The mentality of millions of DS gamers:

Better pick mine up fast before theyre gone forever!!

karlo345

@Pezdispenser:
Not just any kind of candy bar, an unreasonable candy bar. =|

Oh well. I just hope people still support companies by buying the game. I know, I know, who would do that, right? I think maybe it'd be kocher to buy the game then use an R4 and the ROM just so you don't have to keep switching carts.

Channing

The mentality of DS gamers:

Better pick mine up fast before they go forver!!!

karlo345

@SupaPhly: *for the R4 problem :P

SupaPhly

Well, the R4 prices AREN'T going to go up if nintendo wins the lawsuit, simply due to the large number of competitor products that are technically superior to the R4 and, at this point in time, the same price if not cheaper already.

A step forward for Nintendo, then two steps back.

This will only succeed in getting the word out to more people about these piracy devices.

C'est la vie!

nago

I have a TTDS (R4 copy) and use it for Japanese games I can't get - also for some other stuff >_>
@Pezdispenser: A high class gum ball is what you're after I see.

goldwings

It kinda reminds me of schools teaching children about the dangers of drugs, meanwhile they are also telling them about it (then they get the idea, etc)

I think it's also news blogs/websites are also to blame

SupaPhly

@mikes_stalker: So true.

Keanu

Not gonna lie, I bought my R4 immediately after I heard about the lawsuits in the UK way back when. Even when I do buy games, I put the Rom on my R4. Why carry a box of games around the metro when you can just keep the DS and always be ready.

djlowballer

Most likely people stocking up so when Nintendo wins the battle, those babies will skyrocket on price!

mikes_stalker

I forgot about these devices and now am going to get one! Only $32 w/ free shipping in USA. Thanks for the update Kotaku (and Nintendo)!

Gouki146

@Pezdispenser: That's gonna be one tiny candy bar, if it's 25 cents.

Zero1328

@Channing:

25 more cents and I can get a candy bar.

Pezdispenser

@Pezdispenser:
Unreasonable, you say? Like only 25 cents more? That's unreasonable. (Joking :3)

Well, if Nintendo wins, there will be a huge supply constraint. It only makes sense that people would rationalize buying it now while prices are at their norm than after (if Nintendo wins) when prices are volitile.

Channing

@shoeonmyfoot:

Can we please ban this spamming idiot?

LittleBigPlaneteer

@shoeonmyfoot: Say hello to the banhammer... Damn spammer

DaFox

@shoeonmyfoot:

Will you quit doing that? Sheesh.

Anyhoo, it only makes sense for this to happen. Heck, I'd buy a few just so I could resell them for an unreasonable profit.

Pezdispenser

To everyone that called it in the last story, We so called it.

DaFox

calling all gamers... mariomarathon.com

shoeonmyfoot

The current lawsuit brought them to my attention once again, and it looks like I'm prolly going to buy one.

Better to be safe than sorry.

.endejas.

this can be viewed in a whole different direction though, in that these R4 carts actually HELP ds hardware sales. a bunchh of my friends didn't buy a ds until they heard of the m3 simply, and i never would have bought a ds if i didn't hear of the m3 simply either. so maybe software companies lose out, but in a sense, nintendo still wins.

sorta.

pinoyunggoy

@TheIrishNinja: M3 Real is better for instance, if I remember correctly not only does it have 100% compatibility but it allows games like Pokémon Diamond/Pearl to link up with corresponding Wii games like Battle Revolution.

Fadakar

@Keanu: Agreed, each time news about these thing pop up more people now about these things, its only worse cause they are very undeground stuff...

TOCATL

@Baka_Survivor: Not really, like people have been saying, when Nintendo started to talk about it and bringing it up on many news sites, it only brings these Slot-1 devices to the light of many people. (even though it is a R4 which is a pretty old device now)

Keanu

I'm ashamed to say this, but I've never heard of this gadget before I read that lawsuit news. Now I HAVE to get one.

BTW, doesn't this device totally debunked that "PSP software is not selling well because of homebrew/mods"

Baka_Survivor

@emotaku: Akiba! As for online... you're not going to get many answers here.

Keanu

@nago: which ones're technically superior to the r4, and how?

TheIrishNinja

@emotaku: www.DealExtreme.com

Shipping takes 2 weeks, but it is free, and you can't really expect shipping any faster unless you buy it off Amazon.

Fadakar

Don't know if Kotaku is the place but I don't suppose anyone knows some trustworthy online suppliers for these puppies?

emotaku

@TheIrishNinja: EZ flash V offers better delevoper support, but you have to manually update the memory data for new games else you can't save, and no GBA support without a slot 2 jumper. NOTE TO EVERYONE: DON'T BUY EZ FLASH V.

denki

@.endejas.: I'm thinkin about it too. I lost my R4 a while ago. M3 is better?

everybest

Hmmmm.... I wonder

eBay/Online store price right now: Reasonable

eBay/Online Store price after Nintendo wins lawsuit: Holy SH*** @_@

I will be like another Marvel vs. Capcom 2

shrek187

I would say that the news exposure certainly helps fuel sales of this stuff.

Much like in the way that piratebay is having downtime right now since the spike of "too many users" after the raid last year

KaliKOtt

@nago: damn, i think you sold me. savestates sound good, soft resets cant hurt, and i didnt even know mine lacked wii connectivity, was counting on that for ghostbusters.

TheIrishNinja

hot beef injection or is that injunction?

silentbob343

Well when you ran the story yesterday the first thing to enter my mind was "I need to get one before they are gone".

I didn't but I at least thougth about it.

Aflack: Likes slushies

Man, new carts have save states these days? I can see people using save states on SNEmulDS, but DS games?

To be honest, I don't get my double standard either. :S!

DeLoRtEd1

"Nintendo and 54 software companies were filing an injection to halt the importation..."

LOL

You mean "injunction"...?

Bardiel18

CycloDS > R4 ;)

Georgiee

@Channing: True, but you still can't leave out what I've said about it. Since they are taking it to court this only adds to the rise like you've said. Still, many reasons that people bought recently. (but yeah I do kinda go with the whole lawsuit thing)

Keanu

@TheIrishNinja: For the enthusiast? Savestates are a big selling point, and wii connectivity, as well as the ability to sponsor download play. Another big selling point of a few other carts are in-game menus for cheats, adjusting screen brightness, and soft-reset back to the multi-game menu.

It's the choice between the Honda Civic and the Mercedes, basically. Nothing wrong with the R4 but it's "dated". Nintendo is just gonna push the fancier carts which will probably hurt their sales more than the R4 could alone...

nago

@Keanu: I know which you're talking about, and it's essentially the same hardware. Just like the M3 Simply is the same hardware as the R4. M3 buys usage of hardware from bigger companies so they do no work and still get paid. They try to innovate(removable storage) but they hardly do much.

Fadakar

@pinoyunggoy:
It's good for Nintendo (maybe. They still have to be concerned about thier first party games) but they also have to back the software developers. If Nintendo said "No, no, their buying our poo-poo so you guys are poop-out-of-luck" to the developers, that would not be so good.

Channing

@Fadakar: ah, that is a cool feature.

@nago: ill check your link, but what extra features do you think're worth it?

TheIrishNinja

@Keanu:
@TOCATL:
Underground where? Japan where they have signs advertising it? If you're talking about here, this is a gaming dedicated blog where gamers often catch wind of this kind of stuff anyway. (For the most part, not counting Baka_Survivor, obviously)
I'm saying the shift in sales is not based in tons of people now knowing about it, I'm saying that it's based in people thinking that Nintendo might win it's lawsuit and there will be no more R4s.
Take the GC controller. Those (probably, I have no hard numbers) started moving faster since there's a chance it'll be leaving the market. Not that people "just found out" about GC controllers and classic controllers.

@Baka_Survivor:
I'm not sure how those two things are related. If someone is DLing all their games, it does impact software sales. Of course, if they're only running homebrew/mods, then they obviously weren't going to pick up software in the first place and just wanted to tinker with the PSP.

Channing

@Fadakar: I've been told the opposite of the M3 Real. I've read that another device (which I won't mention its name, is more expencive and has no removable storage) is one of only two devices that can have DS>Wii play.

Keanu

@TheIrishNinja: Take your pick: [gbatemp.net]

Some are more pricey, but others are just a few dollars ahead of the R4 with many more features.

The R4 has been almost abandoned by enthusiasts of flash cart hardware, in favor of cheaper (by comparison of features to cashmoney ratio) and more feature rich, robust carts.

It's a battle that is a day late, and nintendo will come up a dollar short. the buyers will just buy alternate brands, since there are many.

nago

I don't think it's too surprising they've had a sales spike. All those people who planned to buy one someday are probably now getting in quick in case Nintendo wins the lawsuit. It does suggest though that they aren't really aware of the alternative cartridges.

MattB

@nago: yes, exactly. we were uh, speaking in hypothetical s here, sir.

TheIrishNinja

@denki: aw man, coulda used your help few months back. it was a bitch getting those GBA games to save and not corrupt, but yeah, its sorted now. heh.

TheIrishNinja

@TheIrishNinja: *ahem* well I wasn't trying to sell you anything, I was just trying to inform the folks here that nintendo was basically fighting a battle against an inferior product, so ultimately even if what they were doing wasn't futile for reasons of publicity for "the enemy", it is futile simply because there are better and more other products out there.

So it's a waste of time and money on Nintendo's part.

But hey if you wanted to go out and fuel the fire yourself, I guess no one is stopping you. Surely no one can deny the agonizing convenience of having all your backups with you inside one meager cartridge...

nago

@shrek187:
As much as I am "on Nintendo's side," I don't think they will win. After a bunch of thought, I think maybe they're doing this just for solidarity's sake. More than anything, this is just Nintendo saying "Hey, we're not cool with you guys pirating stuff."
If Nintendo didn't do anything people might think that Nintendo has no qualms with it. However, if Nintendo tries to take a stand (as mis-aimed and weak as it may be) then it at least shows their stance on the issue.

Channing

Seems a strange time to do it, given how long these things (and the DS) have been out. It seems like shutting the door after the horse has bolted.

Could there be a longer game in play here? Perhaps setting a precedent that will be used to protect the next DS2 from the outset. Perhaps determining which "legitimate use" defences are used in this case and making the DS2 in such a way that those use cases are irrelevant?

paulmcg

The best free advertising they could ever get. Nintendo and friends might win, and it would be a good thing if they do, but those R4 guys will have made a tidy sum before it's all over.

Synthemesc

What I don't understand is why Nintendo is bothering with the R4 anyway. Sales have been slouching, manufacturing has been iffy, with even rumors a few months back of R4 team's demise.

If Nintendo wants to put out a real message, they should be looking for the other players in the flash cart market - which is cheaper, better, and updated more often.

Surely R4 is arguably the most popular card out there, but I'm not sure what fueled it - Nintendo or consumer demand? I'd reckon demand came first, but Nintendo definitely accelerated a lot of it themselves by getting the news of it in the prime time - what once was a niche, may not be so much more anymore. Considering these devices don't have the hassle involved with mod-chips, it doesn't take a genius to start using one of these things.

mr_dimsum

Thank you Kotaku for making me sell my Simply right now...

and getting a M3 Real.

Keanu

[www.castle-vidcons.com]

lol

SupaPhly

@nago: pleasure doing not business.

TheIrishNinja

@TheIrishNinja: Ohhh... I getcha. Here's a briefcase of not money in exchange for not illicit goods.

nago

I'm sure it is. I'm also sure Nintendo will take a harder stance against devices like the R4 in the next console.

Foxstar Sixtail

Not shut down, just poorly configured:
[www.r4ds.cn]

Still alive and well. Maybe they shut off the front pages until the heat dies down?

nago

@Foxstar Sixtail: I'm sure they will too. I just hope they don't confuse the issue with stronger region protection. Half my DS game library is imports.

MattB

Has the R4 been shutdown? their website is no longer valid

djlowballer

@Foxstar Sixtail: Yeah, I've owned many of their previous handhelds all the way back to the original brick-sized Gameboy and happily run games from all over the world on them. The recent Wii firmware update that broke the Freeloader though has me concerned. I'm not firmware updating my one any more because I wouldn't be able to play the import games I've legally purchased.

MattB

@MattB:Nintendo's never put in region protection for any of it's handhelds, would be very odd for them to start now.

Foxstar Sixtail

Kudos for Nintendo once again, for officialy not supporting the device, but bringing the subject once again to the news.

Free publicity for the DS.

People who have a DS and don't have a R4 will have a reason to get the dust of their DSs.

And people who don't have DSs and didn't know about R4 will now have one more reason to buy it.

And if they win the Lawsuit, not only they will scrape some money of it, but also won't kill the carts since there are tons of them around, with even better quality.

But we all heard stuff like that before, right Sony?

Bokusatsu_Tenshi

It's a pity Nintendo don't do regular software updates like Sony does for its systems and Nintendo does for the Wii. As one of the few gamers that has never pirated a game "to test it" or whatever it would have no impact on my ability to fully enjoy the system if Nin were able to close the loop on these carts at the hardware level. The people who bought a DS so that they can home brew and what have you, well, I'm sure that they could use pda's for that sort of thing if that's their bag, not that I know much about homebrew, I assume it works on platforms other than DS and PSP...if not...flame away!

ThursdayNext

@ThursdayNext: Preventing hacks at the hardware level isn't especially easy. It has to be something people can't easily just bypass with a soldering iron and a small micro-controller or FPGA chip (i.e. modchips).

People certainly could write homebrew on PDAs, but the PDAs of today aren't really ideal for people writing games or emulators since they lack decent controllers and graphics hardware. There are always open handhelds like the GP2X or upcoming Pandora though.

@Bokusatsu_Tenshi: That's an interesting theory you have there.

MattB

@Bokusatsu_Tenshi: 'Cept with Sony you can do all that for free if you just follow the instructions...

Frank

I'm going to buy an R4, and I don't even own a DS!

JudgeNutmeg

I had never even heard of this until the lawsuit. So, yes, I suppose it IS helping sales in at least one aspect.

PapaBear434

Gotta laugh how it is all focused on the R4 (one of the shittiest DS flashcards anyway). So they ban the R4, it gets replaced in popularity with one of the hundreds of other flashcards doing the rounds.. Acekard 2, Cyclo DS Evolution, TopToyDS, N5..

Good luck Ninty. When will companies learn you can't fix piracy with a few lawsuits - they should be manually breaking compatibility with these carts through new DS firmware on newer models.

Passa

medias are wonderful to make sure everyone hears about something. (Captain obvious right there) When it comes to something that was -underground-, well those are the consequences. Dumby nintendo just made the sales explode because most of the people know they can't wait anymore, and others just learned its existence. Time to grow up nintendo, more cool games, less money making crap.

Phibius

The R4 is the best marketed Flash cart of the bunch, and people ask for it by name at the place that I work even though they don't really know what it does/what it is.

Nintendo needs to hit the manufacturers and the wholesalers, it's funny though, I see many business's selling flash carts here in canada in plain view and have been for a long time. No legal problems for them from anyone.

I think that there are more fake R4's out there than real ones BTW, they look and act exactly the same. AND are even cheaper.

kentuckyfriedAgaIN

LOL! they are just selling more and more... nice move Nintendo xD... they should just ignore the piracy and let them be there will always be people that buy originals because they have money and they can buy originals.

Kurow

@Phibius: Interesting. Most people would draw a relationship between making money and growing up, not vice versa.

CurlyJim

Hahahaha! I went to that store in the first pic! I remember the signs :)

Blebleman

Its funny, the Nintendo anti-piracy site is kind of like an ad for the thing. People go there and they're like, "Wait, I can do WHAT with my DS? That sounds awesome." Like they say, no such thing as bad publicity. They shoulda just let piracy hide in its corner of the internet and written it off. I realize this statement is a little obtuse, because the software makers are the ones who being hurt badly by these things and I don't want piracy to stifle game development.

Off topic, but not totally: any numbers increase in controller sales since this darned Anascape thing?

Ptolemy

The IRONY! Mmmmm, you can taste it in the air!

(It tastes like blood... Oh wait, i have a cut in my mouth.)

MrLister

When i got one for myself they were real easy to find a couple months later i bought one for a freind for christmass just after nintendo first tarted whinnning about them and they were sold out everyware...

dyer

I'm not sure about the Japanese market, but in the United States, why doesn't Nintendo offer their DS games for download at a cheaper cost and allow us to load them onto an R4-type card?

festivus802

All the cart sites are down. Nintendo was pretty thorough. Word on the street is that there is no more manufacturing of carts for awhile if not permanently.

angry_gamer

@P-Flute:

Then you're meeting the wrong class of people.

Colors on its own is worth the price of a flashcart.
[www.collectingsmiles.com]

Koztah

Always felt kind of bitter about things. Because I love the idea of having emulators and homebrew and MP3 playback and all sorts of nifty things on my DS.

But every time I meet someone with one of these flashcards, they've just got 40 DS games they just downloaded without buying the game.

P-Flute

Shops in Japan, judging from pictures, remind me of flea markets here. With all their signs and bins...

JP05

@Kurow: Okay. Someone is going to break into your house and steal your 42" Plasma HDTV. It's all right because someone, somewhere, is buying one, right? Right?

Jonn

I just bought one of these bad boys they're freaking awesome: FREE GAMES!

SonnyBoy

Hey, I recognize the shop selling the R4 pack in that first image :D I was in Tokyo just a couple weeks ago.

Akaraxle

Yeah, I had to search harder than usual to find one on Amazon the night you guys broke the news.

zyph

I would never use R4 for my DS; all my friends have it but I prefer to buy my games to support the game companies.

LeLoi