With the release of a new tool that allows people to play backed up copies of games available on Nintendo Wii, some are suggesting that this is really little more than a gateway to piracy.
There is word recently on TehSkeen that a software tool has been developed for the Nintendo Wii that allows gamers to play back-up copies of Nintendo Wii games. The claims were backed up by video that was reposted on YouTube:
If one is skeptical about the mere screen capture of what is going on, a video of someone physically entering the disc into the system and doing the same thing (albeit, with a lower quality) is here:
Additional information is available on TehSkeen. Here’s a sample:
It’s time for another exclusive video from TehSkeen. This time our feature presentation is a demonstration of the work in progress Nintendo Wii Backup Loader coded by the infamous and often controversial hacking guru Waninkoko. Yeah, read the first sentence again if you’re at a loss for words.
The ISO Loader works like this. You create a legal backup of a game you own, convert the ISO file with a special program then burn it. After this, you copy over the ISO Loader to the Homebrew Channel and run it. It will boot the legal backup. Pretty simple. Oh, and no modchip is required. However, it does require you to have Waninkoko’s Custom IOS installed.
This is a unprecedented moment in Nintendo Wii hacking history as is probably going to cause a massive movement in the scene. Too bad Nintendo didn’t take Bushing’s advice on blocking the method of doing this. Maybe they will now? Of course, this sort of thing isn’t condoned by the “general” homebrew scene and when it’s released will ultimately lead to some turmoil.
TehSkeen doesn’t support piracy. We don’t index releases, we don’t spread torrents, we don’t run contests to dump VC/Wiiware games. Heck, we don’t host any tools to inject WAD files with. Waninkoko’s motivation for creating the ISO Loader is unknown, but it is illegal and morally wrong to use it for booting illegal copies of games you don’t own.
The last paragraph has pretty much been a staple disclaimer for any kind of console video-game backups. It dates clear back to when NES emulators for the PC were programmed and dumping the information off of the cartridge into ROM files were the standard ways to make backup copies of legitimately paid for games. One of the more infamous disclaimers was basically (paraphrased as there is frequent variations of this particular one) ‘if you do not legitimately own the game for the respective ROM, you must delete the ROM within 24 hours.’
While some are arguing that this is merely fair use and an extension of the practice of backing up PC games, people like the reporter from GIzmondo have quickly called the news as “the Holy Grail of Wii piracy”
Is there cause for concern over the possibility that Nintendo would do everything in its power to stop such technology? Nintendo has already legally pursued companies importing R4 chips for the Nintendo DS in Japan just two months ago. It’s unclear whether or not they would go after a non-profit entity though.
Whichever side a person is on, those who watch what is going on with Nintendo Wii hacking have almost unanimously agreed that what has happened will have a huge impact for Nintendo Wii fans. It is pretty much only the beginning of things to come, but what they are is, naturally, yet to be seen.
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I’m pretty anxious to try this out. With how much i move around my Wii games running back ups would be useful. theres also the fact that there’s a lot of shitware on the wii that would be cool to try out but not worth money to buy for real.