the British ESA-equivalent is insane (no, actually Scottish news editors are dumb)

[Space Pirate Roberts]

lolwut

ELSPA: 90 per cent of US gamers use DS piracy chip
Matt Martin 11:38 (BST) 31/01/2008

Claims software sales are lower than any other console

ELSPA has claimed that 90 per cent of all DS users in North America are playing pirated games via the notorious R4 cartridge.

John Hillier, manager of ELSPA's Intellectual Property Crime Unit, said that the R4 – a cartridge that plays hacked games downloaded onto a memory card – is harming sales for Nintendo and making it the least-profitable console on the market.

"The implications are massive. In America it's thought 90 per cent of Nintendo DS users are playing pirated games because of R4s," said Hillier, talking to The Sunday Post.

"Takings from Nintendo DS games in the US are lower than any other console and no doubt it will have a similar impact here," he said, discussing the uptake of the R4 in the UK.

The R4 is available to buy over the internet and unlike previous chips and modifications for other consoles, requires no clumsy hardware modifications.

The biggest threat that the R4 makes to the piracy problem, according to Hillier, is that it allows users the freedom to download hacked games from their PC and import them straight to the handheld.

"That's the real danger – you may think you're getting a good deal but using the R4 is risking the future of the games industry."

"Crucially, the R4 has shifted balance of power in the piracy industry to the consumer – and that is hugely worrying," he said.

GamesIndustry.biz has contacted ELSPA for clarification of the quoted statistics.

Um, I think it's far more likely 90% of DS users have no idea piracy is even possible on it. And as for it being the least profitable current system:

If this were about PSP and custom firmware, it might be believable. Maybe.

[Uriel]

John Hillier, manager of ELSPA's Intellectual Property Crime Unit, said that the R4 – a cartridge that plays hacked games downloaded onto a memory card – is harming sales for Nintendo and making it the least-profitable console on the market.

I lol'd...hard.

This guy really needs to take a look at the PSP.

[cka]

that's just plum not true

lots of us have EZ Flash V carts

[Frogacuda]

Stealth ad for the R4, imo.

[YellerDog]

Notorious? Really?


edt: Yeah... http://www.gamesindustry.biz ? Looking at the home page, that's definitely looking like a front for stealth press release action. Thinly-veiled fluff, anyway.

[gameoverDude]

What a crock. Cut back on the gin, blokes.

90%? There's no way piracy could be that prevalent. R4 carts do have a legitimate use. Could they really be worried about having free homebrew games competing with their cartridge releases? Maybe.

[YellerDog]

It makes me feel like the R4 is, infact, pretty awesome, and something I should pick up.

[Cheebs]

It makes me feel like the R4 is, infact, pretty awesome, and something I should pick up.

You should. They rock.

Hard.




Aside from emulation and the like, there are perfectly usable video and audio players homebrewed for the DS.

[Compass]

Notorious? Really?

Enough already with the "Really?" shit in every thread. It's really irritating.

Stealth ad for the R4, imo.

I wouldn't be surprised.

[Rem]

There's no way piracy could be that prevalent.

Maybe in hong kong.

there are perfectly usable video and audio players

Who the fuck wants to watch a movie on their DS?