Surprise Nintendo 3DS Update Targets Hacks, Pirated Games

By Ricky Frech

With the shutting down of the Nintendo 3DS eShop, many probably assumed that the company would stop issuing patches for the system. After all, now that users can no longer access the online store, the need for stability updates is relatively minimal. That said, Nintendo has pushed one such update through on the 3DS, and many players think that it's targeting hacks and pirated games. It's a move that isn't that surprising coming from a company like Nintendo that rigorously protects its IP, but it is a major blow to anyone trying to preserve the many third-party and digital-only games that were lost when the eShop closed its door.

The news was first spotted by TheGamer, this update seems pretty minimal if you read Nintendo's official patch notes. Those simply say that the update "improved system stability and convenience." However, several users have been letting everyone know that the update essentially breaks several tools hackers are using to get pirated games onto the platform. If you already have those programs on your 3DS, you're fine to update, but there doesn't really seem to be much of a reason to do so.

Again, protecting IP is a priority for every company, but Nintendo's move here seriously hurts preservation efforts. Obviously, it's their system, so they can do what they want, but this only highlights why so many people wanted the store to either stay open or for Nintendo to do something on its own to preserve these libraries. At this point, your only recourse for picking up some of the rarer games is to use hacks or go through scalpers. And if you want some of the digital-only titles, you don't have any options besides pirating them.

Hopefully, this move signifies that Nintendo has larger plans for the future. If the company is completely taking away access, you would like to see them give another way for players to download those old games. That said, this is Nintendo we're talking about. They've been slow-rolling the distribution of old games on Nintendo Switch for a while now, so expecting them to speed things up will likely only end in disappointment. 

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