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A question about commercial use

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 9:28 am
by AlbinEng
I've been planing on making a commercial game, but it occurred to me that I don't know if it's allowed using libnds in that manner.
Nintendo has a commercial api right? Do they have a say in this?

If so are there any terms I should read?

Thanks!

Re: A question about commercial use

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 1:29 pm
by weirdfox
I don't know if it's allowed using libnds in that manner.
If you read libnds's liscence, it allow commercial use. But you won't be able to distribute your game on a Nintendo aproved cartridge as you need to pass the whole Nintendo development process.
Nintendo has a commercial api right? Do they have a say in this
Yes, they have a complete control over this...

For Nintendo libs, you have to contact them, show them the money (a LOT of money) and maybe get aproved.
After that, you have to please theme with your game or it won't have the right to be distributed...
But with them you have acess to those sweet devkits and hardrawe debug tools :)

Re: A question about commercial use

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 1:39 pm
by AlbinEng
Are you saying that while the licence of libnds allows commercial use nintendo does not?

So only people that have money are able to make games for the DS?..

That sucks.. :(

Re: A question about commercial use

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 6:18 pm
by weirdfox
Are you saying that while the licence of libnds allows commercial use nintendo does not?
I don't know if Nintendo will try to stop you from selling an unlicensed commercial game, but in my opinion, it's very likely...

Re: A question about commercial use

Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 7:35 am
by AlbinEng
Isn't it possible to licence the game and still use libnds?

Re: A question about commercial use

Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 1:52 am
by WinterMute
No, unfortunately it's not like the GBA days, licensed NDS games must use the official SDK.

As for selling homebrew, it's been done a few times with GBA - the 2004mbit compo cart for one, which was even signed by Shigsy at E3.

Obviously you take the risk of being issued with a C&D but I've yet to hear of a homebrewer being taken to court over semi commercial endeavours.

Re: A question about commercial use

Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 4:59 pm
by AlbinEng
That's silly and sad :/.

Anyway, life goes on.

Thanks for the response to all of you!