Nintendo is back at it again with their latest and most well known franchise, the DMCA, and this time they went after quite a handful of GitHub repositories with their DMCA strikes.

The latest and most notable repository attacked by Nintendo's DMCA is the "sigpatch-updater" homebrew application by iTotalJustice (alongside all of its forks) just a few days ago. This isn't the first time for iTotalJustice however, since he got another DMCA takedown previously for the standalone "sipatches" repository before back in 2022. The application worked as its title implies, by basically updating the signature patches from within the Nintendo Switch console itself. This seems like yet another instance of Nintendo trying to stomp on any kind of possibility to run unsigned software on a homebrewed Nintendo Switch, be it actual homebrew applications or pirated ones. Even though the source code is down, the patcher itself seems to still be hosted in other websites, alongside other DMCA taken-down tools.

Unfortunately, "sigpatch-updater" isn't the only software hit with the latest attacks by Nintendo and its crusade against copyright-circumvention tactics, as Incognito_RCM by ScandalUK (this one still being live at the time of writing), kezplez-nx by shchmue, and another fork of Lockpick_RCM by SpaceNX have also been the target for Nintendo's DMCA, adding up to the instances of Nintendo going after homebrew projects for the Nintendo Switch, with one of the first reported being the original Lockpick_RCM, which got being taken down last year with a DMCA notice by Nintendo's lawyers, claiming the same copyright circumvention tactic.

With all of the current legal events taking place in regards to Nintendo both in regards to homebrew apps and Switch emulator Yuzu, it's most likely that they will continue to scour the internet and GitHub repositories for any kind of semblance of alleged copyright-circumvention methods, applications, or even guides to dump Switch keys of any sort. The legal clarity regarding fair and personal use when it comes to copyright-protected technological devices are still unclear to make any kind of counter-claim against their DMCA notices.

iTotalJustice GitHub
DMCA notice for the "sigpatch-updater" repository
DMCA notices for Lockpick_RCM, Incognito_RCM and kezplez-nx
"sigpatch-updater" backup at Archive.org

 

[ItsAshleyFTW]

If they truly wanted people to stop hacking their systems, they'd stop putting SD card slots on them. Just bake in a 512GB soldered eMMC and be done with external storage. And don't include a web browser to run webkit exploits, for fuck's sake... They're being so STUPID about it.

Nah you really need an SD Card/external storage if you want to sell a console. People aren't going to be happy if you could only store 4 or 5 games on your console at one time.

I think a better solution would be requiring external storage to be formatted in a certain way to be used on the Switch. I'm pretty sure the Switch already does that but you can format it in FAT32 for photos and stuff.

 

[stanleyopar2000]

Atmosphere is next

 

[Hassal]

In times like this I think it is essential to start building a platform solely for such projects away from any corporate dicks where DMCA become toilet papers.

 

[codezer0]

Iwata be rolling in his grave.

As much as I don't like Iwata as a president, I'm inclined to agree.

I'm sick of this era of Miyamoto's whims as law, too. More talent than ever, and we still dont even have an eta on Prime 4, entirely because Shigeru cant be bothered to care for the franchise. Even with how much the Prime remaster made.

Dont even get me started on Doug Bowser.

Starting to feel like when Reggie left, much of the competency to make a good product left with him.

 

[Desconocido90]

How long until Nintendo goes for Atmosphere?

 

[linuxares]

How long until Nintendo goes for Atmosphere?

technically Atmosphere doesn't break any circumvention since it's launched after a circumvention exploit.

 

[AlexMCS]

TBQH, all we need is a Github alternative hosted in a country where DMCA can't reach.
That's it.

 

[ShadowOne333]

TBQH, all we need is a Github alternative hosted in a country where DMCA can't reach.
That's it.

Waiting on Russia or China to host/make one.
I mean if the US is already spying on me, I don't care if Russia and China do too.

 

[ShadowOne333]

If they truly wanted people to stop hacking their systems, they'd stop putting SD card slots on them. Just bake in a 512GB soldered eMMC and be done with external storage. And don't include a web browser to run webkit exploits, for fuck's sake... They're being so STUPID about it.

So basically cut off even MORE features that even the Wii or Wii U had?
How does that benefit the user?
Nintendo can only go so far before people start expecting basic web browsing or video playback from the fucking thing, something Xbox and PlayStation have been doing since the PS2 and original Xbox.

Nintendo is the only one actually cutting off features from a system that the previous one had, just look at menu themes, web browsing, video/audio playback, 3rd party apps of any sort (and no, Netflix and youTube doesn't count, since Nintendo can kill those off like they did for Wii, 3DS and WiiU).

 

[Sl4sh]

My guess is they are getting ready to launch Switch 2 and many of these tools work on the new console so they want to wipe them from the internet before the launch.

 

[Xzi]

technically Atmosphere doesn't break any circumvention since it's launched after a circumvention exploit.

The way they've been acting lately though, even that fact may not be enough to stop Nintendo from trying to intimidate or bully SciresM.

 

[Bladexdsl]

technically Atmosphere doesn't break any circumvention since it's launched after a circumvention exploit.

they'll just make something up like they always do. they think they can get away with anything now that they've crushed yuzu

 

[scoobydude51]

The way they've been acting lately though, even that fact may not be enough to stop Nintendo from trying to intimidate or bully SciresM.

Yeah, nintendo could pull the same thing that they did with Gary Bowser. And IIRC the Nintendo Ninjas already know about SciresM and one of his Switch systems was one of the first consoles to get banned for “unauthorized modifications” (which is what later led to the 90DNS blocking trick that became more of a mandatory step in the modding process)

https://x.com/sciresm/status/998855817511165953?s=61&t=J42tSy-rqOVScGdSKOaMSQ


Also he would be another case of a “kill two birds with one stone” since he’s also responsible for helping ProjectPokemon and PKHex.

 

[Jayro]

As much as I don't like Iwata as a president, I'm inclined to agree.

I'm sick of this era of Miyamoto's whims as law, too. More talent than ever, and we still dont even have an eta on Prime 4, entirely because Shigeru cant be bothered to care for the franchise. Even with how much the Prime remaster made.

Dont even get me started on Doug Bowser.

Starting to feel like when Reggie left, much of the competency to make a good product left with him.

They could at least port the other 2 games while we wait for 4.

 

[ItsAshleyFTW]

they'll just make something up like they always do. they think they can get away with anything now that they've crushed yuzu

It's not gonna stop at DMCA/copyright claims. One of these days Nintendo is gonna get sick of people saying "Nintendo is anti-consumer" and "Nintendo is killing game preservation" and start suing people for defamation. And the worst part is, Nintendo will probably win and suffer no PR damage as a result. There's only a very small handful of people/companies that I don't think Nintendo can get away with suing.

 

[Arab]

I thought that app didn't work for a long time

 

[SaulFabre]

This f*cking sucks.

Gonna hire @DJPlace for gun down Ninty's stupid DMCA'ing...

 

[Subtle Demise]

So basically cut off even MORE features that even the Wii or Wii U had?
How does that benefit the user?
Nintendo can only go so far before people start expecting basic web browsing or video playback from the fucking thing, something Xbox and PlayStation have been doing since the PS2 and original Xbox.

Nintendo is the only one actually cutting off features from a system that the previous one had, just look at menu themes, web browsing, video/audio playback, 3rd party apps of any sort (and no, Netflix and youTube doesn't count, since Nintendo can kill those off like they did for Wii, 3DS and WiiU).

You should see all the shit Sony removed when going from PS3 to PS4 & PS5. They even removed features from the PS3 while it was still current!

 

[ItsAshleyFTW]

You should see all the shit Sony removed when going from PS3 to PS4 & PS5. They even removed features from the PS3 while it was still current!

I still remember when they removed Linux from the PS3 and got sued over it.

 

[Jayro]

I still remember when they removed Linux from the PS3 and got sued over it.

I made sure to get my $15 from the OtherOS lawsuit, that was some bullshit that never should have happened.