Confirmed: Wii U is Region Locked

[Hyro-Sama]

GBATemp when Nintendo announces anything:

 

[Clarky]

Yeah it sucks for the UK who always get shafted by release dates

Always? as of late its been pretty good, even in the odd case of us getting the games before the US

 

[Midna]

>NES is region locked Whatever >SNES is region locked Whatever >N64 is region locked Whatever >Gamecube is region locked Whatever >Wii is region locked Whatever ... >Wii U is region locked HOLY SHIT 0/10 WILL NOT BUY BLUNDER OF THE CENTURY NINTENDO IS FINISHED

Snes region lock could be bypassed by removing a couple of plastic tabs in the cartridge slot, same with the N64. The Gamecube and Wii could have region locks disabled via Freeloader and Priiloader.

Are you kidding me or something

That's like saying all stores are open 24/7 as long as you have a crowbar

 

[Hells Malice]

Yeah it sucks for the UK who always get shafted by release dates

Always? as of late its been pretty good, even in the odd case of us getting the games before the US

If you mean those big 3 Wii games, they're kind of an odd exception because they were picked up by...I don't even remember, UK Nintendo or some other UK company. Only reason, for once, that WE got it is because it was basically english and ready to be sold here.

Most games have like a week delay, which ain't too bad. But the UK still doesn't have some good games, like Devil Survivor Overclocked (3DS), and can't get it because of region locking. Some other games have a month or longer delay too.
At least, that's how PC seems to be rolling these days.

 

[Blaze163]

I don't understand the purpose of region locks. In the modern world where the far side of the world is merely a flight away and people from all races and religions are spread far and wide across the globe, what do we gain from region locks? Why erect walls that don't need to be there?

 

[chris888222]

I don't understand the purpose of region locks. In the modern world where the far side of the world is merely a flight away and people from all races and religions are spread far and wide across the globe, what do we gain from region locks? Why erect walls that don't need to be there?

AFAIK, the reasons used:
- Prices
- NTSC/PAL/SECAM stuff
- Censorship

So far I think only censorship is the most "suitable" reason for region locking.

 

[Blaze163]

I don't understand the purpose of region locks. In the modern world where the far side of the world is merely a flight away and people from all races and religions are spread far and wide across the globe, what do we gain from region locks? Why erect walls that don't need to be there?

AFAIK, the reasons used:
- Prices
- NTSC/PAL/SECAM stuff
- Censorship

So far I think only censorship is the most "suitable" reason for region locking.

If by censorship you mean that Western gamers are unlikely to appreciate some of the wierd games the Japanese have (I saw one in NGamer prior to its untimely death about a strategy game where you control schoolgirls dressed up as tanks...) then we always have the option of...you know, not buying it.I'd rather have the option to reject titles instead of being denied them outright for being born on the wrong continent. Like that's somehow my fault.

 

[DiscostewSM]

I don't understand the purpose of region locks. In the modern world where the far side of the world is merely a flight away and people from all races and religions are spread far and wide across the globe, what do we gain from region locks? Why erect walls that don't need to be there?

AFAIK, the reasons used:
- Prices
- NTSC/PAL/SECAM stuff
- Censorship

So far I think only censorship is the most "suitable" reason for region locking.

Also include piracy to a smaller degree.

 

[DiEnd]

Yeah it sucks for the UK who always get shafted by release dates

Always? as of late its been pretty good, even in the odd case of us getting the games before the US

PAL release dates are getting better - at the same time with NA or even a few days earler. Sometimes game arrives in PAL region way earlier (Xenoblade), sometimes way later (Atlus games).
But comapring to Japanese release dates, both PAL and NA just suck. Heck, Japan got NSMB2 three weeks earlier before PAL and NA regions. And that's just a basic platformer. I won't even mention Fire Emblem Kakusei. Oh wait, I just did. April 2012 in Japan, 2013 in the rest of the world.

So far I think only censorship is the most "suitable" reason for region locking.

I should decide what's suitable for me and what's not. Not some company.

 

[MelodieOctavia]

I don't understand the purpose of region locks. In the modern world where the far side of the world is merely a flight away and people from all races and religions are spread far and wide across the globe, what do we gain from region locks? Why erect walls that don't need to be there?

AFAIK, the reasons used:
- Prices
- NTSC/PAL/SECAM stuff
- Censorship

So far I think only censorship is the most "suitable" reason for region locking.

If by censorship you mean that Western gamers are unlikely to appreciate some of the wierd games the Japanese have (I saw one in NGamer prior to its untimely death about a strategy game where you control schoolgirls dressed up as tanks...) then we always have the option of...you know, not buying it.I'd rather have the option to reject titles instead of being denied them outright for being born on the wrong continent. Like that's somehow my fault.

And if games like that were imported on a large scale, Lawmakers would take notice. If lawmakers take notice they get stupid ideas in their empty little heads. When they get stupid ideas in their empty little heads, they might come up with a law that outright bans the sale of all video games that don't carry an ESRB rating. (including copies of PAL, NTSC-J, Asia games that we might or might not be getting in the states.)

Apply that situation to whatever rating system you may have in your home country.

 

[p1ngpong]

This is just typical of Nintendo, they remove advertised core features from their console at the drop of a hat and still expect us to pay full price for it!

 

[Clarky]

snip

not so much the big 3, just in general. Mario Kart Wii i recall actually came out in PAL areas first, but then again games like Smash Bros had several months delay but I believe that has to do with lessons they learned back with Wave Race and marketing games at the right time for said region.

 

[Blaze163]

I don't understand the purpose of region locks. In the modern world where the far side of the world is merely a flight away and people from all races and religions are spread far and wide across the globe, what do we gain from region locks? Why erect walls that don't need to be there?

AFAIK, the reasons used:
- Prices
- NTSC/PAL/SECAM stuff
- Censorship

So far I think only censorship is the most "suitable" reason for region locking.

If by censorship you mean that Western gamers are unlikely to appreciate some of the wierd games the Japanese have (I saw one in NGamer prior to its untimely death about a strategy game where you control schoolgirls dressed up as tanks...) then we always have the option of...you know, not buying it.I'd rather have the option to reject titles instead of being denied them outright for being born on the wrong continent. Like that's somehow my fault.

And if games like that were imported on a large scale, Lawmakers would take notice. If lawmakers take notice they get stupid ideas in their empty little heads. When they get stupid ideas in their empty little heads, they might come up with a law that outright bans the sale of all video games that don't carry an ESRB rating. (including copies of PAL, NTSC-J, Asia games that we might or might not be getting in the states.)

Apply that situation to whatever rating system you may have in your home country.

So what you're basically saying is that I have to fight tooth and nail to play the latest Tales or Monster Hunter games because some douchebag politicians think that we're all gonna rush out to buy wierd Japanese games about girls dressed as fighter jets...

Fuck politics.

But seriously, don't we have free will? Shouldn't we have the freedom to decide what we can and can't play? I don't get all this ridiculous nannyism. People will always be offended by something or other so it's a total waste of time. Especially when a large percentage of the populace are offended by nannyism. So well done. In 'saving us from offence', you managed to offend us all. And you wonder why people think politics is a load of bollocks.

 

[MelodieOctavia]

I don't understand the purpose of region locks. In the modern world where the far side of the world is merely a flight away and people from all races and religions are spread far and wide across the globe, what do we gain from region locks? Why erect walls that don't need to be there?

AFAIK, the reasons used:
- Prices
- NTSC/PAL/SECAM stuff
- Censorship

So far I think only censorship is the most "suitable" reason for region locking.

If by censorship you mean that Western gamers are unlikely to appreciate some of the wierd games the Japanese have (I saw one in NGamer prior to its untimely death about a strategy game where you control schoolgirls dressed up as tanks...) then we always have the option of...you know, not buying it.I'd rather have the option to reject titles instead of being denied them outright for being born on the wrong continent. Like that's somehow my fault.

And if games like that were imported on a large scale, Lawmakers would take notice. If lawmakers take notice they get stupid ideas in their empty little heads. When they get stupid ideas in their empty little heads, they might come up with a law that outright bans the sale of all video games that don't carry an ESRB rating. (including copies of PAL, NTSC-J, Asia games that we might or might not be getting in the states.)

Apply that situation to whatever rating system you may have in your home country.

So what you're basically saying is that I have to fight tooth and nail to play the latest Tales or Monster Hunter games because some douchebag politicians think that we're all gonna rush out to buy wierd Japanese games about girls dressed as fighter jets...

Fuck politics.

But seriously, don't we have free will? Shouldn't we have the freedom to decide what we can and can't play? I don't get all this ridiculous nannyism. People will always be offended by something or other so it's a total waste of time. Especially when a large percentage of the populace are offended by nannyism. So well done. In 'saving us from offence', you managed to offend us all. And you wonder why people think politics is a load of bollocks.

Can't say I don't agree with you. Everybody's running some kind of game. That's the truth of Politics, and believe me when I say that politicians are always looking at Video Games. Whether it's for censorship, copyright protection, or how much money Video Games bring in every year, they are always watching.

 

[TyBlood13]

>NES is region locked Whatever >SNES is region locked Whatever >N64 is region locked Whatever >Gamecube is region locked Whatever >Wii is region locked Whatever ... >Wii U is region locked HOLY SHIT 0/10 WILL NOT BUY BLUNDER OF THE CENTURY NINTENDO IS FINISHED

Snes region lock could be bypassed by removing a couple of plastic tabs in the cartridge slot, same with the N64. The Gamecube and Wii could have region locks disabled via Freeloader and Priiloader.

Are you kidding me or something

That's like saying all stores are open 24/7 as long as you have a crowbar

It is true for NTSC-U SNES/N64 consoles to play NTSC-J games. I can see (by your flag) why you may not believe this, as you are PAL.

 

[Midna]

>NES is region locked Whatever >SNES is region locked Whatever >N64 is region locked Whatever >Gamecube is region locked Whatever >Wii is region locked Whatever ... >Wii U is region locked HOLY SHIT 0/10 WILL NOT BUY BLUNDER OF THE CENTURY NINTENDO IS FINISHED

Snes region lock could be bypassed by removing a couple of plastic tabs in the cartridge slot, same with the N64. The Gamecube and Wii could have region locks disabled via Freeloader and Priiloader.

Are you kidding me or something

That's like saying all stores are open 24/7 as long as you have a crowbar

It is true for NTSC-U SNES/N64 consoles to play NTSC-J games. I can see (by your flag) why you may not believe this, as you are PAL.

I know. You just need to take a hacksaw to your console.
I don't live in Albania.

 

[MelodieOctavia]

>NES is region locked Whatever >SNES is region locked Whatever >N64 is region locked Whatever >Gamecube is region locked Whatever >Wii is region locked Whatever ... >Wii U is region locked HOLY SHIT 0/10 WILL NOT BUY BLUNDER OF THE CENTURY NINTENDO IS FINISHED

Snes region lock could be bypassed by removing a couple of plastic tabs in the cartridge slot, same with the N64. The Gamecube and Wii could have region locks disabled via Freeloader and Priiloader.

Are you kidding me or something

That's like saying all stores are open 24/7 as long as you have a crowbar

It is true for NTSC-U SNES/N64 consoles to play NTSC-J games. I can see (by your flag) why you may not believe this, as you are PAL.

I think he's trying to say that It's not a valid argument to discount the SNES' and N64's region locking just because of such an easy fix.

 

[the_randomizer]

>NES is region locked Whatever >SNES is region locked Whatever >N64 is region locked Whatever >Gamecube is region locked Whatever >Wii is region locked Whatever ... >Wii U is region locked HOLY SHIT 0/10 WILL NOT BUY BLUNDER OF THE CENTURY NINTENDO IS FINISHED

Snes region lock could be bypassed by removing a couple of plastic tabs in the cartridge slot, same with the N64. The Gamecube and Wii could have region locks disabled via Freeloader and Priiloader.

Are you kidding me or something

That's like saying all stores are open 24/7 as long as you have a crowbar

Yes, I'm joking around. It's written all over my face.

 

[Xenirina]

Ahh! That make more trouble for the hackers of the Wii U.
I wonder if it will be as easy as the Wii was to hack...

 

[DiscostewSM]

This is just typical of Nintendo, they remove advertised core features from their console at the drop of a hat and still expect us to pay full price for it!

Sounds like jealousy to me.