When you need to play illegitimate backups on a hacked Nintendo Switch, one of the most important tools you'll need are sigpatches; normally, custom firmware Atmosphere does not allow the running of pirated games, but these sigpatches allow users to install .NSP files that they've downloaded from the internet. As of today, though, one of the most notable and popular sources of sigpatches--user iTotalJustice's GitHub repository of them--has been removed permanently, through a DMCA takedown. The GitHub was still active as of earlier today, but if you try to access it now, you'll be redirected to a DMCA takedown form, filed by Nintendo of America.

Nintendo of America: The Nintendo Switch console and digital video games contain technological protection measures (“Technological Measures”) that permit the Nintendo Switch console to interact only with legitimate Nintendo digital video game files. This process protects Nintendo’s copyright-protected video games, including but not limited to those covered by U.S. Copyright Registration numbers PA0002213509 (Super Mario Maker 2); PA0002233840 (Animal Crossing: New Horizons); PA0002213908 (Luigi’s Mansion 3); and PA0002028142 (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild) by preventing users from playing pirated copies of Nintendo’s video games on the Nintendo Switch console.

Source

 

[Lumince]

Entitled, indeed. Grow up.

Idk why you are mad lol Are you a nintendo employee or something? You're talking to a wall made out of this community. Most will make fun of you for siding with a trash company that isnt FOR the consumer

 

[binkinator]

has anyone cloned the repo when it was online or downloaded all bundles?

No need. We can rebuild them completely from scratch. iTJ was simply a convenient reliable place to get them already done for you. Really appreciate what they did but It was a service and definitely not THE source.

no, they will just be uploaded elsewhere from now on. Nintendo cant do shit about sigpatches or piracy

https://gbatemp.net/threads/how-to-create-your-own-sigpatches.616288/

 

[HalfScoper]

No need. We can rebuild them completely from scratch. iTJ was simply a convenient reliable place to get them already done for you. Really appreciate what they did but It was a service and definitely not THE source.

I myself had sent out my whole backup of his repo from AMS 0.17.0 & FW 11.0.1 onwards to multiple sharing sites so iTJ will always live on in our hearts somewhere.
Also I disagree on your last statement, for me there weren't any other sigpatches that worked PROPERLY for every need I had, and saw so many users that used the ones from the post here who ran into issues then, before fixing it with iTJ's patches.

 

[binkinator]

I myself had sent out my whole backup of his repo from AMS 0.17.0 & FW 11.0.1 onwards to multiple sharing sites so iTJ will always live on in our hearts somewhere.
Also I disagree on your last statement, for me there weren't any other sigpatches that worked PROPERLY for every need I had, and saw so many users that used the ones from the post here who ran into issues then, before fixing it with iTJ's patches.

I used both. Haven’t had any issues. Certainly agree with your first statement regarding iTJ. iTJ is a part of Switch history forever.

 

[Peninsula]

They should because it would make sense for them if they actually wanted to address piracy as an issue. The software is literally already on the system and they’ve shutdown the alternatives. It makes little to no sense for Nintendo to have not already released this software. It’s just another stupid decision on Nintendo’s end and they should be called on their stupid and anti-consumer practices.

I am pointing out why it’s morally ok to pirate Nintendo games and why people shouldn’t feel bad for deciding to do so.

I don't think it's a reasonable assumption that a game available for purchase (especially in the days before online game distribution) will be available for purchase on future consoles decades into the future. There are a wide variety of reasons why Nintendo may have not released the GB emulator yet. Maybe the amount of money they'd need to get it from prototype to finished product isn't worth the amount of money they think they'd make on it.

In that case, I can get behind "maybe it's not a big deal to download a rom and play it using an emulator if the only alternative is buying a console and game that are decades old.". None of the money spent trying to play the game legally would go to the developers. I think it's quite a logical leap from that to "it's morally ok to pirate Switch games, which I can purchase legally through the internet and directly support the developers".

 

[The Catboy]

I don't think it's a reasonable assumption that a game available for purchase (especially in the days before online game distribution) will be available for purchase on future consoles decades into the future. There are a wide variety of reasons why Nintendo may have not released the GB emulator yet. Maybe the amount of money they'd need to get it from prototype to finished product isn't worth the amount of money they think they'd make on it.

In that case, I can get behind "maybe it's not a big deal to download a rom and play it using an emulator if the only alternative is buying a console and game that are decades old.". None of the money spent trying to play the game legally would go to the developers. I think it's quite a logical leap from that to "it's morally ok to pirate Switch games, which I can purchase legally through the internet and directly support the developers".

I would agree with the notion that digital distribution does not mean forever support. But I can’t agree with Nintendo because the emulator is literally right there and already on the system. It would be one thing if it wasn’t, but it is, so obviously Nintendo put everyone in easily fixable situations where they just aren’t fixing it, then get mad when people take it on themselves to fix it.

 

[Perestroika]

His profile pic is matching!

 

[Archolm]

I also don't like the idea of "current gen" hardware being hacked. Simply because of the attention it draws from scumbag companies like N. One day, one of these nut job politicians is going to come in, either in the US or the EU parliament, and he/she/they may get it in their right minds to go after every single one of us. And by us I mean the fine people who make this all possible for the majority of us. The crackers, hackers and morally just people.

I like backups as much as the next guy but current gen... eh, wouldn't mind it if it doesn't become widespread.

 

[Peninsula]

But I can’t agree with Nintendo because the emulator is literally right there and already on the system. It would be one thing if it wasn’t, but it is, so obviously Nintendo put everyone in easily fixable situations where they just aren’t fixing it, then get mad when people take it on themselves to fix it.

As I said:

There are a wide variety of reasons why Nintendo may have not released the GB emulator yet. Maybe the amount of money they'd need to get it from prototype to finished product isn't worth the amount of money they think they'd make on it.

I'm sure Nintendo is well aware that closing down the purchases of VC GB games will lead to piracy of those games. Their decision is motivated by money, and I'm guessing there are very few purchases of these old games. I'm assuming you don't have anything to say about why closing avenues to purchase old games justifies pirating currently available games since you ignored that part.

 

[LainaGabranth]

I also don't like the idea of "current gen" hardware being hacked. Simply because of the attention it draws from scumbag companies like N. One day, one of these nut job politicians is going to come in, either in the US or the EU parliament, and he/she/they may get it in their right minds to go after every single one of us. And by us I mean the fine people who make this all possible for the majority of us. The crackers, hackers and morally just people.

I like backups as much as the next guy but current gen... eh, wouldn't mind it if it doesn't become widespread.

What kind of take is this??? You don't want something hacked because politicians might do something bad??? That's all the more reason why codification into law of user rights and liberties should be something you push for.

 

[Brawl345]

How come Atmosphere isn't taken down? It enables the switch to running cfw. I know it doesn't contain illegal code but as I far as I see it, Nintendo is okay with CFW than some patches that allow piracy for the CFW

Nintendo issued a DMCA takedown against my (WiiDatabase.de) Atmosphère download page back in 2020. They are totally random and don't care if a project is legal. DMCA is a censorship law that needs to be abolished. It even affects non-american countries and that's what makes me angry. Hacking consoles is not illegal and signature patches are not illegal, neither is making copies of your own games.

 

[The Catboy]

As I said:


I'm sure Nintendo is well aware that closing down the purchases of VC GB games will lead to piracy of those games. Their decision is motivated by money, and I'm guessing there are very few purchases of these old games. I'm assuming you don't have anything to say about why closing avenues to purchase old games justifies pirating currently available games since you ignored that part.

It's really just putting the cart before the horse. Nintendo should have had their emulation ideas in order before purposing that they were shutting down the eShop. Nintendo said they weren't planning on bringing classic games to the Switch and then having a Gameboy emulator on the Switch while shutting down the 3DS eShop is all poorly planned out. The issue with this being a topic of money is that Nintendo can't have it both ways. Even if they were getting low sales, they were still creating a market where people could legally and directly support their products. Sure, not everyone is going to buy these classic games but there are still plenty who do want to buy/play these old games. Completely gating them off from doing so means that alternative means need to be found to acquire these games. Nintendo needs to find something to help support these users or expect piracy to grow as a result. As Lord Gabe Newell put it, “We think there is a fundamental misconception about piracy. Piracy is almost always a service problem and not a pricing problem," and I think he's right. Nintendo dropped the ball on all these issues and targeting signature patches and homebrew is a grander waste of time and money that could be used to provide a server that is more appealing, and accessible, and prompt fewer people to want to pirate. Simply put, Nintendo should spend more time getting that Gameboy out there and providing a quality product instead of targeting this uphill battle against pirates.
I didn't mean to ignore that part, I missed it and that was rather disrespectful on my part, sorry about that.

 

[HalfScoper]

This thread really turned from mere info into yet again another "boooohoooo my personal opiniooooooon" thread, like always here, smh

 

[BeniBel]

Corporate apologized much? Nintendo doesn't owe us anything but they can't complain when their actions bite them on the ass. My issue isn't about physical games because those can't last forever. My issue is Nintendo shutting down legal means of supporting their products or buying their games, then complaining about piracy. The fact that they are shutting down legal means of purchasing all of the classic games on the 3DS and Wii U and already shut down the Wii eShop, without providing a replacement service, is the problem.

This is just an excuse on your end. Nintendo already has the games and software to make them work on the Switch. The fact that this already exists on the system and Nintendo is just sitting on it is pretty inexcusable.

Nintendo makes it morally ok to pirate by not giving any alternatives beyond either paying grossly inflated second-hand prices or piracy. I am sorry you are willing to accept less from Nintendo but this is unacceptable and Nintendo (nor anyone else,) should be given a free pass.
Have this funny but accurate video expressing why Nintendo is the problem

You had years to download all the games you needed on 3DS/Wii/Wii U. Keeping up servers cost money, and at some point it's just not worth it anymore. If you didn't get the games you wanted by now, chances are you would never have.

Is it sad that you can't play those games anymore? Sure, but Nintendo did offer replacement for some part. Does it suck that you have to subscribe for it? Sure it does. But it's a free choice.

Playing old games, or any games at all, is not a human right. If Nintendo brings back old classics, well that's great, but they don't have to.

It's also a pretty odd argument, stating you can morally pirate Nintendo because they don't offer old games? So because they don't offer old games, you can pirate every new game they make? That's just dumb and twisted logic.

Again, stop being an entitled spoiled brat, because that's the impression you make. It's never morally acceptable to pirate games. Not because they don't offer older games (which they actually do for a large part), not because you don't want to pay full price.

 

[masagrator]

Hacking consoles is not illegal

Depends on country. In Japan it's definitely illegal.

 

[The Catboy]

You had years to download all the games you needed on 3DS/Wii/Wii U. Keeping up servers cost money, and at some point it's just not worth it anymore. If you didn't get the games you wanted by now, chances are you would never have.

Is it sad that you can't play those games anymore? Sure, but Nintendo did offer replacement for some part. Does it suck that you have to subscribe for it? Sure it does. But it's a free choice.

Playing old games, or any games at all, is not a human right. If Nintendo brings back old classics, well that's great, but they don't have to.

It's also a pretty odd argument, stating you can morally pirate Nintendo because they don't offer old games? So because they don't offer old games, you can pirate every new game they make? That's just dumb and twisted logic.

Again, stop being an entitled spoiled brat, because that's the impression you make. It's never morally acceptable to pirate games. Not because they don't offer older games (which they actually do for a large part), not because you don't want to pay full price.

Then Nintendo can expect piracy and shouldn't complain when it happens. If they aren't going to provide the service, then someone else will and those people are going to be pirates and resellers. It's morally acceptable to pirate when all legal or official options have been taken away with no alternative provided. I didn't say you should pirate their newer games but I also have no objection if people do pirate their new games. Just because I am a spoiled brat doesn't mean I am wrong, my tone in this conversation does not take away from the points I am making.

 

[Brawl345]

Depends on country. In Japan it's definitely illegal.

it's not. The "news" you see on the internet misinterprets the law which applies mainly to e.g. cheating and not an individual modding their switch. It also states "Providing a product which circumvents technological restriction measures" which also applies to other countries (flashcards, SX hardware stuff)

 

[CeeDee]

Daily reminder the WiiU perfectly supported Gamecube games and yet it was just software locked arbitrarily despite literally having the hardware necessary to run it almost perfectly. Nintendo bad!!! Pirate!!!!!!!

Later Wiis (and by extension, Wii U) got rid of hardware necessary to run GameCube software. The disc drive physically could no longer read the discs, and controller ports and memory card slots were removed.
Nintendon't isn't 'unlocking the Wii U's native GameCube support it had all along' or something. It's basically taking the GameCube game and running it in Wii mode. It emulates memory cards and runs ISOs, excellent solutions for us but pretty infeasible for Nintendo to have done.

The point was Nintendo has a Gameboy emulator already built into the Switch

Built into the Switch?? It was an early, unfinished prototype version that was leaked unofficially. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if they were sitting on it, they usually like dangling shit over peoples' heads to get them to resubscribe in September... but we don't know that for sure, we don't know that it was even finished.

And honestly, when they DO come out with it, people are just going to whine it's locked behind the subscription, and ask why they can't buy them piecemeal... after sales were poor when they did offer piecemeal retro games

 

[BeniBel]

Then Nintendo can expect piracy and shouldn't complain when it happens. If they aren't going to provide the service, then someone else will and those people are going to be pirates and resellers. It's morally acceptable to pirate when all legal or official options have been taken away with no alternative provided. I didn't say you should pirate their newer games but I also have no objection if people do pirate their new games. Just because I am a spoiled brat doesn't mean I am wrong, my tone in this conversation does not take away from the points I am making.

But you're not making any points at all. There were official options to play older games: you could have gotten them on the 3ds or wii (u) before the store was pulled. You had years to do so.

And if it's just for older games: the switch offers a lot. If you want to play Gameboy or gameboy advance, there are tons of cheap handhelds on which you can emulate those. There is zero reason to crack your switch, just to emulate old games. Or you can buy a flash cart and the original device.

As you see, plenty of alternatives to get your retro shot, both legal (switch online) as less legal (emulating).

If the availability of older games was your only argument to pirate switch and Nintendo games, it's flawed and debunked.

 

[Peninsula]

Nintendo should have had their emulation ideas in order before purposing that they were shutting down the eShop.

I didn't mean to ignore that part, I missed it and that was rather disrespectful on my part, sorry about that.

It seems like you are working under the assumption that Nintendo somehow owes us a GB emulator on Switch. If it makes sense for them financially to develop and release one, then they may, but they're under no obligation to. That may turn people to pirate GB games, but Nintendo is well aware of that and I'm sure that's a sacrifice they're willing to make.

You are still not addressing how making GB games unavailable for purchase morally justifies pirating Switch games. I'm not going to continue this discussion.