Gateway the 3DS flash card manufacturer, has been accused of bricking 3DS consoles by a secret kill switch it introduced in their recent updates.
Reports on the matter suggest that the secret “kill switch” will trigger if users attempt to modify a file within Gateway’s prohibited game launcher.
Many players were trying this since a method to circumvent the 3DS region locking was discovered.
Once the trigger is activated, code will corrupt the 3DS’ NAND flash memory bricking it in the process, leaving only those people who have used the device with no choice but to send their handhelds to Nintendo for repair.
Few of the users have noticed that Gateway had introduced the new code with the recent software update. However, the company has been silent and hasn’t acknowledged the addition.
A forum at GBATemp indicates that the purpose of this update is to protect the piracy-enabling code from being pirated itself.
Gateway wrote on its site regarding the issue:
We are investigating the issue about the recent blue screen bootrom error some users have reported, and we have discovered this is caused by memory corruption due to flawed copying or modifications of our official launcher firmware.
We specifically warn users to avoid clone launcher firmware [companies which sell modified, older versions of Gateway’s code] and avoid the region-free patches made by Normmatt [the user behind the recent region-free discovery].
We can reassure our users that our official (unmodified) launcher firmware is free from such memory corruption and is 100 per cent safe to use.
We feel sorry for the users that are affected by this error, but we have issued warnings in the past about the clone cards for this exact reason, Gateway continued. We pride ourselves to do thorough testing before release; the same cannot be said for our so-called competitors.
Nintendo’s Anti-Piracy statement reads:
Piracy continues to be a significant threat to Nintendo’s business, as well as over 1400 game development companies working to provide unique and innovative games. Through education, raising awareness and legal actions, Nintendo is working hard to preserve the video game industry’s ability to make investments into developing new and exciting games and to give all legally-sold Nintendo games a chance to succeed.
What do you make of this news? Are you affected by this update? Let us know in the comments below!
