3DS: Smealum postpones Homebrew Loader release, in light of new 3DS announcement by Nintendo
Yesterday, Nintendo announced the upcoming release of a new model of 3DS. This new revision will bring several hardware changes, including a new analog stick, two additional shoulder buttons, and “speed improvements” related changes. What sounds surprisingly terrible is that some 3DS games will only be compatible with this new model, which is sure to confuse gamers, and their parents/grandparents even more.
But I’m not here to talk about the New 3DS here, rather about the impact that this announcement had on the homebrew scene a few hours ago. Developer Smealum, who had announced he would release a homebrew loader for the 3DS “soon” (most of us were expecting the release to happen this week), just stated on twitter that the new hardware announce made him reconsider the schedule for his loader release.
So what are the reasons behind this move? Well simply put, the new 3DS model might have some additional code, new security measures, new drivers, etc… that hackers will want to look into. In order to dig into the device, exploits are required, so if Smealum releases his exploit now, he gives Nintendo a chance at fixing the vulnerability before the new device is even released (meaning hackers will not be able to leverage that exploit to unravel the new 3DS’ secrets).
It is not uncommon for hackers to “keep” their exploits for themselves, at least temporarily, in order to investigate the device more. In the long run, this is extremely good for the hacking scene: if these exploits were all made public (and therefore instantly patched), no progress would ever be made on the devices.
So in that regard it is easy to see where Smealum is coming from. But the pill is hard to swallow, as the release had been taunted for weeks if not months, and promised to happen “in the days to come” not so long ago. As Smealum himself admits, his work feels like some “bait and switch” vaporware right now, and that’s definitely not good.
I’m really sorry, I know this is *** and bait&switchy but I don’t want to make any rash decisions.
— smea (@smealum) August 29, 2014
In my own experience, exploits for consoles come and go, and there always be a good reason not to release. Today it’s the announce of the new 3DS model, that will be released in Japan in a few weeks. Tomorrow, we might be told to be patient until the same model reaches Europe and the US, to avoid those regional versions from being patched as well. By the time this happens, a new major 9.x or 10.x firmware will be announced, and it might be better to wait again, etc…
The truth is, with no significant progress in 3DS hacking over the past 4 major firmware revisions, it’s high time the 3DS got some movement, and I personally think now would be a perfect time for some more homebrew. Mind you, I don’t even own a 3DS, so I’m not in a conflict of interests here 🙂 (on the other hand, one might argue that the community has already waited for a while, they might as well wait a few more months)
That being said, this is Smealum’s work. Having myself spent hundreds, if not thousands of hours on HBL back in the days, I know of firsthand experience how it feels to have your work released not “on your own terms”. So if Smealum feels now’s not the right time, it’s up to the community to be mature and respect this choice.
Smealum said that he does not know at this point how this new 3DS hardware will impact his release schedule. He clearly stated that the release will happen, and that he will not wait until 2015 (release date of the new 3DS model in Europe and the US) to make it happen. However, if I interpret his statements correctly, it sounds likely today that he is willing to wait until someone can test his exploits on the new 3DS hardware before he does a release. So that could mean mid October at best, unless Smealum changes his mind.
for clarification purposes, since apparently not everyone knows what “!=” means : i have no intention of delaying until 2015. need to think. — smea (@smealum) August 29, 2014
Stay tuned, we’ll definitely let you know if any progress is made
I hope gateway will be compatible !
Seriously, f#ck Gateway and their *** 3DS warez flashcard…
pwned
@Albatar The point of this hack is to put Homebrew directly in your SD Card, no Gateway or other flashcart required.
Did you mean “I hope gateway will be compatible [to run the exploit]”, then No, because this is an exploit for a 3DS game, not a NDS game…
smea is making the right decision. REMEMBER THE TRAGEDY ON THE PS VITA.
why buy a DS when you can emulate just about all DS ROMS through Drastic DS Emulator???
Understandable why he would want to try and get 2 birds with 1 stone if he can. That extra processing power and RAM could be invaluable to some homebrew, and the new built in features must certainly be enticing.
I’m fine waiting a little while, if it means potential n3DS homebrew within the first few weeks. Either way I get to try out some new homebrew eventually, either with my regular 3DS or my new one, so a little extra time to investigate the new system makes sense to me.
Nice write up as always. I was anxiously awaiting this release like everyone else yet I don’t see the need for all the hate he got on Twitter. Yes it sucks but we aren’t entitled to this release. It is his work and it’s up to him what he does with it.
I totally agree with the desiccation. Better to wait and have a hacked new system with homebrew than blow the only publicly exploit there is for a system that wont support some of the new 3DS games.
Nobody seems to realize that manufacturing lead times are months in advance. There is a reason the new hardware code is in firm 8.0, which was released in july. It makes no sense to wait, the release firmware is already hacked.
they can just release the new 3DS with a newer firmware that patches the exploit…
the new hardware code is on 8.0 probably just for testing purposes from Nintendo, and also it might be related with developers making games for that hardware.
The New 3Ds are already in prodouce and nearly ready for the jp release and the fe eill be lower than the current one!!
@nohax4ever, that’s a fair point, looks like it would be a logistics nightmare to bring a new firmware to the units less than a month before the units ship to resellers
While Nintendo is highly unlikely to go back and reflash the manufactured hardware, it may limit the amount of hardware that’s sold with the exploited firmware.
While this is extremely exciting, I would prefer he wait. As said in the article: the extra performance and hardware would be great for homebrew.
Not really. Apple does the same.
After 6 weeks after a new iOS version has been released, it has been installed at every newly bought iPhone, as long as it is not lying in the stores already.
They update their devices before they ship them to the carriers.
A new CPU, new controls, and NFC are substantial enough to require a new firmware either way. Apple releases a new iOS version before each new device line to account for the new hardware. That would be the valid comparison.
I’m fairly certain there’s going to be a day one(or close to) patch for the New3DS as well as an update for the older 3DS units for compatibility reasons.
As for Apple: they don’t actually update the device prior to shipping. Like everyone else it just depends on when the device was manufactured. eg. iOS 7.1.2 is released so all the factories switch the install images over to 7.1.2. Earlier devices are still going to be using whatever was latest when they were made. They do however, update replacement units for AppleCare exchanges as those are not sealed units. Those units are made specifically for AppleCare and do not even have real packaging.
Apple stores also have this annoying tendency to “set up” your device for you as well as update it when you first purchase it. If they ask to help put in your SIM card or set iCloud for you say no if you plan on jailbreaking. Even if the latest iOS is exploitable.
Smart move on his part. Just wait for the US/EUR release. Damn 3ds’s are regioned lock so let’s make sure the whole world can have homebrew. The hombrew scene would benefit from the extra power in the new console. And scenes need as many people on board to thrive. The only way to keep people on board is to make the scene worth supporting. i.e. if you can play n64 on the newer models and not on the older ones, everyone will want a newer one.
You don’t know when N. will release the N3DS in EU/NA …so maybe we’ll get it in september 2015 and I can’t wait that long
@Kiwiwi You can’t wait that long? Just because you can’t, I hope you have to. What terrible thing will happen to you if it’s not released on a date suitable for YOU? If the release date is to far in the future for you, you could always start working on finding an exploit for yourself that way you will be guranteed to have it before Sept. 2015. After you find it just make sure you release it at a time suitable to someone other than yourself and all will be well in the world.
Chad
Smea – the biggest troll on the 3ds scene.
A troll, but a productive one nonetheless. I hope during the downtime he finds out more stuff to make his hack more effective when he does release it.
Save the exploit till the theres a second or at least till nintendo is done with the 3ds to get full potential out of all models who cares if its 5 years from now it will still be a fun console once homebrew becomes available like the psp for now gateway is fine hopefully they can add homebrew somehow soon
He never had it to start with, the new data just gave him the tipoff he needed to hide behind a delay. Enjoy waiting forever.
Though I highly doubt the new model brings any significant change in code, delaying his realase is the most logical thing to do right now.
You can’t blame him for trying to recruit this new model in his advance, who knows, perhaps the extra power of this system will do good for emulators and such.
Guy can do whatever he wants with his work, but the exploit game is from a narrow catalogue of games given the hints released so Nintendo will find it and look for others.
Of course other hackers will also be in the hunt and may release before Smealum with a .iso loader irony.
I would even support waiting until the western release next year. Having a working exploit for the new hardware is a big deal, worth waiting for. People will have to deal with it, postponing is sensible.
really, the best smea would do if he won’t wait until 2015 is test his cfw on new 3ds on japan, that would be this year. if he releases and if it’s compatible, nintendo would surely patch the EU and US versions in 2015. I know I don’t have enough knowledge to do half of what he does and every member on the scene, but this delay doesn’t seem helpful at all. Anyway, I thank him and pretty much everyone else who at least tries to do something we can all enjoy for free.
Seems completely illogical to wait to release this because a new system that may not be released everywhere for a year, that hardly anybody will own for a while after, is coming EVENTUALLY, MAYBE, when the loader is working and available NOW. That’s what an update is for. If the loader doesn’t take advantage of the new hardware, update it when the new 3DS comes out, and let everyone use what works now for the months and months in the meantime until the new hardware exists at retail. The decision to delay makes zero sense. Why make everyone wait to use software for future unreleased hardware we may not even want to own, when we could be using it NOW on something we already have?
It was obvious when he gave an ETA before even having the site ready that he is fairly new to projects like this. More pressure is only going to scare him off.
Just buy a budget phone, which most likely be stronger than two new 3ds combined for homebrew.
And way more uncomfortable plus not able to play 3DS games.
Buy a gameklip or any cheap bluetooth controller.
I am wondering if this new 3DS will be the Small Screen variant, or will it be XL Sized or bigger? Due to more RAM, Power and 2 Additional Shoulder Buttons, then it should be XL or bigger hopefully.
Both
Im not sure what sort of homebrew i would use on a 3DS , i have an Android Tablet , phone , Ouya, PSP, Vita, and Pandora to play homebrew on already.
Looks like you could be waiting a long time to play homebrew on the 3DS, not sure why the delay.
the company work hard times to release in this christmas a excellent hand video game console, strategy or is coming new games for this new 3ds XL?
Afaik, for now Xenoblade Chronicles is the only game that will come to the New 3DS3
…for now…
Can’t you wait around 2-3 months?
As a human being you’re useless, please kill yourself.
What’s sad is you actually breathe air that a hampster could be using. Much more productively I might add.
Wow, I didn’t expect my post to be approved by mods. But since it has, yeah I’m the useless one. No one here, including smea, has contributed anything useful to the console hacking scene in years. It’s dead, done. You guys can go on and debate your overly entitled opinions about what’s best for the scene, but the truth is there is no scene. And most of you have had nothing to do with it when it was alive.
:v it’s not about patience. What I’m saying is its too late. The window is gone. Nintendo will not slip up like that again. If smea knows an exploit, especially after explaining it for so long. Nintendo knows it. It will be patched in upcoming versions, start from step one with no back door.
Jomariner that was less productive then what I said. Your statement about the usefulness of war shows the true mental atrophy. Marines are not cool despite what your friends think.
You guys enjoy the dead scene and debating nothing.
dude, well said
Good point about Nintendo patching the exploit on the next 3ds , looks like smea’s exploit could be vapour ware.
We are know the new 3DS can have new feature, like improving CPU, and additional button. Smealum doing right decision have to wait right time and make sure new 3DS will enough for all user in market and look and gateway team, over 1 year they can’t exploit newer than 4.5. Be patient pal
Everyone loves what you guys tend to be up too. Such clever work and coverage!
Keep up the great works guys I’ve added
you guys to my personal blogroll.