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With Sony and EA recently unveiling bold new moves to counter what publishers see as the threat posed by the pre-owned market, Nintendo has refused to rule out taking similar measures with its own products.
Recent and upcoming EA releases Mass Effect 2 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will use a redeemable code to allow those who buy the game to access free and additional content. Those who buy the pre-owned version must either do without or pay for a new code.
Sony has now also adopted the model for upcoming PSP release SOCOM Fireteam Bravo 3, as well as requiring internet validation to unlock the multiplayer component of the game.
When asked by MCV if it is planning to do the same, a spokesperson for Wii and DS platform holder Nintendo stated:
Nintendo has, and will continue to take steps and examine new ways to technically protect our hardware and software products in an effort to foster and encourage the development and creativity of new games on our handheld and console systems.”
The firm is no stranger to aggressively protecting its IP. In the last month alone it has successfully prosecuted two men found guilty of selling or supplying DS piracy device R4 and won major damages from a man who uploaded an illegal copy of New Super Mario Bros Wii to the internet prior to its release.
