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Piracy is the new black: Mario Galaxy leaked to the 'net photo

This NeoGAF post has information on the apparent leak of the Mario Galaxy code well before the game's official release. It seems that the demo copies found at local Electronics Boutique stores only have a ten minute time limit when played on EB's proprietary demo machines, and when played in consumer Wiis, the disc actually contains the full version of Galaxy. Taking advantage of this, a scurvy EB employee lifted the disc, copied the data from it, and uploaded it all directly into the cargo hold of his nearest Internet receptacle.

While it is still not possible to download the data, burn it, and play it without certain black market modifications to one's Wii, such items aren't tremendously hard to find. While my desire to not be crushed under Reggie Fils-Aime's boulder-like fists prevent me from going into great detail on the subject, enough people know how to find these resources to make this news of great importance. I can't imagine Nintendo is very happy about this, but the cat is out of the bag, dressed as a bumblebee, and flying around the room regardless of what they do now.


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52 comments | showing # 1 to 50

MaxVest's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 14:12
MaxVest
If this were [conan]in the year 2000[/conan], I could see how Nintendo might have been taken by surprise.
king3vbo's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 14:12
king3vbo
Well, thats what they get for putting the full game on a "demo disc". It was a dumbass move if they didnt want it to get pirated and leaked early
bluemeep's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 14:14
bluemeep
I think we all knew this one was coming the moment the full-length demo news appeared...
whiteboy0869's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 14:16
whiteboy0869
Yeah, dumb move Nintendo. In all fairness, I think you're an asshole if you pirate this game. Nintendo obviously put alot into this game, and they actually deserve your 50 bucks for this one. Given the choice of a free copy of this or paying for it, I would pay for it. Miyamoto deserves at least that.
galagabug 's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 14:16
galagabug
no captain obvious image?
Lord Helmet's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 14:19
Lord Helmet
You see, Nintendo, this is why you can't be in charge of the video game market anymore. You're just too damn stupid.
MusashiX2's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 14:31
MusashiX2
which Wii modchip is the best? WiiKey? Wiinja? Cyclowiz? hmmm...
outrage's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 14:51
outrage
perhaps Nintendo isnt so dumb after all... could they have put in some code to brick modded wii's? I for one WILL buy it, but Im not about to start playing the ripped version before anyone else...
aupton's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 14:51
aupton
See unfortunately by posting this you just gave thousands of non-technical, undeserving kids the goahead to start looking for a download.

Piracy became a real prob once it became mainstream...
h3lios's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 14:54
h3lios
Wiikey is good. And tbh, Nintendo's stupid to put the entire game on a disc before launch.
JamesSorensen's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 14:58
JamesSorensen
ya same with Assasins creed going gold adn COD4 gold.. anyday now and it will be on teh net
Necros's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 15:03
Necros
They really should have seen this coming.
JamesSorensen's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 15:10
JamesSorensen
still noone with a completed confirmation.. could just be some kid pulling a fake torrent midupload
deanhatescoffee's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 15:15
deanhatescoffee
This is going to take away all of 0.000001% of Nintendo's profit from Mario Galaxy. Oh noes!
grrza's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 15:22
grrza
Yeah, this is going to do nothing to dent their trillion dollar status.

Still, that's what they get for being lazy and not making real demo discs =/
Holyetheline's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 15:34
Holyetheline
I want to mod my wii now... oh hell
JLarkin's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 15:55
JLarkin
@ Aupton:
That's a good point you bring up. I agree. It sucks that Nintendo will lose sales to people who otherwise wouldn't know, but I feel like I'd rather be informed than not know the game was leaked at all.

Also, Nintendo has to step up their game. They should already know that retail employees let things get into the wrong hands all the time.
Sharpless's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 15:58
Sharpless
Pirating a Mario game is like fucking a Care Bear. I mean, sure, it might be soft and heavenly, and it might feel like plunging your dick into clouds, and they might make queer squeaking noises when you...

Wait, what was I talking about again?
RJG's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 16:01
RJG
I have a chipped Wii, but it's not what you think. Instead of paying $100 locally for a new title months after it's been released in the US, I can get it for $60 a few days later, after shipping.

There is something very wrong with the above statement. Two things in fact. See if you can find what they are. While only one of them really applies to SMG, Metroid and Super Paper Mario would like to remind you that NINTENDO FUCKING SUCK AT THIS AND HAVE NO EXCUSES ANYMORE.
SubOrbital's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 16:15
SubOrbital
Dumb Nintendo for trusting EB. And whoever did this, I have absolutely no respect for. It's call stealing, prick. Wait like everyone else or direct yourself to a jail cell, thanks.
Clockwork's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 16:18
Clockwork
So they really thought no one would take it out of the demo consoles at EB Games? I think they forgot one major aspect of the EB Games employees...they're fucking EB Games employees
MusashiX2's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 16:20
MusashiX2
almost every game gets leaked ahead of release date. however, most are just a few days. you know Guitar Hero III was also leaked already, right?
Namelessted's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 16:24
Namelessted
Now i just need to wait until a torrent shows up to get a hold of this
TheToiletDuck's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 16:51
TheToiletDuck
One of the Eb employees told me this "would never happen, because they'd lose their jobs". I, captain obvious, said "not everyone cares about their gamestore jobs" and sure enough here it is. Self righteous little shit thinking working at eb is the be all and end all.

Oh and on the eb stupid tangent i bought orange box yesterday (it got released in NZ officially today). I said to the guy "oh so you broke the street date" and he said "no we didn't it's in the computer to be released today. Haha, yeah the EA rep even rang me up and told us NOT to sell it. I mean, what an idiot the release date is today". No dickweed, the release date is tomorrow you broke the release date...i'm pretty sure the distributer knows it's own release date. But hell, i got the game a day early (and 2 weeks after the usa) so i shouldnt complain.

Okay, sorry that was a tangent. This is not a surprise but good for people like me that may not see a pal release for many a month and can play this while my dvdboxoffice copy is shipping.
MrFudge's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 16:52
MrFudge
I totally called this yesterday when Dtoid said they had the full copy in-store. Just sayin'
Knives's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 16:54
Knives
Totally expected, I'm surprised it didn't happen a bit sooner.
Im OK's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 17:00
Im OK
I wouldn't want Nintendo bricking my Wii a few weeks/months from now when the inevitable update comes, so I won't be modding my Wii to play this.

Also, there's the whole stealing thing, so yeah.
Lightthrower's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 17:05
Lightthrower
@Im OK

They can only brick your Wii if you go online. Since Nintendo's online plan sucks ball, why the hell would you go online?
Im OK's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 17:16
Im OK
@Lightthrower

So that makes it okay to pirate the game? That's nice to know.
Lord The Night Knight's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 17:16
Lord The Night Knight
If they put the full game, on a demo that was meant to lact ten minutes, does this mean speed runs can be done that fast?
lubczyk's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 17:24
lubczyk
Serves Nintendo right. Intentianally delaying already finished games so not to canabolize sales. Mario Galaxy should have been released 6 months from the Wii's launch, not more than a year after launch.

Nintendo doesn't need the money. They make so much money yet release so few games and limit supply.

I repeat, Nintendo deserves to lose money for lying to its customers.

1. The Wii was supposed to be region-free.

2. Metroid was supposed to be a launch title.

3. Mario Galaxy and Brawl were supposed to be released 6 months from launch.

4. There were supposed to be no first-party game droughts.

5. The Wii was supposed to be 2 to 3 times as powerful as the Gamecube not be a Gamecube 1.5:

6. Wii doesn't have a trully needed headset.

7. Wii's online network is mediocre.

8. Friend Codes suck!!!

9. The Wii was supposed to cater in Reggie's words "From age 7 to 70," - that means adult games - like Manhunt 2 uncut for the Wii. Nuff said.

If these 9 conditions aren't met in 2008, I hope the Wii comes in 3rd place 3 years from now.
lubczyk's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 17:29
lubczyk
Oh yeah, forgot condition 10:

10. Totally dicking the PAL region people. That's total BS. Self-explanatory.
braulio09's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 17:35
braulio09
*starts mIRC transfer*

Yay!
Comrade Snarky's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 18:01
Comrade Snarky
lubczyk: Are #6-10 "lies" or just truths you don't like?

Also, I don't really consider game delays "lies." You may be taking the unfortunate realities of game development a bit too personally if you do.
Im OK's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 18:37
Im OK
@lubczyk

I love how you're trying to rationalize stealing something by saying that the victim of the theft supposedly "deserves it" somehow, and then listing off a bunch of entirely irrelevant "reasons" as to why they supposedly deserve it.
mrkonchu's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 18:43
mrkonchu
@Comrade Snarky: I dont know about 8 though friend codes do suck. Please let me use my Wii system friend code for everything.
Boolean's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 18:55
Boolean
Nintendo sends out full version demos to stores with 10 minute limits, and they are surprised this happend? If there is a 10 minute limit, WHY DO YOU NEED THE WHOLE GAME!?

The obvious result of this situation makes me LOL.

LOL.
van's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 19:13
van
wah!
stop crying, already.
LarkOhiya's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 19:57
LarkOhiya
10 minutes of fun!
liqideos's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 20:04
liqideos
And what is your source for pinning this on an EB employee now?
Comrade Snarky's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 21:10
Comrade Snarky
@mrkonchu: Not saying that some of those things listed don't suck (i.e. friend codes, lack of a headset, relatively anemic online service) -- but that does not magically make them lies. Nor do I think that they somehow justify the piracy of a product that scores of devs poured their hearts into.
Calla's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 21:38
Calla
i'm calling shenanigans! this sounds like a ruse to me.
Samit Sarkar's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/25/2007 21:54
Samit Sarkar
Uh oh...looks like Nintendo may have to bring down the BANHAMMER on some sixteen-digit numbers!
Mxyzptlk's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/26/2007 05:20
Mxyzptlk
Mario needs a pirate costume.
Kaikara's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/26/2007 06:42
Kaikara
I personally would NEVER pirate a mario game. Save ROMS for PSP of games I've bought in the past (/owns nearly every mario platformer). I'm buying a Wii for this game :-)
The Incredible Edible Egg's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/26/2007 06:47
The Incredible Edible Egg
If I have to pollinate anything in that game, I'm returning it immediately for DOA Xtreme 2
MPHtails's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/26/2007 14:13
MPHtails
I really dont care enough about the game to go out and bother messing with the downloadings and the moddings and the burnings and such.

Now, if it was Smash Bros brawl, it would be very hard to resist, even though I'd still end up buing it hen it came out anyway...
Holyetheline's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/26/2007 19:15
Holyetheline
Yeah, I did some thought on this. Don't steal it... Don't mod your Wii... Be patient ant wait a couple weeks, it's all good I swear!
Fading Star's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/27/2007 21:22
Fading Star
@Mxyzptlk
Hell yeah. It's Halloween. A pirate costume for Mario would be/is beyond awesome.
thebigghurt's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/29/2007 11:13
thebigghurt
to be honest Im betting nintendo counted on this with news stories about the game all over the net its like free advertising for the people that dont want to mod there systems and it reminds everyone of the release date
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