The excitement of a new game, especially one that has taken more than six years to come surface, brings much joy and anticipation about its storyline and secrets. However, if that balance shifts and you find out these elements before you take the time to experience it for yourself it can leave you disappointed. So how can companies, like Nintendo, take steps to stop leaks or distribution of software in the future?
As you may know The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom somehow managed to leak and become available to illegally download sometime in late April early May. Because of this breach, the story and additional elements have come to the surface and could potentially spoil others playtime and take away from the game’s sales prospect. With the game out in the pirated community, Nintendo has acted to an extent, but what could this mean for future software releases?
Nintendo has recently issued a DMCA, (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) requesting Github, an internet host service for software development and version control, to remove Lockpick that is used to emulate Switch software. Github, which I use for work, can be very useful, but like most tools can be used in different ways both legal and illegal. Also, Github being owned by Microsoft, seems to also benefit them to remove this capability to the public on the platform. However, this is just one of many online sites that have this capability. So, what could we see Nintendo do to prevent this in the future?
The answer may not be something you want or expect from a company like Nintendo, but the unmethodical solution may already have presented itself earlier in 2023. Metroid Prime Remaster was long rumored to exist and finally they revealed it. On February 8th Nintendo shadow dropped the game digitally and announced a physical release of the game on February 22nd. This may not look a bit weird, but if you were to prevent early leaks of the game you would postpone physical versions to be distributed early because it is from physical copies that the games can be duplicated before launch. It may not be a great thing for physical collectors, but it would retain a lot more elements from leaking early. Being a physical collector myself it would make me think about my purchases more often. Do I wait for a physical copy or get day one digital, so I don’t lag behind others when it comes to my favorite franchises?
What options or steps do you think Nintendo or other companies should implement to prevent future leaks or spoilers from games? How do you combat your IP’s when they are available in the wild? Have you used Github or other software communities? What would you do if your software leaked into public view and use? Let us know your thoughts on the subject.
Share your reactions in the comments below or join in the conversation on Boss Rush Network’s Discord and Facebook.
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Nintendo Pow Block
Nintendo Pow Block is Boss Rush Media and The Boss Rush Network’s Nintendo podcast. Each week, Edward, Corey, and their friends from around the internet come together to talk about the week in Nintendo, including news, rumors, new games, questions, and the fan-favorite Snacktendo segment. Check out Nintendo Pow Block Live on Twitch every Monday night at 8:30PM Eastern / 5:30PM Pacific or on Podcast Services and YouTube Wednesday mornings at 7AM. If you enjoy the show, consider leaving us a five-star rating on iTunes and Spotify. Thanks for listening to Nintendo Pow Block!
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