Nintendo’s DS suffered from some serious, crippling piracy problems. It was too damned easy to load up an SD card filled to the brim with roms and play away to your thieving heart’s content.
That’s changed a little with the 3DS, but only a little. It’s still both possible and easy to pirate games in Nintendo’s current handheld – but for a change, Nintendo’s starting to fight back with more than just firmware updates. They’re handing out bans.
Pokémon Sun and Moon are out for Nintendo’s 3DS, and according to critics it’s great, bringing some real changes to the formula. Because Pokémon is one of the biggest game franchises on earth, it’s natural that pirates have managed to get their hands on it early.
They’re also getting their hands on fat bans from Nintendo. Sites that dabble with this sort of thing have reports from users saying that they’ve been banned for playing illicitly downloaded copies of the games. They’re facing error code 002-0102 when they try do anything online, along with messages saying “This device’s access to online services has been restricted by Nintendo.”
Nintendo has also confirmed the bans to Kotaku.
“As a result of a number of Nintendo 3DS users using unauthorized versions of several games, and connecting to the official game servers in violation of our terms of service, these users’ Nintendo 3DS systems that stored the unauthorized game code have been banned from Nintendo’s online network effective immediately.”
The bans effectively neuter the systems, barring access from the eShop or any other online activities. It seems to be based on the hardware, so those who have been banned – if it’s permanent – will have to buy new 3DS systems to get online.
Naturally, some affected pirates are angry, saying they’ll never buy from Nintendo again. Maybe it was the fact that you tried to avoid buying things that got you in to this mess in the first place?
Last Updated: November 17, 2016
Lord Chaos
November 17, 2016 at 12:16
Good. Just hope it’s permanent.
Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0
November 17, 2016 at 12:33
They lose all their games, even the ones the bought legit
https://media.giphy.com/media/reJOGQ43nNeGk/giphy.gif
Lord Chaos
November 17, 2016 at 12:37
What bothers me most is the attitude of some of them, I’m surprised they’re not trying to sue Nintendo…
Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0
November 17, 2016 at 12:40
T&Cs, better read them then. Thing is, they know piracy is wrong and yet they’re upset when they get punished for it
Lord Chaos
November 17, 2016 at 12:44
Exactly. Like stealing a bike then getting angry at the manufacturer when you crash it…
But then again, Trump is president elect…
VampyreSquirrel
November 17, 2016 at 12:40
Who plays pirated games while online anyway? Seriously! Either buy the game and support the devs or grow a brain… better yet, just do both!
Admiral Chief Argonian
November 17, 2016 at 13:18
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
Raptor Rants
November 17, 2016 at 14:03
“saying they’ll never buy from Nintendo again”
lol. and exactly what did you buy other than the handheld? Yeah. Real loss ther for Nintendo. How will they ever survive with the sudden drop in sales to pirates… Oh wait. They won’t lose anything more than they already have
Craig "Crios" Boonzaier
November 17, 2016 at 15:04
Need to stay away from the internet this weekend.
As all the non EU people get their game tomorrow.
Treezle
November 18, 2016 at 10:19
This form of ban is nothing new. Microsoft has been doing this for years (permanent network ban) with the Xbox 360, with people who had modded consoles (myself included) Bought my Xbox in China and games cost the equivalent of R10 back in 2006. Not my proudest moment but hey when you are a student….