Wii system update 4.3; Opinions?

[Kashis]

Major dissapointment today.

I just got bought my copy of Sin and Punishment today and am finally on vacation for 2 weeks and was about to play until my eyes bleed when I notice as soon as I put the game in, there's a system update requirement to play. I'm thinking "Aw s*%!" as soon as I see it and what makes matters worse I'm seeing them come out with this BS warning:

"Wii Menu 4.3
Unauthorized Modifications
Because unauthorized channels or firmware may impair game play or the Wii console, updating to Wii Menu version 4.3 will check for and automatically remove such unauthorized files. In addition, there are some behind the scenes enhancements that do not affect any prominently-used features or menus but will improve system performance."

Really, Nintendo? Is that what you are doing? Because it sounds like you are just trying to prevent people from playing pirated games on their Wii using Homebrew to me. Not that I personally care about that if they were, because I actually buy my games, full price, but there have been reports of people's systems with AND without homebrew bricking when they update to 4.3. They say that if your system bricks, and it's without any mods they will provide free repair, but it's still a damn incoinveince to people who now have to sit there and send in their system to even be repaired in the first place because of a half *** job at trying to stop a hack that actually makes their system worth buying compared to the competitors and what they offer in their standard package. This update doesn't even add or change anything else about the system that needs fixing.

Now I have a modded Wii, but I do not use it to pirate games. I just like all the extra features (features btw that Nintendo was so **** about not adding that a good majority of people would agree could and should have been added in the first place) that you can now use such as playing music, or games that are region locked, run games faster or what not because of it. I'd gladly even remove the HBC from my system as long as it allowed me to play the game I just bought today as well as all my others but there's no guarantee that doing so will even allow me to.

I just think that it would be nice for Nintendo in their attempt to stop piracy to not screw over the few people actually buying their products. Chances are, in a few days or so they will have a way around the update but still, it's just a pain in the *** for them to do this.

What's really irratating me, if anything, is that I was actually going to get Star Ocean for the PS3 today and just happened to remember at the time about Sin and Punishment coming out and asked for a copy instead (didn't have the money to get both). Should have stuck to Plan A.

What do you guys think? I already know there's some Wii haters out there already thinking "Wii sucks anyway" which is arguably a valid opinion at this point, but the major focus of this discussion I would like to be on your thoughts about Nintendo's decision to implement this update, the required removal of custom firmware, and consumer rights.

Edit: I just safely updated mine and will most likely reinstall HBC again so all is good, but I still think Nintendo shouldn't be forcing people to do this.

[Oisterman]

Lol. So chip your shit and don't update. *shrug*

Pretty lolsy that people with exploited systems have a more steady platform than those those who haven't modified theirs. Even if your shit bricks, you can fix it all very easily with an SD card

[Fullmetal]

If you don't want to update there's some homebrew you can use to block the channels from checking for updates

[Pluto]

Take the chance?

Or just block disk updates.

Either way, the Wii would still be better as a brick.

[Kashis]

First whether you play pirated games or not having HBC on your Wii is a modification and you really have no reason to complain.

Second you do know you can block disk updates right? and still play the game, I mean you already took the step to install HBC so why not just take the measures to insure your Wii will never be bricked.

Either run the Wii normal or if you soft/hard mod, block updates it's really that simple.

Modifications are not illegal, so there's no reason Nintendo should be trying to remove them from people's systems in the first place. Removing HBC isn't really going to change anything anyway because people can always just trade, borrow or buy games from other people who've already bought the game anyway and that's perfectly legal as well. I'm pretty sure I've heard people here mention they don't even buy games retail, they use another service that allows gamers to exhange games with one another online. I can't remember the name though.

Yes I know you can block the updates, however, the 4.3 update *is nessescary to play games the normal way through the main menu (you have to preform the update before you even try to play Sin and Punishment because it won't let you start the game). It's some new counter measure they implemented on their games as well. I don't always have internet access (only on the weekends) so having to wait to find an effing workaround for HBC would have been annoying. I was lucky I'm on vacation this time and even if I was using a non modded Wii without an internet connection, I wouldn't have been able to play the game without update to the firmware or my HBC one way or the other.

Now do you see why I complain?

I'm not worried about having homebrew ( I can get that anytime) and yes I know how to unbrick my wii, the fact remains is that they are intentionally trying to remove HBC when it's not HBC that's the real problem nor is it illegal to have it.

[Jakuza]

ive been using 3.2 for the longest.

Same huuuuur.

[kbe2k6]

Modifications are not illegal, so there's no reason Nintendo should be trying to remove them from people's systems in the first place. Removing HBC isn't really going to change anything anyway because people can always just trade, borrow or buy games from other people who've already bought the game anyway and that's perfectly legal as well. I'm pretty sure I've heard people here mention they don't even buy games retail, they use another service that allows gamers to exhange games with one another online. I can't remember the name though.

Yes I know you can block the updates, however, the 4.3 update *is nessescary to play games the normal way through the main menu (you have to preform the update before you even try to play Sin and Punishment because it won't let you start the game). It's some new counter measure they implemented on their games as well. I don't always have internet access (only on the weekends) so having to wait to find an effing workaround for HBC would have been annoying. I was lucky I'm on vacation this time and even if I was using a non modded Wii without an internet connection, I wouldn't have been able to play the game without update to the firmware or my HBC one way or the other.

Now do you see why I complain?

I'm not worried about having homebrew ( I can get that anytime) and yes I know how to unbrick my wii, the fact remains is that they are intentionally trying to remove HBC when it's not HBC that's the real problem nor is it illegal to have it.

Never said it was illegal, but it can be used for illegal activities which is the reason Nintendo attempts to remove it. YOU may not use it for illegal activities but others do, LOTS of them. Soft modding a Wii and making it capable of playing pirated games is so easy a 7 year old (maybe younger) could do it and I'm sure Nintendo is aware of this as well as the companies who publish games for the Wii which isn't a good thing.

I'm just saying you know there's possible consequences that come with putting HBC on a Wii it even states that before installing it so you really can't blame Nintendo.

That's my opinion.

*off to play some S&P2 booyah!

[kbe2k6]

Everyone shouldn't have to suffer because of what a few can or might do. The main purpose of HBC wasn't to allow people to pirate games but to pretty much unlock the Wii to release it's full potential (potential mind you, they added to the system in the first place and didn't make it accessible. Way to go, Nintendo for being the most assbackward company ever next to SEGA).

People who pirate games are not even putting a big of a dent into the sales as most would think, considering how you can always just borrow a game from a friend, trade for them or even sell your own copy which is all perfectly fine to do and is done everyday; The company don't make jack off of those transactions either which is why even if they did somehow manage to stop all piracy through HBC, it really wouldn't make that much difference.

Instead of trying to prevent like 5-10% of people from pirating games, they should be focusing on making their next gen system include the what are now pretty much basic features that any game console should have.

The only thing Nintendo is really doing is pushing people to want to pirate games even more.

That's what I say, that's how I feel.

Piracy on the Wii and PS2 are the highest out of any console that still has games being developed for it. There are a ton of casual Wii owners who don't even buy games anyways, just bought a Wii and every so often play Wii sports or sports resorts etc. Then there are those who simply buy a Wii because they know they can easily play pirated games without costing them any extra in buying mod chips and with hardly any risk because the Wii has no dedicated online network that they can be banned from, heck can even pirate a online game and be able to go online like it was purchased from the store, that's pretty much unheard of even in the PC gaming industry.

Nintendo's only way to fight the piracy is through updates. Don't get me wrong I think it's pointless myself but much like DRM in the PC gaming industry they don't have many other options and sitting idle and doing nothing to fight it just doesn't look good. If I was a publisher and had to choose what consoles I'm going to release a game for and seen the situation on the Wii and Nintendo doing nothing I'd probably not even waste my time and money.

In fact in my personal opinion this is already happening with a lot of games.