Nintendo is probably worried about homebrew leading to pirated versions of their games being played on the DS. You can't argue that Nintendo's position doesn't makes business sense, strange as it may seem to Mr. Megatexture.

@flabzilla:

Allowing anyone to develop a game does not mean that they would be allowed to sell it.

I got my R4 for "backups", but I enjoy homebrews aswell.

As a coder, I agree with carmack in so far as I'd really like to make a game for the DS, but flabzilla's right on the money. Most companies won't open up their platforms on account of losing licensing, but homebrewers will always find away around it anyway, so it's no major tragedy.

Hell...SONY DID THIS ALREADY: Check it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_Yaroze

I'm in the development game and I fully support Carmack, with a caveat....

Why not just manufacture a USB-Enabled Cartridge (we all know it's been done), create a simple SDK based off a solid, easy language like python or a juiced up basic and turn the fucker loose for $99 USD (So its cheaper for us Canucks :P)

Lock the cart with an encryption key so it can only play games compiled by the SDK and boom...you have a generation of DS developers in the wings...

As for piracy, umm, duh it's here. *Cough* Natrium42 *cough*.

Take the Adobe approach...they know everyone pirates Photoshop. But does anyone use ANYTHING else? They have every pixel pushing geek on lock.

If the big N had a tight little SDK and a 256MB Flash chip they'd have a legion of programmers skilled enough to take on real, licensed games right out of school. Instead we get flash games and shit for XBLA.

Dang, I need to go buy some Capitan Morgans now

I agree with what carmack is saying too, but the wind is changing at NoJ. The very fact that Wii Ware is being attempted for Wii is a big start in that direction, as Nintendo know they can't ignore some of the cool stuff MS are doing with XNA. Nintendo have to focus it more at indie though.

I think its only a matter of time before Nintendo grapple with the fact that those creative gamers outside of japan, not in schools supported by them and their software/hardware muscle, need and deserve some kind of help in this area, on DS or Wii. They'd be wise to act, as it will eventually bring new blood to the industry. To ignore the homebrewer and mistakenly mix them with pirates trickily would be silly.

Ohmigawd his penis is hueg like xbawks