Nintendo’s 3DS handheld is on the rise. After a shaky start, the 3D portable device has had a strong year of new releases and some decent sales. That all might change soon.
[aditude-amp id="flyingcarpet" targeting='{"env":"staging","page_type":"article","post_id":747817,"post_type":"story","post_chan":"none","tags":null,"ai":false,"category":"none","all_categories":"games,","session":"B"}']A company called Gateway just released a video of its Gateway 3DS product, which it claims enables gamers to play “backup ROMs” on their 3DS units. In other words, this flash card, if it works, will open Nintendo’s handheld to piracy.
“The wait is over,” reads a post on Gateway’s website. “The first ever backup device that enables playback of 3DS ROMs is now a reality. “The device is in its final stages of design and production is just around the corner. Stay tuned and enjoy the show.”
“The show” refers to the following video that shows someone starting up various 3DS games using the Gateway 3DS and different SD cards:
It’s possible that this video is fake. We’ve reached out to Gateway to get more information about the device. We’ve also contacted Nintendo. Neither company has returned our requests at this time, but we will update this post with any new information.
For the unaware, a flash card is a small cartridge-like device that fits into the game slot of a game console. They trick the system into thinking a legitimate product is in the system and then boots data from a micro-SD card. Devices like the R4 are very popular for the DS among pirates.
These devices are ostensibly so that gamers with lots of titles can safely backup the data on one massive SD card. In reality, this offers pirates the capability to play ROMs of games that they downloaded illegally from peer-to-peer networks.
If Gateway 3DS works, and Nintendo can’t find a way to block it, this could mean a potential dip in revenue for 3DS developers. Gateway is taking requests from wholesalers — so we’ll know soon enough if this is real or a scam.