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

 

[Deleted member 523475]

It's not really affecting homebrew, it only affects piracy and the small amount of people using it self dumped card backups, despite the extra work, limitations and risk coming with it.

you need the patches to run home menu forwarders and also indie homebrew games like https://github.com/D3fau4/Helltaker-switch and https://github.com/caspd3v/Cubic-Dweller-Homebrew

 

[Kopimist]

Sigpatches are a tool that can be used for piracy yes, but as others have explained can be used for legitimate backups as well as certain homebrew. Of course Ninty wants to stamp out anything they can do I'm not surprised they went after this but the hilarious part is now these patches are gonna pop up all over the net if they haven't already. They aren't stopping anything realistically.

I don't own a switch so I'm not super informed on what homebrew would benefit from sigpatches on that console but ik that their super useful on the WiiU for various reasons besides just backup loading and piracy.

Here's what gets me, sigpatches are a tool just like a modchip is a tool. It's really up to the end users to decide how to use it. This stuff should be legal everywhere imo. Some countries they are and some not so much, but that being said buying the hardware should grant you the right to use it anyway you want to. I'm not saying go ahead and pirate, I'm talking about softmodding and hardmodding in general.

We can debate whether or not piracy is justifiable blah blah but I don't want to derail this thread. As far as I'm concerned you buy the hardware you should be free to hack it, forfeiting any sort of warranty or tech support from the manufacturer of course. Also they have the right to ban you from online services as it's their network, but leave hackers and devs alone for crying out loud.

 

[TotalJustice]

Heh what a thing to wake up to.

It's not big deal honestly, not sure the point of the DMCA. Is to cause minor inconvenience? Most people use tools to update their patches, so those tools just need to be updated to point to a new URL, a quick copy and paste fix.

Probably not worth appealing the DMCA. If there's no serious ramifications for getting the appeal declined, then I might as well try (not looked into this at all yet, also not a lawyer )

 

[CeeDee]

despite the extra work, limitations and risk coming with it.

kids these days are so entitled to their free mayrios. too many gbatemp users expect piracy to be handed to them on a silver platter.
when I was a kid I walked to school uphill both ways to get my roms working... damn you, get off my lawn

 

[bazamuffin]

(disables Wifi on switch to avoid forced update)

 

[masagrator]

This is how DMCA is used on github. Github doesn't look if it's legitimate. If author thinks it's not, then they can send counter-notice. But then expect legal persecution from party that send DMCA (like with re3 project). On github DMCA is used more like C&D notice.

 

[aoikurayami]

This is how DMCA is used on github. Github doesn't look if it's legitimate. If author thinks it's not, then they can send counter-notice. But then expect legal persecution from party that send DMCA (like with re3 project). On github DMCA is used more like C&D notice.

Lovely.
Maybe I should consider putting my stuff elsewhere.

Is the even *any* safe place on the web ?

Or should I hook up my own solar powered system to the web
Ohmy

This is why more and more projects move to private discord servers.

Great idea.
A service that won't even let you login without complaining

Spoiler

What's it with ppl and this souped up irc client anyways ?

 

[MasterJ360]

Years back from the bickering war between sxos stolen keys and atmosphere not having piracy ready sigpatches out of the box to prevent a Nintendo takedown just now became a moot point again. Well this will be problematic for newer firmwares

 

[Ondrashek06]

Controversial opinion on the law, but unless these patches contained Nintendo's own code, then it's not their place to DMCA them. Unfortunately, DMCA is a broken law that heavily favors dick bags like Nintendo. So yeah, hack your shit and pirate their games because Fuck Nintendo.

> hack your shit

I literally cannot because nobody yet discovered a way to homebrew the other 90% of switches that doesn't include a process in which you can die.

 

[EnigmaExodus]

unless these patches contained Nintendo's own code, then it's not their place to DMCA them

Distributing patches derived from assets that may be copyrighted is theoretically legal. Unfortunately the argument could be made that since some of them are potentially marketed as for piracy that makes it illegal again.

This is why more and more projects move to private discord servers.

Discord is also not safe against takedowns. Do not know in detail but would not be surprised if 'pre-crime' detections or other pattern-matching much like Content ID was attempted in the future.

 

[EnigmaExodus]

Heh what a thing to wake up to.

It's not big deal honestly, not sure the point of the DMCA. Is to cause minor inconvenience? Most people use tools to update their patches, so those tools just need to be updated to point to a new URL, a quick copy and paste fix.

Probably not worth appealing the DMCA. If there's no serious ramifications for getting the appeal declined, then I might as well try (not looked into this at all yet, also not a lawyer )

It has been some time since I last reviewed the policies but I think appealing DMCA takedowns on GitHub requires you to provide them with personal information so the copyright holder can initiate legal action if desired. See the re3/reVC case as an example.

 

[Jayro]

Someone needs to host this on Gitlab. And maybe on every other release platform too. Cut off one head, 3 more grow back, etc.

 

[CeeDee]

> hack your shit

I literally cannot because nobody yet discovered a way to homebrew the other 90% of switches that doesn't include a process in which you can die.

shit, there's a chance of death from hacking my Nintendo? Where do I sign??

Someone needs to host this on Gitlab. And maybe on every other release platform too. Cut off one head, 3 more grow back, etc.

That's virtually how every Nintendo takedown works, every time. Check earlier in the thread, looks like people've already reuploaded the sig patches.
People are cautious about this stuff, I honestly don't get the outrage if everything they take down is/will be well preserved elsewhere.

 

[isoboy]

How is this problematic? People will just post the new needed sigpatches everywhere now, right? And games aren't hard to get a hold of.

 

[KirovAir]

There's a complete guide to create your own sigpatches for any firmware. This is not really an issue at all and I'm surprised it took Nintendo this long a abuse DMCA once more.

 

[aoikurayami]

There's a complete guide to create your own sigpatches for any firmware.

Source: Trust me sister ?
(Not even sure what to search for here...)

Nintendo literally gives us reasons to pirate their games. Want to find Nintendo games at an affordable price while supporting Nintendo? You can’t~ because their games rarely go on sales and their sales almost always the bare minimum. Wanna buy old Pokémon games and support Nintendo? Can’t

While I agree.
You should foremost blame the customers that put up with it.
If you were in Nintendo's shoes, you'd do the same.

No change as long as ppl keep buying

Aa for the "old games" shtick.. Well. That is an industry problem.
Microsoft n XBOX are the only truly 99% backwards compatible platform afaik...

Personally I never pay more than 40 for a game.
If above that threshold, I wait.

I'm a good marshmellow

 

[m00k00]

Personally I think the DMCA takedown is a HUGE mistake. There's nothing inside the Sigpatches which is actually copyrighted by Nintendo. Ever since Microsoft bought GitHub there's really really strange decisions going on. Well one more Reason to move away from them and host your Stuff on your own with Tools like Gitea. Also this reminds me of deCSS, hopefully it causes the same Streisand Effect

 

[BeniBel]

Nintendo literally gives us reasons to pirate their games. Want to find Nintendo games at an affordable price while supporting Nintendo? You can’t~ because their games rarely go on sales and their sales almost always the bare minimum. Wanna buy old Pokémon games and support Nintendo? Can’t, shut down your ability to buy them legally. Want get buy any older game not ported to the newer system? Buy them used because Nintendo shut down any legal means of supporting them. Nintendo is the reason why it’s always morally ok to pirate their games. Until they start giving people legal means of supporting them, it’s piracy or used, Nintendo still getting nothing in the end.

Entitled much? You seem to think Nintendo owns you stuff, but they don't. Nintendo games don't age during the life of a system. A game goes on sale, because it becomes outdated or sells less, this isn't really the case with Mario or other Nintendo games.

The argument of buying older games also doesn't add up. A game has a certain life in stores, it's for every game like that. I collect N64 games, but have to get them second hand because offcourse they aren't made anymore.

You want to play old Pokémon games? Well, beside Black and white pretty much every other main game got a remake in the last 10 years or so, so you can't complain about that. Again, it's unreasonable to expect Nintendo keep offering old games. It would have been nice if they released GBA and GB games to the switch, but again it's not something we're entitled to.

So no, Nintendo does not make it morally right to pirate, they're pretty much the same as any other company. Stop being entitled and just enjoy what you have. Or just pirate but don't try to justify it.

 

[binkinator]

Source: Trust me sister ?
(Not even sure what to search for here...)

https://gbatemp.net/threads/info-on-sha-256-hashes-on-fs-patches.581550/page-11

I'm a good marshmellow

only if you’ve been completely lit of fire for 3 seconds.

 

[aoikurayami]

https://gbatemp.net/threads/info-on-sha-256-hashes-on-fs-patches.581550/page-11

only if you’ve been completely lit of fire for 3 seconds.

Sweet !

Also: Marshmellow Ranking list, when ?
(I need to know where I fall!)