Looks like this is it. According to a tweet from SciresM, the latest 3DS firmware update 11.8 has ported the Nintendo Switch's piracy detection systems to the console. This strategy enables Nintendo to perfectly distinguish pirated and legit games going online and has been used before to detect and ban pirates on Switch. This is not something that can be avoided with homebrew. According to SciresM, Nintendo hasn't acted on 3DS pirates yet, but can choose to do so any time in the future.

Be careful, guys.

Looks like 11.8.0 backports the Switch's aauth ideas to 3ds -- network comms now send an encrypted(?) copy of app ticket to the server.

They may not act on it immediately, but like on Switch this lets N perfectly detect pirate accesses vs normal ones, and ban however they like.

— Michael (@SciresM) July 31, 2018

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[Deleted member 420418]

Uh oh, better start turning off your wifi or otherwise you will probably be banned.

 

[TotalInsanity4]

And NOW Nintendo is serious

 

[Eddypikachu]

Would they be able to detect that you're playing out of region physical games and ban you from using those? (like playing puyo chronicles online)

 

[smileyhead]

Would they be able to detect that you're playing out of region physical games and ban you from using those? (like playing puyo chronicles online)

IIRC they've always been detecting out-of-region online activities and banned people for them.

 

[Eddypikachu]

IIRC they've always been detecting out-of-region online activities and banned people for them.

oh interesting, I've been playing online on puyo chronicle for a very long time and have been lucky not to get banned (I play using a physical cartridge btw)

 

[gamemasteru03]

Well we can still unban on 3ds so...

 

[MohammedQ8]

so headers won't work anymore?

 

[Deleted User]

Well we can still unban on 3ds so...

Regardless of whether or not you can get unbanned, this is still quite annoying no matter how you look at it.

 

[NFates]

They decided to do this near EOL. Nintendo FTW.

Uh oh, better start turning off your wifi or otherwise you will probably be banned.

I mean, I've always thought that if you always keep it off you are banning yourself.

 

[gamemasteru03]

Regardless of whether or not you can get unbanned, this is still quite annoying no matter how you look at it.

True it is annoying to have to unban yourself if you use method 3. Method 1 and 2 are not really that annoying though.

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Also couldn't we just stay on 11.7 so that nintendo cant use the anti piracy protection?

 

[MohammedQ8]

Are they talking about detecting 3ds eshop games or 3ds roms or both?

 

[D34DL1N3R]

I mean, I've always thought that if you always keep it off you are banning yourself.

Same. Like if you're just going to ALWAYS have wi-fi disabled, what's the big deal with getting a ban? May as well just stay online and enjoy it while you can because keeping wi-fi off 24/7 365 has the same effect.

 

[CuriousTommy]

I am glad my super paranoia worked in my favor. I have all my .cia games (from my dumped games) stored on an offline emunand, while keeping my system nand legit (to an extent).

I hope this encourages people to find a way to get cart dumps to load on the 3DS without needing to convert it to a .cia file.

 

[OkazakiTheOtaku]

IIRC they've always been detecting out-of-region online activities and banned people for them.

Huh? I've been playing out of region carts online for over 2 years and never had an issue.

 

[CallmeBerto]

Holy Batman!, they are no longer playing around.

inb4 we are all banned.

 

[shaunj66]

So long and thanks for all the fish.

 

[wormdood]

still got like 8 seeds . . . lets go nintendo

 

[Xenon Hacks]

But what about legit titles?

 

[Jayenkai]

... maybe I should look into legitimately putting my games onto the eShop..?