DS Flash Cartridges now Illegal in the UK
Homebrew-enabling devices such as Flash Cartridges are now banned from Britain. In an anti-piracy law that was discussed today, the UK has decided to make a ruling against any flash cartridges being imported or sold in the UK, including, but not limited to, M3DS Simply and R4DS just to name a few. While flash carts were originally used to boot homebrew software like Web Browsers, Organization Software (see DSOrganize), IRC Clients, Email Checkers and all sorts of useful tools, their legality has been questioned as commerical game backups can easily be downloaded and booted on the console thanks to flash cartridge software loaders.
Nintendo was thrilled at the result of the new UK law, and gleefully issued the following statement, quote:
Nintendo promotes and fosters game development and creativity, and strongly supports the game developers who legitimately create new and innovative applications.
Nintendo initiates these actions not only on its own behalf, but also on behalf of over 1,400 video game-development companies that depend on legitimate sales of games for their survival.
In the U.K. alone, there have been over 100,000 game copying devices seized since 2009.
With the 3DS featuring supposedly uncrackable and paranoid security checks, this move by the UK law may hinder gamers that want to try games before they buy them on the Nintendo DS family of portable gaming consoles. It’s only a matter of time before the big N tries to make flash cartridges illegal in the US. With Nintendo winning a lawsuit against a flash cartridge retailer in Australia earlier this year, could it be the end of the humble flash cartridge?
Sourced from MMGN Wii.
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