Nintendo faces new piracy threat

Nintendo faces a new threat from piracy this Christmas, as the R4 chip for the DS handheld becomes one the most sought after items in Tokyo's Akihabara electronics district.

Described by The Times Online as Nintendo's "Christmas stocking filler from Hell," the R4 costs around GBP 25 and bypasses the DS security system allowing users to play illegally cracked games and other material.

Reacting to the sale of the R4, a Nintendo spokesperson said: "We are keeping a close eye on the products and studying them. But we cannot smash them all."

According to The Times, many retailers are cryptically advertising the chip with signs reading, "New R4 shipment has finally arrived! You know what it does! Absolutely no questions will be answered concerning this product."

Sale of the chip — believed to be manufactured in China — is not strictly illegal, but what the users does with it is.

A quick internet search by GamesIndustry.biz reveals multiple websites openly selling the chip for around GBP 25.