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[bryehn]

Funny that this doesn't mention their own ineptitude at keeping their systems secure...

NINTENDO ASKS U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE TO HELP COMBAT GLOBAL VIDEO GAME PIRACY

Nintendo Calls Out Brazil, China, Korea, Mexico, Paraguay and Spain

REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 25, 2009 – Nintendo has outlined a list of countries around the globe that remain leaders in denying adequate and effective protection of video game products. In its annual comments to the U.S. Trade Representative under the "Special 301" process, Nintendo has singled out countries where piracy is rampant and has asked the United States to take further steps to combat it.

Nintendo reports that piracy of its most popular products, the Nintendo DS™ and Wii™ systems, has increased during the year. Nintendo attributes this increase to the availability of circumvention devices, such as "game copiers" and "mod chips." These devices skirt the product security embedded in Nintendo's famous products and enable the play of illegal Nintendo software.

"It is important for parents to note that if users of circumvention devices are children, they may be exposed to unsuitable content downloaded from the Internet and played on their Nintendo systems," said Jodi Daugherty, Nintendo of America's senior director of anti-piracy.

Below is a summary of Nintendo's filing:

PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA: China continues to be the hub of production for counterfeit Nintendo video game products. The number of online shopping sites in China selling infringing Nintendo products is increasing, and help is needed by the government to curtail the growth of these illegal marketplaces. These products are sold both inside China and to the world, including our key market in the United States. Chinese customs officials must stop shipments of game copiers and other infringing products out of China, and China should work in the coming year to eliminate barriers to its enforcement laws.

REPUBLIC OF KOREA: Internet piracy in Korea continues to increase, as does the availability of devices that get around product security and allow for the play of illegal Nintendo software. A massive customs raid of 10 premises that resulted in the seizure of more than 75,000 game copiers at the beginning of 2009 is a positive sign the government is serious about enforcement. Nintendo is pleased with Korea's consistent customs seizures, and courts are now starting to hold distributors of circumvention devices, such as game copiers, accountable. The Korea-U.S. free trade agreement is important to all intellectual property rights holders.

BRAZIL: Federal anti-piracy actions are not reducing piracy in Brazil, and local enforcement efforts are weak. Efforts to prosecute for piracy are virtually nonexistent. Customs and border control agents failed to seize a single shipment of Nintendo video game products in Brazil in 2008. Internet piracy is increasing with no legal infrastructure in place to respond to the threat it poses to rights holders. High tariffs and taxes also constitute market barriers for legitimate video game products.

MEXICO: Anti-piracy actions by the Mexican government in 2008 were wholly inadequate. The Mexican government must recognize the seriousness of the piracy problem and start using existing enforcement tools. Mexico's participation in negotiating the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement is encouraging, but enforcement efforts need to move forward now. The willingness of Mexican customs and Mexican postal service workers to be trained by trademark owners was a positive sign in 2008.

SPAIN: The availability of game-copying devices in Spain is alarming. Internet sites offering game-copying devices and illegal Nintendo software are widespread and must be addressed. Nintendo asks that the Spanish government implement laws protecting the creative copyright industry and enact laws against Internet piracy. Nintendo considers education a priority in its fight against piracy in the European Union. Customs authorities play an important role in enforcing intellectual property rights, and Nintendo is seeing positive signs in this area. Nintendo is pleased about recent steps taken by the Spanish National Police against distributors of game copiers.

PARAGUAY: Corruption continues to hamper anti-piracy efforts. Nintendo's anti-piracy actions in Paraguay show that illegal goods are imported and also locally produced. Border controls are key to decreasing piracy, and the revised criminal code will increase penalties against those distributing circumvention devices in Paraguay.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

SHOTS FIRED

Funny that this doesn't mention their own ineptitude at keeping their systems secure...

Funny how? Oh, we're blaming the publishers for piracy still. If there's too much DRM on software, it's the industry's fault. If there's too little DRM, it's the industry's fault. If the DRM is just right, well, they weren't going to buy it anyway because the game sucks and is kind of short so it's not a lost sale.

 

[maxmars]

Resident Evil: Piracy?

 

[60_gig_PS3]

keeping their system more secure usually involves making more headaches for people who aren't pirates.

I think theyre going about it in the right way.

 

[Tormentoso]

My god the company making the most money since launch is the one that complain the most.

 

[Threi]

My god the company making the most money since launch is the one that complain the most.

wha-

 

[bryehn]

SHOTS FIRED



Funny how? Oh, we're blaming the publishers for piracy still. If there's too much DRM on software, it's the industry's fault. If there's too little DRM, it's the industry's fault. If the DRM is just right, well, they weren't going to buy it anyway because the game sucks and is kind of short so it's not a lost sale.

I was more referring to the Wii's ability to be softmodded by a child and that their security fixes are cracked within days. Even the new DRM on DS carts is cracked almost immediately.

 

[Kandrick]

My god the company making the most money since launch is the one that complain the most.

:lol

Here we go again.

 

[Doc Evils]

good luck with China lol

 

[neorej]

"It is important for parents to note that if users of circumvention devices are children, they may be exposed to unsuitable content downloaded from the Internet and played on their Nintendo systems," said Jodi Daugherty, Nintendo of America's senior director of anti-piracy.

Wait, you can get porn on a modded Wii?

 

[krypt0nian]

uh oh world, Nintendo is mad at you...

 

[KnuckaWut]

you can't just let people get away with it. i mean it's not gonna stop anything but you have to say something, thats more money in the bank.

 

[AstroLad]

keeping their system more secure usually involves making more headaches for people who aren't pirates.

I think theyre going about it in the right way.

Agreed.

 

[Threi]

Wait, you can get porn on a modded Wii?

you can get porn on an unmodded Wii...

 

[sykoex]

Wait, you can get porn on a modded Wii?

Can't you look at porn sites on the Wii's own browser? :lol

beaten

 

[Majmun]

Wasted time. Nintendo can go better make a game or something lik that.

 

[SapientWolf]

good luck with China lol

Many people in China cannot afford to buy video games, even if piracy wasn't an option. The best chance of market penetration in China right now is in reasonably priced MMOs, not $50 games.

 

[DefectiveReject]

My god the company making the most money since launch is the one that complain the most.

Pinch a penny to save a pound

It's generally the richest that stay rich, and Nintendo is old school rich, not new rich so they know how to keep the wealth.

And this is the best way to do it. Call people out and wait a response.

 

[Mohonky]

Does Nintendo even officially release products in many of those countries?

I mean hell even in Australia Nintendo are absolutely rubbish are getting their games out here with in any reasonable time frame and they ever ever drop the prices of their games with any sort of Platinum Games or Best Of.

 

[Burai]

Nintendo attributes this increase to the availability of circumvention devices, such as "game copiers" and "mod chips."

Yeah. I guess the Chinese government will crack down on "game copiers" right after they've dealt with "thing-a-mi-bobs" and "doo-dads".

That's always the problem I have with these reports. They make a good point and undermine it with made up bullshit like saying it funds terrorism, or pumps porn into your home or, as they did before Christmas here in the UK, claim that all imported DS consoles are counterfeit.

The authorities are more likely to get behind you if you aren't making shit up.

 

[SnakeXs]

Why exactly are they asking the US for help in the war on piracy in those countries?

 

[sykoex]

I wonder if stuff like this will make Nintendo go all direct download with their next hardware.

 

[A Twisty Fluken]

keeping their system more secure usually involves making more headaches for people who aren't pirates.

I think theyre going about it in the right way.

What are you talking about? I really love having to get off the couch every time I want to play a different game that is already FULLY INSTALLED on my system's HDD. I also love having to have two separate boxes from different regions that are otherwise entirely identical in order to play import shmups that don't get released here. I love a system that uses system cycles for its hypervisor to make sure nobody's running anything *gasp* unauthorized, like a fantastic media center program, or something silly like that.

It's good that the company took so much care in making sure nobody could do anything they don't specifically allow, and it's good that the system is totally secure otherwise, and they didn't spend all that money and time completely locking the box down only to leave a big gaping hole in the DVD firmware that allows pirates to circumvent disc authentication, thus allowing wanton piracy with nothing but a SATA controller, a DVD burner, and a few blank dual-layer discs. Man, that would be pretty embarrassing. But hey, at least I wouldn't be able to play MKV files!

 

[Pureauthor]

What are you talking about? I really love having to get off the couch every time I want to play a different game that is already FULLY INSTALLED on my system's HDD. I also love having to have two separate boxes from different regions that are otherwise entirely identical in order to play import shmups that don't get released here. I love a system that uses system cycles for its hypervisor to make sure nobody's running anything *gasp* unauthorized, like a fantastic media center program, or something silly like that.

It's good that the company took so much care in making sure nobody could do anything they don't specifically allow, and it's good that the system is totally secure otherwise, and they didn't spend all that money and time completely locking the box down only to leave a big gaping hole in the DVD firmware that allows pirates to circumvent disc authentication, thus allowing wanton piracy with nothing but a SATA controller, a DVD burner, and a few blank dual-layer discs. Man, that would be pretty embarrassing. But hey, at least I wouldn't be able to play MKV files!

Somebody sounds bitter.

 

[bryehn]

What are you talking about? I really love having to get off the couch every time I want to play a different game that is already FULLY INSTALLED on my system's HDD. I also love having to have two separate boxes from different regions that are otherwise entirely identical in order to play import shmups that don't get released here. I love a system that uses system cycles for its hypervisor to make sure nobody's running anything *gasp* unauthorized, like a fantastic media center program, or something silly like that.

It's good that the company took so much care in making sure nobody could do anything they don't specifically allow, and it's good that the system is totally secure otherwise, and they didn't spend all that money and time completely locking the box down only to leave a big gaping hole in the DVD firmware that allows pirates to circumvent disc authentication, thus allowing wanton piracy with nothing but a SATA controller, a DVD burner, and a few blank dual-layer discs. Man, that would be pretty embarrassing. But hey, at least I wouldn't be able to play MKV files!

Uh, wrong console?

 

[squicken]

What's different about Spain compared to other Western European countries that makes piracy a problem? I know the south of Europe is a not as affluent, by why just Spain?

 

[Ranger X]

Funny that this doesn't mention their own ineptitude at keeping their systems secure...

No system is secure.


.

 

[A Twisty Fluken]

Somebody sounds bitter.

I have no idea what you're talking about.

 

[shuri]

well the ps3 is pretty secure so far.

 

[Datschge]

Yea, odd that Spain got singled out there even being a big market already. I guess Nintendo lawyers are missing some draconic DMCA style copyright laws there or something?

 

[Totobeni]

Nintendo Calls Out Brazil, China, Korea, Mexico, Paraguay and Spain

good luck with that .

in all of these countries , plus Middle East , most people ( poor people , the majority there ) buys Wii , PSP and X360 systems because they are hackable and they can play backups/pirated shit on them , and since the copyright laws are non existence out these , then i thin this is useless .


but I blame Nintendo too , at least Microsoft did made NXE hard to break and ban every scum that have modded X360 and we know about the PS3 and PSP3000 , on the other hand What Nintendo did ? shitty FW update that hacked a week later , and DSi already hacked too .

No system is secure.


.

very true but you should try to make it better and harder to break like What MS and Sony doing .

 

[Panajev2001a]

SHOTS FIRED



Funny how? Oh, we're blaming the publishers for piracy still. If there's too much DRM on software, it's the industry's fault. If there's too little DRM, it's the industry's fault. If the DRM is just right, well, they weren't going to buy it anyway because the game sucks and is kind of short so it's not a lost sale.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTx2MAOspS4

(it is kinda embarrassing )

 

[Kandrick]

very true but you should try to make it better and harder to break like What MS and Sony doing .

But why would nintendo make it harder to break ? It will "eventually" be hacked, and it also helps sale of hardware in those countries. I know alot of people here that only buy the "hackable" consoles.

 

[Cofor]

Piracy is very strong here in Brazil.
It's turning into a culture among the young people who is not rich.
Only rich people can afford a R$ 2399,00 console ( USD 1002.00 ) and R$ 179,00 games ( USD 74.83 )

 

[Totobeni]

But why would nintendo make it harder to break ? It will "eventually" be hacked, and it also helps sale of hardware in those countries. I know alot of people here that only buy the "hackable" consoles.

I know , that why no one buy PS3 in these countries :lol

but anyway ..why ? ..it's for Software sales .

 

[RevoDS]

Resident Evil: Piracy?

I thought of that too :lol

 

[Tormentoso]

Pinch a penny to save a pound

It's generally the richest that stay rich, and Nintendo is old school rich, not new rich so they know how to keep the wealth.

And this is the best way to do it. Call people out and wait a response.

Is not that is the fact that they are actually calling out country's now,nintendo has always been one of the biggest fighters or piracy on the market,is not a problem of those country's like they put it more or less,piracy is alive and well even on US who has strong laws against it,in some of this places they succeed more because many have allot of people who is poor.

But out of the 3 Nintendo is the one who complains the most,even that they are the ones making more money is ok don't get me wrong is their property and every has the right to fight for what we own,they just complain to much.

 

[Kandrick]

But out of the 3 Nintendo is the one who complains the most,even that they are the ones making more money is ok don't get me wrong is their property and every has the right to fight for we own,they just complain to much.

They have every right to complain though. Sure they are very vocal about it, but they should.

 

[Carlisle]

Resident Evil: Piracy?

Zombie pirates? Day 1.

 

[Defuser]

My god the company making the most money since launch is the one that complain the most.

Which company doesn't want to make more?

 

[Metal Gear?!]

Oh boo hoo. If they're not doing as much as you think they should be doing then the appropriate response is to pirate their IP and see how they like it.

 

[Tormentoso]

Which company doesn't want to make more?

You are right non...:lol

 

[Acosta]

Why I am not surprised to see Spain there?

 

[Pureauthor]

Oh boo hoo. If they're not doing as much as you think they should be doing then the appropriate response is to pirate their IP and see how they like it.

I... what?

 

[A Twisty Fluken]

at least Microsoft did made NXE hard to break and ban every scum that have modded X360

It's good that believing this might make you feel better, but it's not remotely true. There are plenty of "scums" that take their copied 360 games onto live every single day. The few ban waves that there have been haven't come anywhere close to taking out everyone, and they've been per console, so all the pirates would have to do is switch out their box via some other unscrupulous and illegal method or just put it on craigslist/ebay and they're back in business.

Wait what?

Since when did others want us to act like we're the entire world's police force?

I think it might be unfortunate grammar. Various countries = do SOMETHING, U.S. = do more.

 

[Sixfortyfive]

Nintendo has singled out countries where piracy is rampant and has asked the United States to take further steps to combat it.

Wait what?

Since when did others want us to act like we're the entire world's police force?

 

[Leonsito]

Nintendo Calls Out Brazil, China, Korea, Mexico, Paraguay and Spain

Totally deserved, we are the shittiest market in Europe.

 

[Ranger X]

very true but you should try to make it better and harder to break like What MS and Sony doing .

Still, i'm sure the piracy of the DS in particular gave ALOT of sales for Nintendo. I think that a reasonable amount of piracy is profitable all in all.


.

 

[Ikael]

Brazil: A PS3 cost 1000$ there, a Wii around 700$. The minimum wage is around 150$. Who the hell gets surprised that people pirates videogames there, then again?

Mexico: Their police is too busy fighting drug dealers that bombs their police station with mortars to take care of piracy. It is an understandable set of priorities, me thinks.

People's republic of china: You cannot atempt to control piracy on a 1,6 billion person, it is simply not viable from a logicstic point of view.

Paraguay: Imitation of trademarks are the main mean of life of many of its citizens.

Spain: We already pay a "piracy tax" by every CD / Hard drive sold. If Nintendo doesnt get a share of it, they should start bugging the SGAE (Spanish RIAA, takes care of the distribution of said money) instead of the consummer.

Republic of Korea: No idea of what is going on there.

 

[drizzle]

BRAZIL: Federal anti-piracy actions are not reducing piracy in Brazil, and local enforcement efforts are weak. Efforts to prosecute for piracy are virtually nonexistent. Customs and border control agents failed to seize a single shipment of Nintendo video game products in Brazil in 2008. Internet piracy is increasing with no legal infrastructure in place to respond to the threat it poses to rights holders. High tariffs and taxes also constitute market barriers for legitimate video game products.

That's the main problem with Brazil. Videogames fall into the gambling bracket of taxes. ANY Game has a 150% tax added to it. No wonder nobody sells their stuff down here (only Microsoft, but the prices are absurd and they only release games that Microsoft itself publishes).

All the problems listed on that press release are pretty much because of this Tariff. If I legally import a Wii to my house, i'll pay, at best, 60% taxes. If nintendo decides to sell their console here, they'll have to pay 150% taxes, and those taxes will obviously be passed on customers.

Internet piracy happens everywhere and i don't see how you can prevent/punish it. What you have to do is stop modchips (which, again, comes a funny story: A Wii WITH a modchip is CHEAPER than a Wii without it. Mostly because Wii with modchips come from Paraguay, where there's little to no border fiscalization, while unmodded wiis come from the United States, where there's a lot of fiscalization).

Brazil has to do something about the retardness of it's taxes. Nintendo is the only company that's, apparently, bitching abotu it to the government. Microsoft doesn't say anything, they just pass the tax to the customers, and Sony doesn't give a rats ass about Brazil.

There's a proposed law to change in which bracket videogames fall on the taxing, and taking into consideration how the president's son owns a game-related company (mostly about cellphone games), you'd think the law would go quickly through the bureaucracy and get accepted. That's not what's happening tho, that particular law is going around the senate for the past 2 years.

For any Brazilian that wants to follow where the law is stuck now, you can always go to http://www.camara.gov.br/Sileg/Prop_Detalhe.asp?id=343613

Edit: Reading about this, i found another piece of information that i have to share. Down here, we play taxes over taxes (that's why everything is so expensive when imported to Brazil). One of the Taxes charged (called IPI) is 50% on VideoGames, and 20% on VideoPoker machines. THAT's what's wrong with this country, not piracy.