Nintendo and a group of developers are suing Japanese game importers over pirated software
News out of Japan has Nintendo and a group of its games developers taking on importers of devices that allow pirated software to play on the DS portable console.
Nintendo has decided to the manufacturers head on because they are suffering loses in this harsh economic times.
Admittedly, this law suit is in Japan, but the devices – such as the R4 revolution – are available in Australia from any electronic store.
However, the amount being sued, US$4.4 million, hardly a drop in the ocean as far as missing out on sales, but it will probably be a test case for other suits that might be brought against similar folk in the near future.
A couple of my friends have R4’s, and they are certainly handy. Maybe Nintendo and the developers should also look at the cost of their games. It’s pretty hard for some people – especially those struggling financially – to look at a $50 or $80 game and then look at their $30 R4 and buy the former. However, developers do have to cover R&D costs and make a profit, so the solution – other than a full-on crackdown, is up in the air.
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