Nintendo to pull their mobile titles from Belgium due to micro-transaction laws

H2x1_SmartDevice_FireEmblemHeroes_Book3_image1600w.jpg

As Belgium begins to crack down on games that use micro-transactions and in-game purchases, developers have been forced to change their games for the region due to their new laws. Meanwhile, certain other companies aren't as willing to make such accommodations, resulting in today's official statement made by Nintendo's Belgian branch. Mobile titles Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp and Fire Emblem Heroes will no longer be available for those in Belgium, "due to an unclear situation regarding certain in-game revenue models". On August 27, 2019, service for both games will end, and they will be removed from download. Not only will this affect the two existing titles, but any and all future Nintendo mobile games that use a "gacha" style system will avoid releasing in the country from here on out.

Due to the current unclear situation in Belgium regarding certain in-game revenue models, we have decided to end the service for Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp and Fire Emblem Heroes in Belgium. It will therefore no longer be possible to play and download the games from Tuesday 27 August 2019.

Players who still have Orbs and / or Leaf Tickets in their account can continue to use them until the service ends.

In addition, future Nintendo games with similar earnings models will no longer be released in Belgium.

We would like to thank all players in Belgium for playing Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp and Fire Emblem Heroes.

:arrow: Source
 

Ericthegreat

Not New Member
Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2008
Messages
3,454
Trophies
2
Location
Vana'diel
XP
4,253
Country
United States

As Belgium begins to crack down on games that use micro-transactions and in-game purchases, developers have been forced to change their games for the region due to their new laws. Meanwhile, certain other companies aren't as willing to make such accommodations, resulting in today's official statement made by Nintendo's Belgian branch. Mobile titles Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp and Fire Emblem Heroes will no longer be available for those in Belgium, "due to an unclear situation regarding certain in-game revenue models". On August 27, 2019, service for both games will end, and they will be removed from download. Not only will this affect the two existing titles, but any and all future Nintendo mobile games that use a "gacha" style system will avoid releasing in the country from here on out.



:arrow: Source
I hate these types of games, but I do understand that if they release a version with less dlc, people will find a way to play that version. And upkeep, not worth it to pay developers for another version, sucks for people in Belgium, but they can probably still play with a vpn. (Or if Nintendo is smart a sideloaded app, still tougher for iOS players though)
 
Last edited by Ericthegreat,
  • Like
Reactions: FateForWindows

Kadji

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2006
Messages
198
Trophies
1
Age
35
Location
Germany, NRW
XP
1,450
Country
Germany
Sucks hard, especially since Nintendo gacha games are always very fair and don't try to nickel and dime you into spending more than you want.
Heck, Magicarp Jump only allowed you to spend like 30€, after that you had basically "bought" the game and had not to worry about premium currency anymore.
 

eyeliner

Has an itch needing to be scratched.
Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2006
Messages
2,879
Trophies
2
Age
44
XP
5,467
Country
Portugal
Good. Belgium, lead the way. I hope more countries follow. I hate paywalls. If nothing else, at least this will help clear the store of not-so-free games that end up being revenously expensive in the long run.

Or crap dollar games that have dlc for "the complete experience".
 

Skelletonike

♂ ♥ Gallant Pervert ♥ ♀
Member
GBAtemp Patron
Joined
Dec 26, 2008
Messages
3,429
Trophies
3
Age
32
Location
Steam City
XP
2,664
Country
Portugal
Nintendo gacha games tend to be very F2P friendly. I have never spent a dime on Heroes or other Nintendo gachas and never had a problem getting characters I wanted. I agree some companies are sketchy in this, while I love FGO, it can be a prick to the users for example.
 

KingVamp

Haaah-hahahaha!
Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2009
Messages
13,474
Trophies
2
Location
Netherworld
XP
7,886
Country
United States
Good, now hopefully more countries would follow making companies realize that this bullshit can't go on anymore. Bring back the 90's era of gaming
Yeah, no. If it gets too bad for lootboxes and gachas, they will just switch to something else that they can get away with. (For better or for worse for us.)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zense

Eleczoro

Well-Known Member
Newcomer
Joined
May 17, 2017
Messages
51
Trophies
0
XP
1,239
Country
United States
Good. Belgium, lead the way. I hope more countries follow. I hate paywalls. If nothing else, at least this will help clear the store of not-so-free games that end up being revenously expensive in the long run.

Or crap dollar games that have dlc for "the complete experience".

I’m for the sentiment but a lot of countries seem to have already determined it doesn’t constitute as gambling.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidt...eo-game-publishers-if-it-passes/#237ea0f4676f
 

Taleweaver

Storywriter
Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2009
Messages
8,685
Trophies
2
Age
43
Location
Belgium
XP
8,066
Country
Belgium
Damnit...for a second I thought "mobile" meant...well...pretty much any game on the 3DS or switch (nintendo doesn't have much games you can't carry around anymore, lately :P ).

It's apparently only these two android games (btw...isn't Super Mario Run made by nintendo themselves? :unsure: ). So...I don't really mind.

Then again...it's not much of a "the customers won't stand for it no more!!!!" statement if we're the only country doing it.
 

Site & Scene News

Popular threads in this forum

General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
  • Sicklyboy @ Sicklyboy:
    maaaaan that's so awesome but I also don't want to fork over a hundo for it
  • Veho @ Veho:
    The fuuuuu---
  • Veho @ Veho:
    I thought it was an actual xBox at that price.
  • Sicklyboy @ Sicklyboy:
    I wanna grab a 360 Slim and a 360 E one of these days. Missed the boat of getting them at their lowest though, once they were discontinued. Could've got them for cheap back when I was a broke 20 something working at Target, but then again, I was a broke 20 something working at Target
  • Veho @ Veho:
    Being broke is no fun.
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    @Sicklyboy, $150 isn't that bad for a jtag slim on ebay
  • Veho @ Veho:
    I only wish it was actually playable.
  • Veho @ Veho:
    There's a guy on the Tube of You that makes playable mechanical arcade games out of Lego. This could work on the same principle.
  • Veho @ Veho:
    Just a couple of guys taking their manatee out for some fresh air, why you have to molest them?
  • Veho @ Veho:
    Stupid Chinese shop switched their shipping company and this one is slooooooow.
  • LeoTCK @ LeoTCK:
    STOP BUYING CHINESE CRAP THEN
  • LeoTCK @ LeoTCK:
    SUPPORT LOCAL PRODUCTS, MAKE REVOLUTION
  • LeoTCK @ LeoTCK:
    THEY KEEP REMOVING LOCAL SHIt AND REPLACING WItH INFERIOR CHINESE CRAP
  • LeoTCK @ LeoTCK:
    THATS WHY MY PARTNER CANT GET A GOOTWEAR HIS SIZE ANYMORE
  • LeoTCK @ LeoTCK:
    HE HAS BIG FOOT AND BIG DUCK
  • LeoTCK @ LeoTCK:
    d*ck i mean*
  • LeoTCK @ LeoTCK:
    lol
  • Veho @ Veho:
    Mkay.
  • Veho @ Veho:
    I just ordered another package from China just to spite you.
  • SylverReZ @ SylverReZ:
    Leo could not withstand communism.
  • SylverReZ @ SylverReZ:
    Its OUR products to begin with lol.
    SylverReZ @ SylverReZ: Its OUR products to begin with lol.