to pirate. Pisses me off slightly to be honest.
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    Jimbo

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    #8  Edited By Jimbo

    There was a similar case in the UK where a guy got convicted for selling 360 mod chips but eventually had it overturned on appeal.
     
    It seems to me if they stopped region-locking consoles they might be able to get a conviction to stick.

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    Kazona

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    #9  Edited By Kazona

    I am actually glad Nintendo lost this case. I am getting so sick and tired of companies punishing everyone for something a small percentage does. I understand that piracy is something that must be fought, but when that fight results in innocent people getting hurt, there is something very, very wrong.

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    oldschool

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    #10  Edited By oldschool

    I am also glad that Nintendo lost.  You shouldn't attack legitimate users of applications because some people will break the law.  I use Homebrew to run Japanese games only.  If I owned a PS3 I wouldn't have to.  Region locking is just wrong and I will always support any method to bypass it.

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