Confirmed: Wii U is Region Locked

[Hyro-Sama]

I'm not sure which is more entertaining, Nintendo region locking the Wii U or Zantigo receiving an intellectual beating.

 

[gamefan5]

I'm not sure which is more entertaining, Nintendo region locking the Wii U or Zantigo receiving an intellectual beating.

The latter as the former was expected.

 

[DiscostewSM]

Is this seriously all in Nintendo's hands? Don't the governments of the separate regions have a say in what happens to products coming in to their territories?

 

[FluffyLunamoth]

I have to ask. Aren't DVDs region-locked? And yet you don't see people bitching about that.

Is this seriously all in Nintendo's hands? Don't the governments of the separate regions have a say in what happens to products coming in to their territories?

Yes, they do. Think it's illegal to import some things in the EU because of that. But no, bashing on Nintendo for doing these things is not new, it's the /cool/ thing nowadays

 

[Rydian]

Is this seriously all in Nintendo's hands? Don't the governments of the separate regions have a say in what happens to products coming in to their territories?

What do you mean?

If a government tried to control what could and could not be imported/exported as far as entertainment goes, they'd have A Bad Time. When it dangerous stuff yeah, but...

 

[Clarky]

Is this seriously all in Nintendo's hands? Don't the governments of the separate regions have a say in what happens to products coming in to their territories?

to some degree I believe there is...taxes etc

the PS3 and 360 have region locks too, just that most games are not region locked. Not that I expect Wii U games to be region free there is always a small glimmer of hope

 

[Rydian]

I have to ask. Aren't DVDs region-locked? And yet you don't see people bitching about that.

That's because people don't know they shouldn't be. People went into DVDs fresh off of VHS and other older analog standards that actually did have technical reasons for cross-region incompatibilities.

And it's not like Disney or whoever is going to correct them, saying "No DVD is region-free, we're just doing it on purpose so you pay more."

 

[FluffyLunamoth]

I have to ask. Aren't DVDs region-locked? And yet you don't see people bitching about that.

That's because people don't know they shouldn't be. People went into DVDs fresh off of VHS and other older analog standards that actually did have technical reasons for cross-region incompatibilities.

And it's not like Disney or whoever is going to correct them, saying "No DVD is region-free, we're just doing it on purpose so you pay more."

"Don't know they shouldn't be" doesn't matter here. They are sitll regionlocked.

Also, import ban on Sony things in the EU.

 

[Terenigma]

CONFIRMED
I wont be getting one.

I am looking forward to this flopping. I wish it was possible to have a time-lapse view of the faces of all the head nintendo people at each sales meeting to see the frowns gradually get bigger as sales of the wii-u diminish into nothing and nintendo realise the once dominant force in gaming is now a shadow of its former self.

Then i want microsoft and sony and nintendo to all team up and make a console that will have 4 control ports, a seemless online system and state of the art graphics and connectivity for all relevant games to connect to their pc counterpart, then i want every game ever made going back as far as the original pong avalible to download at a reasonable price...

...Sorry, i got a little off track. Wii-u sucks.

 

[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

 

[Rydian]

I have to ask. Aren't DVDs region-locked? And yet you don't see people bitching about that.

That's because people don't know they shouldn't be. People went into DVDs fresh off of VHS and other older analog standards that actually did have technical reasons for cross-region incompatibilities.

And it's not like Disney or whoever is going to correct them, saying "No DVD is region-free, we're just doing it on purpose so you pay more."

"Don't know they shouldn't be" doesn't matter here. They are sitll regionlocked.

Also, import ban on Sony things in the EU.

I meant the customers don't know so they just roll with it like they always have (since previously it was actual technical differences).

 

[FAST6191]

Is this seriously all in Nintendo's hands? Don't the governments of the separate regions have a say in what happens to products coming in to their territories?

This gets tricky- strictly speaking the world trade organisation (which most countries do acknowledge), henceforth WTO, has things about restricting global trade which region encoding could be said to hamper but that does not seem to hold up anywhere enough to prevent this sort of thing. There are things like wanting to have say certifications to local standards (usually fairly simple to get if you are a big company- basic safety and radio interference are the big two for most although recycling is coming into play in a big way in a lot of Europe), restrictions like the headphone volume one I mentioned in passing a few pages back and the previously discussed things like Nazi imagery in games destined for Germany, a lot of stuff with Australian games (censored versions and owing to a lack of a rating) and even some stuff like Manhunt 2 in the UK (originally it was refused classification which effectively bans it from sale). This is actually a fairly tricky area of law in the modern world (as well as the WTO there are similar regional trade agreements meaning you can just hop across a border and some you do not even get stopped when crossing) but in general if the device can get there then governments do not have the greatest amount of say when it comes to personal use of the titles ((re)sale is another thing entirely mind you)- the law, case law and how it all plays out with things like human rights law is not very clear at all (and even if there was an issue customs are not usually that concerned assuming it is not a hot button topic). Beyond that (and perhaps more of what you were getting at) there is the not being allowed to sell carrier locked phones in certain countries thing (and there are rumblings of related things like ISP locked routers) which probably holds some sway somewhere in this, it could also cut the other way (see why itunes is not a pan European enterprise in all senses of the term).

I have to ask. Aren't DVDs region-locked? And yet you don't see people bitching about that.

People greatly enjoyed having a moan about that but region free DVD players have existed for years (and are available for next to nothing in big box electronics shops), you could change the region of your DVD drive/player from the get go and as decryption tech is at braindead level it is not really a problem on any level these days. Blu ray is a similar story (although less region free players and more decryption) but DVDs still pretty much rule the roost, I also recall myself and others splashing out for a VCR that did tapes from PAL and NTSC regions back when (macrovision, which did not do anything about region locking, aside there was no copy/region protection so to speak on VCR though so that was more of a technological thing).

Edit @Midna- are you kidding? Region unlocking devices/methods existed for all vintages of consoles at the time (I thought I had my N64 one around here somewhere but I only found my N.A. copy of Clayfighter 63 1/3). I agree in some ways it mattered less but when the 360 and PS3 both are attempting to mend their ways, we are more global then ever and there are few, if any, truly compelling technological reasons to do it then region locking warrants bitching about. Doomsayers I agree can run along but this is not what this is about.
Also the SNES is not region locked as far as I understand- you get something to change the cartridge shape and you are mostly good to go.

 

[MelodieOctavia]

CONFIRMED
I wont be getting one.

I am looking forward to this flopping. I wish it was possible to have a time-lapse view of the faces of all the head nintendo people at each sales meeting to see the frowns gradually get bigger as sales of the wii-u diminish into nothing and nintendo realise the once dominant force in gaming is now a shadow of its former self.

Then i want microsoft and sony and nintendo to all team up and make a console that will have 4 control ports, a seemless online system and state of the art graphics and connectivity for all relevant games to connect to their pc counterpart, then i want every game ever made going back as far as the original pong avalible to download at a reasonable price...

...Sorry, i got a little off track. Wii-u sucks.

I hope you enjoy never owning another console. ever.

I mean seriously. NINTENDO IS DOOMED! Region locking was the reason every Nintendo home platform failed. The NES, SNES, N64, Gamecube, Wii...oh wait. They didn't. At all.

The Wii-U will fly off the shelves faster than Depends at a pants shitting convention. That's a given. The fanboy factor will play too much of a role for the Wii-U to fail.

 

[DiscostewSM]

I still remember the fiasco about Dead of Alive: Dimensions in Sweden because of their laws.

 

[Bladexdsl]

So the wiiu is gonna fail and not sell huh. I just found out GameStop have sold out of pre-orders and are Now Forming a Wii U Waiting List. and to those saying they're not gonna get it cos it's region locked can you see how stupid you sound right now? I probably won't be getting one at launch but I know I will be getting one eventually or soon as galaxy 3 in glorious HD using the modified E6760 GPU or zelda and metroid is released I'll be running to the shops to get one.

 

[DiEnd]

The Wii-U will fly off the shelves faster than Depends at a pants shitting convention. That's a given. The fanboy factor will play too much of a role for the Wii-U to fail.

Yeah, people will still buy it. Really, what's the point of those "I WON'T BUY ONE" posts? If you won't do it, someone else will take your place.
As for me, I'll just stick with Japanese market this time.

 

[Deleted-236924]

Now tell me: How a home console can be region free? You buy an European game, put on an American video game, got a black and white screen, call Nintendo and then they say that you must enter settings and force NTSC?

I only can imagine region free GAMES (like PS3).

PS3 says hi.

As long as Nintendo does RL appropriately and NOT locking the main features then I'm fine.

EDIT:
Based on what I heard about 3DS, the RL is software based. Nintendo just won't approve any game that is region free.

RL has been software based since the DSi.
The only games to take advantage of that so far were Pokémon Black/White.

There are quite a bit DSi enchanced titles:
http://www.rfgeneration.com/blogs/pdrydia/DSi-enhanced-titles-an-incomplete-list-1969.php

Except for connectivity to more secure internet standarts,
I don't see much advantage on DSi enchanced titles

Uhh... I don't think you quite understood my point.

 

[KingVamp]

Some of you are pretty much saying region free >>>>>> games.

Wii U Waiting List

Glad I didn't have to go through that.

Disappointing, but I didn't really import anyway, so ... yeah.

 

[Hells Malice]

>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

lol, yes, this.
Exactly.

It's like people in this thread are shocked that Nintendo has done what its done from the beginning of time.

Yeah it sucks for the UK who always get shafted by release dates, but, again, Nintendo consoles have ALWAYS been region locked...it's common knowledge. Anyone could have confirmed the WiiU was region locked from the first time its name was uttered.

 

[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.