Nintendo Fingers Piracy Nations, Asks U.S. For Help

Nintendo has pointed the piracy finger at several nations in a press release issued today.

China, Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Spain and Paraguay all come in for a mention as countries where "piracy is rampant," according to Nintendo.

The maker of the Wii and DS systems also appealed to the U.S. Trade Representative to help combat piracy, especially the type accomplished through circumvention devices such as game copiers and mod chips.

Interestingly, Canada, which was recently singled out by the ESA over its relaxed posture toward mod chips, does not come in for a mention by Nintendo.

Here are some snippets of Nintendo's concerns about the offending nations:

China continues to be the hub of production for counterfeit Nintendo video game products. The number of online shopping sites in China selling infringing Nintendo products is increasing... Internet piracy in Korea continues to increase, as does the availability of devices that get around product security and allow for the play of illegal Nintendo software...

Federal anti-piracy actions are not reducing piracy in Brazil, and local enforcement efforts are weak. Efforts to prosecute for piracy are virtually nonexistent. Customs and border control agents failed to seize a single shipment of Nintendo video game products in Brazil in 2008...

Anti-piracy actions by the Mexican government in 2008 were wholly inadequate... The availability of game-copying devices in Spain is alarming. Internet sites offering game-copying devices and illegal Nintendo software are widespread... Corruption continues to hamper anti-piracy efforts [in Paraguay]...