Much to the dismay of pirates everywhere, It appears that Nintendo is finally rolling out the infrastructure changes to their Content Delivery Network to put an end to apps like freeShop, Villain3DS, TikDevil, and FunKeyCIA, among others.

For those of you that missed out, in the recent 11.8.0-41 update for the Nintendo 3DS, several changes to how the NIM service handles downloading Nintendo 3DS software from the eShop were made. The main change involves sending an encrypted copy of the user's game ticket to their server for authentication. If the server finds the ticket is invalid, or no ticket is provided, the server could deny you access to the content files you are trying to retrieve.

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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This level of granular per-title validation will effectively put an end to any software that relies on the open availability of content files on the Nintendo CDN to function, including freeShop, CIAngel, TikDevil, and even PC based clients such as Villain3DS, PlaiCDN, and FunKeyCIA to name a few.

However, up until earlier today, the server wasn't denying anyone downloads at all. However, multiple reputable sources have stated that the changes have begun to roll out and that it is unlikely that any workarounds will be found.

Because this followup round of changes is server side, this effects all firmware and all devices trying to download from the Nintendo CDN. Staying on 11.7 or below will not make freeShop continue to work, and before you ask, yes, software you already pirated is safe. (for now, anyway.)

Nintendo has finally put in place the server-side change to finish what 11.8.0 started. FreeShop and other 3DS piracy apps are now dead (probably forever).

— Devon Maloney (@plailect) August 9, 2018

At this time, it seems only various first-party Nintendo titles are affected, but it's probable that these changes will begin rolling out to all 3DS titles on the Nintendo CDN over time.

As of approximately 1 AM EST, August 22, 2018, the Nintendo CDN has applied this ticket validation method to over 2800 titles on their network.

Source and Ongoing Discussion
Related 3DBrew Page

Spoiler: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Will Staying on 11.7 help in any substantial way?
A: Not really. The bulk of the changes made are server side, meaning that they apply to all firmware, all platforms, everything trying to download 3DS content from the Nintendo CDN. I don't recommend updating on principle but that choice is yours to make.

Q: Do I have to delete the games I downloaded from freeShop to avoid being banned?
A: No. This ticket check is done only when downloading titles through the NIM Service on the 3DS. Not when launching games. Not when going online in games. Not when downloading or installing games through other means.

Q: What uses the NIM service to download from the Nintendo CDN?
A: The Official 3DS eShop, Official 3DS eShop Sleep Mode Downloads, and freeShop Sleep Mode Downloads. That last one is the only wild card here. We don't know what Nintendo might do if you upload an invalid game ticket to them through NIM. They could possibly use this ban you, but as of now, it doesn't seem like they are.

Q: Will there be a workaround for this in the future?
A: Almost certainly not. Don't count on it.

Q: Can you still download non-first-party 3DS games?
A: No, as of August 22, 2018, nearly all titles are requiring valid tickets to download. A complete list of titles that are blocked is available courtesy of @DMSalesman, here.

Q: Does any of this apply to Wii U content on the Nintendo CDN?
A: No. Nintendo hasn't updated the Wii U with any of this security, which they would have to do to implement this.

 

[MushGuy]

So, will downloading through FBI be no longer possible?

 

[Deleted User]

Wow, Nintendo is really putting effort into securing their eshop.

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So, will downloading through FBI be no longer possible?

Has it been before? Never heard of this being possible.

 

[nero99]

It’s slmost like people forgot about .cia installs

 

[Ryccardo]

Eh, who cares? You can still download and install games like you used to BEFORE freeShop existed. Not that big of a deal, not sure why some people are very upset about this.

I bet a non-insignificant number or 3DS modders only hopped on after the promise of EASY and Fr33 G4m3z (especially since for large streaks of time before ntrboothax, the only options on the newest versions were hardmod or DSiware transfer, both have some non-trivial requirements and both are annoying to people with an attention span/effort unfit for manually finding downloads)

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Has it been before? Never heard of this before.

Since a decent number of FBI2 versions, you could go to Tickets, click on a ticket without contents installed (displayed in red), and select to download and install the software (and you can install a ticket via a QR link, a service the titlekey site provides)

 

[PvD79]

Checked for hell of it and titlekeys is gone. That means no wiiU either evidently...

 

[Deleted User]

I bet a non-insignificant number or 3DS modders only hopped on after the promise of EASY and Fr33 G4m3z (especially since for large streaks of time before ntrboothax, the only options on the newest versions were hardmod or DSiware transfer, both have some non-trivial requirements and both are annoying to people with an attention span/effort unfit for manually finding downloads)

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Since a decent number of FBI2 versions, you could go to Tickets, click on a ticket without contents installed (displayed in red), and select to download and install the software (and you can install a ticket via a QR link, a service the titlekey site provides)

I see, thank you. I only ever use the FBI installer for my CIA files and the Dragonquest 11 seed that was missing.

 

[Queen of SoS]

Well I mean most people already downloaded the games that wanted... so I don’t really see a problem here. Nintendo is wayyy too late with this.

 

[DeadSkullzJr]

People expected piracy to be extremely easy. Personally I don't get why people should really be upset about it, we all know pirating is wrong, there is no legit or right reason to pirate in the first place. Preservation isn't a good enough reason, saying "there was no demo so I pirated to test it out" isn't a good reason as you could always watch a review on YouTube, ask a friend to borrow his/hers, etc. this is breaking Nintendo's copyright any which way you look. If anything people should be fine with the fact this is dead, Nintendo is doing what they feel is best for their systems and games. They could have made it so if we downloaded pirated software we would be banned instantly, but no they took the more lenient route and made it so you couldn't download the software instead without bans (basically the whole outcome could have been much worse). I may not agree with Nintendo or quite a few other companies for their actions 24/7, but I don't disagree with an action like this. What goes on the internet stays on the internet of course, people will always find loopholes or ways around situations like this. The point is nobody really is allowed to fuss about something like piracy, you had your fun run, now it's time for a change. Even if Nintendo has more than enough money to survive a wave of piracy or two (or even if it was millions of waves), doesn't make it right for any of us to pirate.

I am pretty sure this will cause a lot of uproar with some people, personally I really don't care, you can't argue with the truth. As I stated though people find loopholes, so even still there isn't a reason to fuss, you have other methods.

 

[gnmmarechal]

Eh. This only makes it somewhat more inconvenient.

 

[Daniel72]

Idk why but I'm kinda happy that it died lol

 

[DeadSkullzJr]

ending a statement of opinion with "you can't argue with the truth" is incredibly pretentious.

Would it make it right for someone to pirate software or a game you made? You sure as hell wouldn't be happy about it, you would do what you feel is right for your software or game. As I said above, I "personally" don't get why people are upset about it, however my statements on piracy as a whole isn't opinionated at all, it's true facts that have been around for years, people just choose to ignore it for personal gain.

 

[samcambolt270]

Would it make it right for someone to pirate software or a game you made? You sure as hell wouldn't be happy about it, you would do what you feel is right for your software or game. As I said above, I "personally" don't get why people are upset about it, however my statements on piracy as a whole isn't opinionated at all, it's true facts that have been around for years, people just choose to ignore it for personal gain.

I don't think you understand. I'm not taking a side, I'm saying that you stating an opinion and saying that it's simply fact, and all other opinions are simply wrong because they oppose your opinion is pretentious. its a pretty simple concept to understand.

 

[nWo]

No more kidding around, uh?

 

[WaluigiMan]

lol i didnt even use freeshop anymore good thing that there is still that iso site

 

[SonicRings]

saying "there was no demo so I pirated to test it out" isn't a good reason as you could always watch a review on YouTube

It's easier to try a game yourself than watch someone else play it. Maybe they suck and make the game look bad and you miss out on a great game. Maybe they're really good but when you play it yourself you suck and you don't enjoy it.

ask a friend to borrow his/hers

And then just not buy the game because you have a friend who can lend you their game until you're done with it? Or sell you their copy? Or buy it used from someone else who is also finished with it?

Nintendo still doesn't make any money from any of this. You might as well pirate then as it's less of a hassle. Many people own games legitimately that they otherwise would not have even considered getting simply because they pirated them and enjoyed them.

 

[Dust2dust]

As some people have already said, it should never have existed in the first place. I'm glad Nintendo finally woke up. Piracy should never be that easy. I mean, common! It's just normal to put in some efforts to get your warez. Not to mention that it screwed up the scene groups too, as they probably thought it useless to release stuff that everybody and their mothers could get without breaking a sweat. At long last, we come back to normal piracy!

 

[SonicRings]

Would it make it right for someone to pirate software or a game you made? You sure as hell wouldn't be happy about it, you would do what you feel is right for your software or game. As I said above, I "personally" don't get why people are upset about it, however my statements on piracy as a whole isn't opinionated at all, it's true facts that have been around for years, people just choose to ignore it for personal gain.

Idk about you, but if I made a game and people pirated it I'd be happy because that means my game doesn't suck and it's worth pirating. Those people will then tell their friends about it and it will continue to spread. Piracy will thus give my game exposure and generate sales from the people who genuinely enjoyed the game and ended up purchasing it.

 

[DeadSkullzJr]

It's easier to try a game yourself than watch someone else play it. Maybe they suck and make the game look bad and you miss out on a great game. Maybe they're really good but when you play it yourself you suck and you don't enjoy it.



And then just not buy the game because you have a friend who can lend you their game until you're done with it? Or sell you their copy? Or buy it used from someone else who is also finished with it?

Nintendo still doesn't make any money from any of this. You might as well pirate then as it's less of a hassle. Many people own games legitimately that they otherwise would not have even considered getting simply because they pirated them and enjoyed them.

And then just not buy the game because you have a friend who can lend you their game until you're done with it? Or sell you their copy? Or buy it used from someone else who is also finished with it?
Uh no?? Why not play a little of your friends game, if you like it, then you buy your own copy. I mean people used to do that a lot back then, why can't they do that now? What you said above doesn't make sense, NOBODY I know does it like what you said.

 

[samcambolt270]

Idk about you, but if I made a game and people pirated it I'd be happy because that means my game doesn't suck and it's worth pirating. Those people will then tell their friends about it and it will continue to spread. Piracy will thus give my game exposure and generate sales from the people who genuinely enjoyed the game and ended up purchasing it.

see, this guy (sonicrings, whom I quoted) knows what i mean, DeadSkullzJr. there are so many other opinions, and while your opinion is completely valid (if not a bit pretentious in its conveyance) it is not "fact".

 

[DeadSkullzJr]

Idk about you, but if I made a game and people pirated it I'd be happy because that means my game doesn't suck and it's worth pirating. Those people will then tell their friends about it and it will continue to spread. Piracy will thus give my game exposure and generate sales from the people who genuinely enjoyed the game and ended up purchasing it.

Sure maybe if it's a game you aren't continuously developing, but what if it was, you lose the money needed for development, your tools, etc.