Hackers have cracked the copy protection code of games
developed for Nokia's N-Gage mobile game console.
"We have discovered that some of the N-Gage games are available
for downloading on a number of websites," said Damian Stathonikos,
a Nokia spokesman.
"We will work closely with ISPs and authorities, and continue to
develop our own copy protection mechanisms to curb this
action."
Earlier this week, gaming website
www.spong.com revealed
successful hacks of N-Gage games, saying the games could be
"cracked like an egg".
Club-Siemens.net, an unofficial website for users of Siemens
mobile phones run by the Norwegians Silje Brevik and Jorgen Molna,
posted a message confirming that N-Gage games can be downloaded and
installed on the German company's SX1 mobile phone. The website
posted several screen shots of N-Gage games installed on the
Siemens SX1 phone.
The message said that the N-Gage games run "very well on the
SX1". Users of the Siemens phone only need to transfer the game
file to the MMC (Multimedia Card) and use a specific application to
install the game. "The sound is nice" and the "graphics are
perfect", it said.
The program to install the game is called BlizzardN-Gage.sis,
according to one gamer who requested anonymity. He said he was
surprised to see how easily N-Gage games could be cracked and also
by the fact that the games run on other Nokia phones, such as the
3650 and 6600 models.
"I was under the impression that N-Gage was completely different
hardware, but this doesn't appear to be the case."
Nokia was not surprised at the news. "We thought this might
happen," Stathonikos said. "This behavior is, unfortunately, a
relatively common occurrence in the gaming industry."
Nokia launched N-Gage, a combined mobile phone and game console,
in October. The wireless device allows users to play games against
other people using a Bluetooth or a GPRS connection.
John Blau writes for IDG News Service