Some fallout from the early leak of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom appears to be taking place. As players are loading the game into emulators and playing them unofficially on their computers, prior to the launch date, Nintendo is taking action to prevent that from happening. Lockpick and Lockpick_RCM are homebrew tools that allow users to dump unique keys from their Nintendo Switch console, which are required for numerous Switch hacking-related programs, including the Ryujinx and Yuzu Switch emulators. While Lockpick has been around for years, Nintendo has reportedly decided to go after it, by issuing a DMCA takedown to the GitHub project page, igniting concern and discussion within the community.

At the time of writing, Lockpick_RCM's repository is still active, it could be due to GitHub providing a grace period following a DMCA notice. Twitter user Simon Aarons was made aware of the takedown, after forking Lockpick, and allegedly receiving an email from GitHub, on behalf of Nintendo of America's legal team, who asserts that Lockpick is "circumvention software that infringes Nintendo’s intellectual property rights. Specifically, the reported repository provides Lockpick to users. The use of Lockpick with a modified Nintendo Switch console allows users to bypass Nintendo’s Technological Measures for video games; specifically, Lockpick bypasses the Console TPMs to permit unauthorized access to, extraction of, and decryption of all the cryptographic keys, including product keys, contained in the Nintendo Switch. The decrypted keys facilitate copyright infringement by permitting users to play pirated versions of Nintendo’s copyright-protected game software on systems without Nintendo’s Console TPMs or systems on which Nintendo’s Console TPMs have been disabled. Trafficking in circumvention software, such as Lockpick, violates the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of the United States (specifically, 17 U.S.C. §1201), and infringes copyrights owned by Nintendo."

Shortly after this, Skyline Emulator, a Switch emulator for Android devices, made the decision to shut down development, via a post on their Discord Server. Since you need the keys dumped from Lockpick in order to run Skyline, the team behind the emulator is concerned that it means Nintendo will target them for also violating their copyright.

It is with great sadness that we bring you this news. Recently, Nintendo has issued a DMCA takedown notice against Lockpick RCM which will likely come into effect on Monday, Lockpick is a core part of legally dumping keys from the Switch. They claim that it circumvents their copy protection (TPMs) and therefore violates their copyright. We find ourselves in a position where we are potentially violating their copyright by continuing to develop our project, Skyline, by dumping keys from our own Switches.

The Skyline team will be making their incomplete source code public, at the very least, and will keep the emulator's GitHub page active. Other homebrew projects are rumored to have been hit with DMCA notices as well. Ryujinx's emulator team stated that they will not be shutting down, following worries after Skyline.

 

[Lazyt]

How do you shutdown free open sorce ?

 

[ZeroFX]

Nintendo being Nintendo, very crappy, but I don't see the need to cease skyline over it lol -- overreaction very much.
—

 

[stanleyopar2000]

I dont know what the fuck Nintendo is protecting for the future...Tears of the Kingdom and Metroid Prime 4 (potentially shelved for new handheld?) are the last good titles coming out for this thing. The switch has more than ran its course. If you look at 95% of recent switch releases before Zelda, they're all steam asset flip trash or ecchi visual novels.

Once they release a new handheld LockPick RCM will be useless

 

[Adran_Marit]

Eh the reason they haven't already is because these emulators don't contain any Nintendo code whatsoever. Not only would Yuzu/Ryujinx be within their rights to ignore such a frivolous DMCA takedown attempt, they'd be in a good position to potentially win a harassment lawsuit, given the precedent previously set on the legality of emulators.

Yep.

Does anyone remember bleem?. If this gets taken to court the authors decide to fight back they have a decent chance, because of bleem

 

[JeepX87]

Time for GBATemp forum to create a new song.... "nintendon't, nintendon't, nintendon't".

 

[codezer0]

Your friendly reminder that piracy concerning Nintendo, is a moral correction against their antagonistic tendencies. It is the right thing to do.

 

[Xzi]

I dont know what the fuck Nintendo is protecting for the future...Tears of the Kingdom and Metroid Prime 4 (potentially shelved for new handheld?) are the last good titles coming out for this thing. The switch has more than ran its course. If you look at 95% of recent switch releases before Zelda, they're all steam asset flip trash or ecchi visual novels.

Once they release a new handheld LockPick RCM will be useless

Year six would definitely be EoL territory for any other console, but Nintendo might just be delusional enough to believe they can keep the current rate of sales going simply by releasing one big game a year for the next five years. Maybe a slightly upgraded "Pro" revision during that time frame too.

 

[JeepX87]

Year six would definitely be EoL territory for any other console, but Nintendo might just be delusional enough to believe they can keep the current rate of sales going simply by releasing one big game a year for the next five years. Maybe a slightly upgraded "Pro" revision during that time frame too.

I think that Nintendo is scared about possibly repeat of Wii U for next gen console that is successor to Switch and they cannot be sure if next gen would be successful as Switch.

 

[Marc_LFD]

I think that Nintendo is scared about possibly repeat of Wii U for next gen console that is successor to Switch and they cannot be sure if next gen would be successful as Switch.

It will be as long as they play safe (the Switch is).

 

[Jonna]

Next time: Nintendo DMCAs metal manufactures because it can be used to make clips that can be used to mod the switch.
They are going full damage control this time, maybe they just want to stop emulators just for enough time to totk to release either way its an scummy act as excepted from Nintendo of America.
as always, It's morally acceptable to pirate Nintendo games, laws don't matter if they are made to be exploited by companies and rich people instead of helping the people.

If we go further enough down this rabbit hole, Nintendo will eventually DMCA their own games, because Nintendo created the games that can result in their games being pirated.

 

[Axido]

I think that Nintendo is scared about possibly repeat of Wii U for next gen console that is successor to Switch and they cannot be sure if next gen would be successful as Switch.

They could easily get another successful console out within a year. Just give people a more powerful Switch. Maybe throw in the usual unnecessary gimmick and let the games do the rest.

But I have a feeling they are going to not play it safe and center their next console around said gimmick, whatever it may be.

 

[HarveyHouston]

It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it, and I'm feeling fine!

With Nintendo being so heavy handed on everybody, suing people left and right, issuing takedowns, keeping prices high, offering crappy services, among other problems, this is going to drive even more people away. Nintendo's making an example... of themselves being jerks.

 

[Topaz95]

What's Next? Are they gonna take down both switch emulators?

 

[OrGoN3]

Huh? Both lockpick's and rcm's GitHubs have been up and accessible since I first heard of this tweet. I have been able to access both repos and download from the repos.

Has anyone actually witnessed the lockpick repos go down?

DMCA'ing regular lockpick is stupid since it doesn't work anymore.

I don't see them DMCA'ing the rcm version, as the part that actually does the key derivation is the falcon engine from Atmosphere.

 

[linuxares]

What's Next? Are they gonna take down both switch emulators?

Emulators are legal. Lockpick are possibily a violation against TPM.

Huh? Both lockpick's and rcm's GitHubs have been up and accessible since I first heard of this tweet. I have been able to access both repos and download from the repos.

Has anyone actually witnessed the lockpick repos go down?

DMCA'ing regular lockpick is stupid since it doesn't work anymore.

I don't see them DMCA'ing the rcm version, as the part that actually does the key derivation is the falcon engine from Atmosphere.

Most likey on Monday. Seems DMCA takedowns doesn't happen on weekends.

 

[ELY_M]

Nintendo are against first amendment. they are UN-AMERICAN company.

Post automatically merged: May 7, 2023

remember tinfoil repo was DMCA'ed and @blawar was able to fight DMCA and get his tinfoil repo running again.

We have to fight this DMCA and censorship. people have to send DMCA counter-notices.

 

[64bitmodels]

Nintendo are against first amendment. they are UN-AMERICAN company.

Post automatically merged: May 7, 2023

remember tinfoil repo was DMCA'ed and @blawar was able to fight DMCA and get his tinfoil repo running again.

We have to fight this DMCA and censorship. people have to send DMCA counter-notices.

no shit
they're japanese

 

[Adran_Marit]

Emulators are legal. Lockpick are possibily a violation against TPM.


Most likey on Monday. Seems DMCA takedowns doesn't happen on weekends.

yeah but without the keys we acnt use the emulators soo

 

[Hayato213]

Nintendo are against first amendment. they are UN-AMERICAN company.

Nintendo is a Japanese company.

 

[linuxares]

yeah but without the keys we acnt use the emulators soo

That's the emulators issues. Just because the emulators are legal doesn't mean the method to acquire the keys are.
They need to find a way to decrypt without the help of the keys to make them fully "un-Nintendoed".

Does Dolphin require any keys?