James Delahunty
7 Feb 2005 8:19
The new Nintendo DS is set to be released soon in Europe and will feature some very sophisticated anti-piracy protection, especially protecting the content during multi-player gaming, which is when it could be very vulnerable. The software, called RSA BSAFE, ensures that when users wirelessly share a game during a multiplayer gaming session, there is no permanent copy made to the other console. The software locks content so it cannot be illegally copied from the original cartridge or disk. Game software downloaded during a multiplayer session will be erased as soon as its closed.
"This protects Nintendo and our games development partners from piracy. It does not have any adverse effect on consumers, nor on the play experience. The player with a DS version of Super Mario, for example, simply loads the cartridge into the console and then seeks other DS users in the neighbourhood to join the game. They come along and decide to play, tap into it, and then play against each other," a Nintendo Australia spokeswoman said. "As soon as they shut their machine, they don't have the game any more. It's securely held on the cartridge owned by the first player."
In the past we have seen the best copy protections game companies could come up with beaten by devices such as modchips. The next generation of gaming consoles are a little more sophisticated, using technology that is a lot more "intelligent" compared to earlier consoles. One such intelligent protection is thought to be included in the Cell processor that will power Sony's upcoming Playstation 3.
Source:
Australian IT