Nintendo Unveils Piracy-proof Console

Printable View

10-03-2003, 12:21 PM
sharedholder

Nintendo unveils piracy-proof console (iQue) for Chinese market

You might know that currently most console manufacturers are making money on the games, while losing money on the game consoles. By have a large share of market presence with their console they are hoping the people will start to buy game and this way the console manufacturer generates its income.

But when people start to copy these games this means less profits for the manufacturers. Certainly in China, which has one the largest piracy rates in the world, this would become a major problem. Nintendo is hoping to have found a solution and will be the first to enter the Chinese market with, according to the company, a piracy proof console. The console will no longer use optical discs, but instead a memory card.

We plan to offer an affordable price so that the general public across China can play our games. This will eventually help foster the software industry in China," Nintendo spokesman Ken Toyoda said in a report in the Daily Times of Pakistan. The game device--dubbed iQue Player--is said to be capable of playing both SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System) and Nintendo 64 titles, and will sell for 498 yuan (US $ 60), including the memory card, according to games web site Total Video Games.
It will be sold from mid-October in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu. Software can be downloaded onto the 64MB card at 48 yuan (US $ 5.80) per title at selected licensed shops, and 10 titles will be offered at the launch of the console, including Mandarin versions of the firm's trademark software title Super Mario series.

I bet for the hairs of Mario's mustache that this would also work very well in the US and Europe. The move comes as part of Nintendo's global strategy to compete with rivals Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox

SOURCE
10-03-2003, 12:58 PM
MetroStars

sum 1 wud find a way around this...
10-03-2003, 03:52 PM
L0rD_S0tH

Quote:

Originally posted by MetroStars@3 October 2003 - 06:58
sum 1 wud find a way around this...

I agree. nuthin is "piracy proof". :lol:

They can make it harder to copy but they can't make it impossible.....or can they?
10-03-2003, 04:13 PM
muchspl2

sound like there tring to price it where people will just buy it
but your right, maybe a card reader/writer
10-03-2003, 04:43 PM
L0rD_S0tH

Quote:

Originally posted by muchspl2@3 October 2003 - 10:13
sound like there tring to price it where people will just buy it

yeah, can't argue with that logic. I know I would have bought a PS2 or xbox when They first came out if they weren't freaking $250!!!!
10-03-2003, 07:17 PM
Xelotath

This isnt really a competition move for Nintendo. Nintendo has always been good at keeping piracy limited as best as possible. Its just a new thing that probably won't go outside china/japan.
10-03-2003, 10:00 PM
TheDave

does that mean its going back to carts?

and remember you can get pirate gameboy carts
10-03-2003, 10:04 PM
Cygnuz-Y

Nintendo is just desesperated, they are not selling consoles thats why the price dropped, dont pay attention to them :lol: <_<
10-03-2003, 10:08 PM
TheDave

ive heard they always go by the rule of cheap consoles and expensive games. they should give us animal crossing and advertise then we'd kick everyone's ass
10-03-2003, 10:15 PM
asmithz

Quote:

Originally posted by MetroStars@3 October 2003 - 04:58
sum 1 wud find a way around this...

I agree, ther dum it probly so easy to get around it. :P
10-04-2003, 01:10 AM
Keikan

Wtf? That sounds like a higher chance of piracy
10-04-2003, 05:02 AM
brax

It still bugs me to this day that the big N has not taken advantage the piracy market as they could. If they want to sell more systems, the best thing they could do is make it able to play roms.

Just think of it, when the next Nintendo system comes out, it will obviously have online capabilities. So why not give it the ability to download the emulators(or have a N supplied emulator guarenteed to work) and roms from the net. They could have a Nintendo sponsored site with access to every single nes and snes and perhaps even n64 game made.(im sure they still have the rights) They could even charge a couple of bucks per download. Who here wouldnt pay for a system that could play all the classics?

I honestly think that would be the smartest thing that nintendo could do. All the best games in the N lineup(with a few notable exceptions) came out for the nes and snes.

anyone agree?
10-04-2003, 05:08 AM
uNz[i]

Err.. I Don't know if this is correct but... :unsure:

I thought Nintendo had the game piracy thing pretty much sorted with the Gamecube and it's amazing backwards spinning CD...

Did someone find a way of getting around that too?
Or was the reverse spin CD just a myth?

Edit:

Quote:

All the best games in the N lineup(with a few notable exceptions) came out for the nes and snes.

True... that's why the big N always re-release those games with every new console... remember Mario Allstars for the SNES? Also, what about all the SNES games that got ported to the Gameboy Advance? <_<
10-04-2003, 11:34 AM
tHe LiNk

Quote:

Originally posted by Cygnuz-Y@3 October 2003 - 22:04
Nintendo is just desesperated, they are not selling consoles thats why the price dropped, dont pay attention to them :lol: <_<

Actually, their price was originally the lowest in the entire console market, and they were still beating the xbox, they continue to drop it due to sony and microsoft continuing to do the same. Trust me, they are having no problems whatsoever selling consoles.