# FreeShop

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/FreeShop
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/FreeShop.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FreeShop
> Source revision: 1329656292
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Defunct piracy software for the Nintendo 3DS

freeShop Original author Thomas Edvalson (TheCruel) Release May 28, 2016; 10 years ago (2016-05-28) Final release 3.0.0 / April 21, 2017; 9 years ago (2017-04-21) Platform 3DS Type Piracy, homebrew License MIT Website freeshop.pw (defunct) Repository notabug.org/evi/freeShop

**freeShop** was a [homebrew](/source/Homebrew_(video_games)) application for the [Nintendo 3DS](/source/Nintendo_3DS) that allowed games to be downloaded from the [Nintendo eShop](/source/Nintendo_eShop)'s servers without being previously purchased. freeShop was first released in April 2016, before being removed from [GitHub](/source/GitHub) following a [DMCA takedown notice](/source/DMCA_takedown_notice) sent in late December 2016.[1]

## History

freeShop was created by Thomas Edvalson, known online as TheCruel, in 2016. freeShop used a user-submitted database of "tickets" to decrypt games downloaded from Nintendo's servers, which were available without any authentication.[2]

The software was taken down from GitHub after Nintendo sent a DMCA takedown notice requesting its removal on December 27, 2016, claiming that "the freeShop application provided at [https://github.com/Cruel/freeShop/releases](https://github.com/Cruel/freeShop/releases) infringes Nintendo's copyrights, because the application circumvents Nintendo's technological protection measures in violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act."[3]

Following its removal from GitHub, freeShop was distributed via other means, and piracy of 3DS games directly from Nintendo's servers continued.[2] In 2018, Nintendo began requiring authentication for downloads of 3DS games, making freeShop and similar tools non-functional.[4]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-engadget_1-0)** Summers, Nick (December 29, 2016). ["Nintendo tackles 3DS piracy with 'freeShop' takedown"](https://www.engadget.com/2016-12-29-nintendo-dmca-takedown-freeshop-3ds.html). *[Engadget](/source/Engadget)*. Retrieved February 17, 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-kotaku_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-kotaku_2-1) Hernandez, Patricia (December 28, 2016). ["3DS Software Famed For Piracy Hit With Nintendo Takedown, Creator Says"](https://kotaku.com/3ds-software-famed-for-piracy-hit-with-nintendo-takedow-1790570573). *[Kotaku](/source/Kotaku)*. Retrieved February 17, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-dmcanotice_3-0)** ["dmca/2016-12-27-Nintendo.md"](https://github.com/github/dmca/blob/e4ed44931e5cf8693701461488b597f38e4620d7/2016-12-27-Nintendo.md). *[GitHub](/source/GitHub)*. December 27, 2016. Retrieved February 17, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-torrentfreak_4-0)** Maxwell, Andy (August 23, 2018). ["Nintendo Plugs Leak That Provided Free 3DS Game Downloads"](https://torrentfreak.com/nintendo-plugs-leak-that-provided-free-3ds-game-downloads-180823/). *[TorrentFreak](/source/TorrentFreak)*. Retrieved February 17, 2021.

v t e Nintendo 3DS Hardware Console Nintendo 3DS Nintendo 2DS New Nintendo 3DS New Nintendo 2DS XL Amiibo Nintendo Network Miiverse Nintendo eShop Nintendo Video Nintendo Zone Nintendo Fan Network SpotPass and StreetPass Swapnote Software System software Face Raiders Mii PictoChat StreetPass Mii Plaza Flipnote Studio 3D Games 0–M N–Z Best selling DSiWare 3D Classics Virtual Console Japan North America PAL region South Korea Taiwan and Hong Kong Emulation and Homebrew Citra freeShop Italics denote discontinued services ←Nintendo DS Nintendo Switch→

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [FreeShop](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FreeShop) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FreeShop?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.