3DS partially regionfree?

[GundamXXX]

Nintendo has told Eurogamer there is a "possibility" 3DS games from one region won't work when played by a 3DS from another region.

Source

Well this sounds intresting, how would they do that?

 

[cwstjdenobs]

Same as the 360 or Wii, have region locking as an option or an "all regions" region.

 

[heartgold]

So wait, is it the hardware or the carts?

EDIT: Nevermind, I assume it's hard coded in the hardware to lock out other regions. =/

 

[Kwartel]

Nintendo has told Eurogamer there is a "possibility" 3DS games from one region won't work when played by a 3DS from another region.

Source

Well this sounds intresting, how would they do that?

I think they mean that, because the hardware is different per region, the software may space out, because it's build for other hardware. Solution: Region-lock. So no foreign for you, mate.

 

[Tonitonichopchop]

I think Nintendo was talking under the assumption that if it was region free, some games wouldn't work properly. That's just what I got from it though.

 

[Nujui]

I like Region Free. Atleast then I can play games from a different region.

 

[GundamXXX]

Maybe the regionlocks are a combination of hardware and software and when the software gets updates some games might no longer be victim of regionlocks due to incompatibility? Just a thought

 

[cwstjdenobs]

Someone else mentioned in one of the other 3DS region locked threads that the lock is only temporary. Maybe that's just to make sure that the stores don't move them to other countries so each region gets "enough" at launch. I can imagine for Wal-Mart say it may be more profitable for them to move a lot of US stock to ASDA stores in the UK. Then the US would have a shortage and hey, price hike...

And maybe it's as simple with the "some games might not work" statement that you won't have the right fonts or whatever.

 

[GundamXXX]

Someone else mentioned in one of the other 3DS region locked threads that the lock is only temporary. Maybe that's just to make sure that the stores don't move them to other countries so each region gets "enough" at launch. I can imagine for Wal-Mart say it may be more profitable for them to move a lot of US stock to ASDA stores in the UK. Then the US would have a shortage and hey, price hike...

And maybe it's as simple with the "some games might not work" statement that you won't have the right fonts or whatever.

Thats sounds like a fair deal but how do you make it temporary?

 

[cwstjdenobs]

Thats sounds like a fair deal but how do you make it temporary?

Updates, that also add "behind the scenes performance enhancements".

 

[TheTwoR's]

I don't understand the point of this region locking garbage.
They're actually LOSING money that way.
"Hey I'm just gonna enter this store and get myself Mario Kart 3DS ..."
"Oh crap my 3DS is Japanese. I guess I'll get the US game later."

 

[GundamXXX]

Thats sounds like a fair deal but how do you make it temporary?

Updates, that also add "behind the scenes performance enhancements".

Yeq but wasnt it going to be a hardware region lock? Not a whole lot software can do about that. If its possible to change the region with firmware then the 3DS will be exploited because hackers will eventually find out how to bypass it

 

[cwstjdenobs]

Thats sounds like a fair deal but how do you make it temporary?

Updates, that also add "behind the scenes performance enhancements".

Yeq but wasnt it going to be a hardware region lock? Not a whole lot software can do about that. If its possible to change the region with firmware then the 3DS will be exploited because hackers will eventually find out how to bypass it

I don't know about how it's meant to be implemented, but I don't really see how it would work with just hardware, and I think a hardware solution would be easier to get around.

And I didn't mean that a future update might let you change the region of the 3DS, just that it might take out the lock.

 

[Rayder]

Seems I read somewhere that it will be up to game makers as to whether they want their game region locked or not on the 3DS. Sounds like region locking is a software-sided determination made by developers.

 

[gokujr1000]

Seems I read somewhere that it will be up to game makers as to whether they want their game region locked or not on the 3DS. Sounds like region locking is a software-sided determination made by developers.

Lets hope they all decide to make their games Region free.

 

[GundamXXX]

Seems I read somewhere that it will be up to game makers as to whether they want their game region locked or not on the 3DS. Sounds like region locking is a software-sided determination made by developers.

This would mean that the dumps will be regionfree regardsless. Even MORE reason to pirate in cases of bad localisation ^^

 

[Bladexdsl]

yeah they'll let all the sw regionfree and that's it

 

[Celice]

It most likely won't be region free. The wording is to indicate that without outright stating so. There's no reason to fan bad flames, even if only a small minority would care anyways.

 

[Rock Raiyu]

If anything, I think it will be something like the PS3. Where the developers can choose whether to region lock the game or not.

 

[rockstar99]

If this gets confirmed, I will pre order a JAp console