Rumour: Nintendo 3DS update will brick consoles that use flash cards

Update: A Nintendo spokesperson released the following statement to Eurogamer: "We do not discuss product security details (for obvious reasons), nor can we discuss the details of countermeasures available in the Nintendo 3DS system.

"Nintendo 3DS has the most up-to-date technology. The security has been designed to protect both the creative works in the software and to protect the Nintendo 3DS hardware system itself."

Original story: The Nintendo 3DS was released just over a week ago in Japan, and already there are piracy and anti-piracy stories flying around.

Japanese hackers managed to get the infamous R4 flash card working within hours of the launch, but it sounds as though Nintendo may have implemented measures to keep the hackers at bay.

According to Go Nintendo, the 3DS keeps a log of your activities, and can make a note whenever you use a flash card.

If you then attempt to trade-in your 3DS at a retailer, the store can check whether or not you have used pirated software, and refuse the trade-in if it finds you have participated in piracy.

And there's more. Rumours suggest that an update is on the way that will brick any Nintendo 3DS that has used pirated software.

Japanese retailer Enterking has posted up a warning on its site, which roughly translates as the following:

"Dear customers who resell Nintendo 3DS, In case if you use equipment which is illegal or unapproved by Nintendo or if you do customization which is unapproved by Nintendo, there is a possibility that Nintendo 3DS become non bootable by system update. - From Nintendo 3DS terms of agreement Because of terms of agreement above, Enterking refuses to buy 3DS system with record of illegal or unapproved equipment."

Of course, if all of this is true you can be sure that hackers won't simply give up - workarounds will steadly begin to appear.

However, it sounds like - for now, at least - Nintendo is taking rather big steps towards keeping the 3DS piracy-free.