Nintendo has just announced that it and 54 game software companies are filing a lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court against companies that import "R4 Revolution for DS"-type devices, using the Unfair Competition Prevention Law as the legal grounding. Nintendo is asking for the cease of marketing, sales and importation of these Chinese-made devices. The R4 allows easy software piracy by fitting right into the DS's cartridge slot. Data is stored on a Micro SD and downloaded from websites via a flash drive, and the R4 has a small slot that the Micro SD card goes into. In a statement released today, Nintendo announced that these R4 devices "allow illegal uploading from the internet", adding that "it is causing severe damage to our company and software makers, and this is something that we cannot possibly overlook." In conclusion, Nintendo adds that such devices hurts the growth of the entire game industry and steps must be taken regarding the legality of R4 carts. It's important to note that this legal injunction is for Japan only.

Back in November 2007, Nintendo announced that it was "keeping a close eye on the products and studying them." Earlier this spring, Nintendo apparently pressured Akihabara retailers to stop carrying the popular R4 carts.

Hit the jump for a list of some of the companies who along with Nintendo have filed in this suit.

Arc System Works
SNK
Capcom
Koei
Jaleco
Square Enix
Sega
Taito
Takara Tomy
Tecmo
Hudson
Bandai Namco Games
The Pokémon Company
Yukes
Level Five

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