AfterDawn: News

Nintendo fights Wii modchips

Nintendo has altered the hardware components of new Wii units in an attempt to block the use of currently available modchips that enable users to play copied games. The new units are part of a new shipment of Wiis and contain an altered circuit layout that makes modification much more difficult than with the earlier versions of the console.

Sources noted that attempting to modify the newer consoles with the older modchips will most likely lead to damage. However, new generation modchips for the Wii may become available within a month of the newer Wiis hitting the streets. Services that offer Wii modification said it's likely that Nintendo will adopt BGA (ball grid array) IC packaging to prolong the time needed to develop new modchips by about four months.



Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft have all altered the circuitry of their consoles before to combat against modding.

Source:
DigiTimes

Written by: James Delahunty @ 27 Mar 2007 8:40

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• 16 comments

• eiffel65

  They dare take the joy of modding a console from gamers and modders?!?! Boycott!!!

  27.3.2007 08:49 #1

• Allegro1

  Boycott?
  I'll bet even money that sales will rise among modders who see this as a new challenge. Sort of like advertising something is "hack proof" only mkes it more appealing to hackers.

  27.3.2007 09:06 #2

• eiffel65

  Originally posted by Allegro1:Boycott?
  I'll bet even money that sales will rise among modders who see this as a new challenge. Sort of like advertising something is "hack proof" only mkes it more appealing to hackers.
  True, true. What do we do then? Screw Wii? I never had one, and I will certainly not get one, especially now.

  27.3.2007 09:46 #3

• imnomyth

  Seriously though, once a console is modded, most gamers with a mod cease to purchase games. So if you're a modder and you boycott Nintendo, you're not hurting them at all.

  27.3.2007 09:51 #4

• shiroh

  its a losing battle....

  27.3.2007 09:53 #5

• eiffel65

  Originally posted by imnomyth:Seriously though, once a console is modded, most gamers with a mod cease to purchase games. So if you're a modder and you boycott Nintendo, you're not hurting them at all.
  Yeah, but it will cut sells for their games, and maybe stop completely.

  27.3.2007 10:16 #6

• Gradical

  Sources noted that attempting to modify the newer consoles with the older modchips will most likely lead to damage
  
  hahahaha this is so funny it totally makes me remembre of the cps2 suicide boards, wich if you tried to dumo it completely burned the chips, still somehow with a lot of witchcrafting and demon summonings they figured it out
  
  maybe its time for them to bring out the big weapons and start equiping wiis with teaser guns so if you try to open it, it completely stuns you
  
  cobras are more effective but there is that little feeding problem
  and cyborg cobrass would most certainly rise production costs so theyd have to cut the backwards compatibility and the pricetag would be around 599 usd
  hahahahhahaa

  27.3.2007 11:15 #7

• tefarko

  a mod chip doesn´t mean piracy only... it means the hability to play back-ups of legal (and expensive) games too...
  
  maybe if they offered free replacement of scratched or destroyed game disks people wouldn´t need the mod...

  27.3.2007 12:24 #8

• ZippyDSM

  eiffel65
  calmness,think of it this way the older ones will be cheaper so buy a used unit save 70$ and buy a chip for it :3

  27.3.2007 14:29 #9

• j2huggar

  Wonder if the first and second gen chips are going to go down in price due to this.

  27.3.2007 17:10 #10

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by j2huggar:Wonder if the first and second gen chips are going to go down in price due to this.
  it takes 2-6 months for it to the main reason being stocks the newer revisions take some time to become the only "new" console available.

  27.3.2007 17:15 #11

• eiffel65

  Originally posted by ZIppyDSM:eiffel65
  calmness,think of it this way the older ones will be cheaper so buy a used unit save 70$ and buy a chip for it :3
  Never thought of it, that way... and by the way, I am calm. Well, now I am.

  28.3.2007 13:01 #12

• ZippyDSM

  eiffel65
  hehehehe buying 2nd hand is fun :3

  28.3.2007 13:05 #13

• spydah

  I can see it now Nintendo chasing modders down with the nun chuck controller/ bumcake thrasher whathaaaaaaaaa!!! lol

  28.3.2007 17:34 #14

• diableria

  haha no matter what they do they wont stop us from buying modded consoles. so get over it, i personally spend my money on modded consoles and blank dvds.

  31.3.2007 08:21 #15

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by diableria:haha no matter what they do they wont stop us from buying modded consoles. so get over it, i personally spend my money on modded consoles and blank dvds.and the internet :P

  31.3.2007 08:33 #16