IGN: Iwata "explains" Nintendo's use of region-locking

[Ray Lewis]

Let me tell you about the drm in homebrew. Discussions once arose saying how it's illogical to add drm to homebrew. It's restrictive blah blah blah. What was the conclusion of that discussion, the developers don't support piracy.

Let me tell you about the drm in regionlocking. Discussions once arose saying how it's illogical to add drm to regionlocking. It's restrictive blah blah blah. What was the conclusion of that discussion, the developers don't support regionfreers.

What's the difference? The same people who are willing to ignore homebrew developers choices and to tell everyone to ignore homebrew developers choices are all of a sudden taking a strong stance and choosing not to ignore Nintendo's choices.

I am sure it is better morally to run software not licensed by Nintendo and steal content from games. It must feel better for those breaking a system's security to run what is not licensed. If Nintendo wanted homebrew they would have like a linux mode or something to run it from. Using copyrighted/licensed material without permission is still theft. "Wow, you are putting DRM type of features in a homebrew app, you are a morally righteous person."

I can see region locking pros and cons (for users and Nintendo). As for me, I hope it is totally unlocked so I can run whatever I want.

 

[EnigmaXtreme]

Fine Iwata, have your precious Region Lock. But in return we will be modding and homebrewing or Wii U and flooding NoA with Mail, Email and Phone Calls the next time you decide not to release a huge RPG in North America

 

[Ray Lewis]

You can't group us all as one person, I have yet to use/see a drm homebrew. It's a dickhead move for a homebrew developer to use drm, I don't support that at all, and I doubt most people here would.

You need to ask randomizer about drm features in homebrew. Newer NSMB "add on", then Gamecube programs, etc.

EDIT: I was responding to the "see" part of your post.

 

[the_randomizer]

You need to ask randomizer about drm features in homebrew. Newer NSMB "add on", then Gamecube programs, etc.

No trust me, no way in hell I'm gonna discuss that. I'm outta here.

 

[Ray Lewis]

No trust me, no way in hell I'm gonna discuss that. I'm outta here.

LMFAO, relax, but you and I both know about the DRM-like features. If people dislike you for comments on their threads (and/or other sites), so be it. Does not mean you need to FLAME but you know about the DRM stuff. You track those homebrew apps a LOT more than I do.

 

[Taleweaver]

Too bad they don't want to comment since the petition went up. IGN sure is poking up sensationalism with a few sound bites from an interview, and I can't blame them. But surely Iwata realises that not commenting only makes nintendo look arrogant now. I'm willing to understand that they have reasons to have it, but as the competition (as well as their own history) shows, these can be solved as far as exterior reasons go. Meaning: the entire reason of existence lies within nintendo itself.

Region-locking is no excuse for piracy. Anyone trying to say it is, is just trying to justify themselves and not look like a pirate. You want to import something? Okay. You have a few options:

1. Buy that regions' console, and then import the game, and go to town
2. Import the game, and then download it, as well as hack your machine. You've then paid for the game.

Yeah, we've not accomplished this for the WiiU or 3DS, but then you know what? Gaming isn't a right. You don't need that game. Yeah, region-locking sucks, but that's still absolutely no reason to pirate games.

Sorry, but you've got things the other way around: piracy is no excuse for region-locking. While I agree with foxi4 that the 'explanation' isn't an explanation at all, at least Iwata's not pointing it into that direction as far as reasons for region locking go. So...

@everyone: let's NOT discuss (anti-) piracy in here, mmkay?

 

[luigiman1928]

You're not serious, right?


...I seriously doubt that Nintendo would build a world-wide infrastructure supporting Region Locking across two platforms for the sake of one game.

Also, #CompetitiveSmashScene - Super Smash Bros. - serious business.

I'm secretly trying to justify it so I don't have 3 players whooping my ass with the game already 100%'d, like with Brawl ;_;

 

[Jan1tor]

Personally I do not care about region lock. The majority of games that come out come out in all the regions anyways and the ones that don't I usually couldn't play because I couldn't read the language anyways.

 

[Lushay]

Sounds like He's trying to hide all the boobs and panty shots in Japanese games from the rest of children of the world.

 

[Ericthegreat]

Region-locking is no excuse for piracy. Anyone trying to say it is, is just trying to justify themselves and not look like a pirate. You want to import something? Okay. You have a few options:

1. Buy that regions' console, and then import the game, and go to town
2. Import the game, and then download it, as well as hack your machine. You've then paid for the game.

Yeah, we've not accomplished this for the WiiU or 3DS, but then you know what? Gaming isn't a right. You don't need that game. Yeah, region-locking sucks, but that's still absolutely no reason to pirate games.

This is gbatemp, there are many excuses for piracy and this also happens to be one of the best ones

 

[the_randomizer]

This is gbatemp, there are many excuses for piracy and this also happens to be one of the best ones

Exactly, many of the people here, uh prefer *ahem* the aforementioned methods of obtaining unreleased games outside Japan.....I'll just leave it at that.

 

[nukeboy95]

I say keep fighting as there are games that will never be released outside Japan like taiko no tatsujin.

 

[RedCoreZero]

Why am I against region locking and debating about it when I don't give a single fuck about it? Okay, I'm just going to leave...

 

[Celice]

I say keep fighting as there are games that will never be released outside Japan like taiko no tatsujin.

I dunno -- Donkey Konga essentially had that covered. Was it financially worth it? Probably not in its context; but new taiko games for the WiiU and 3DS might be an incentive to invest in, if it might turn up profits.

 

[Pedeadstrian]

Region locking doesn't really affect me, because I can't think of any game (in English) that went to other countries but not America. My problem is more along the lines of Japanese companies not localizing awesome games.

That being said, I still dislike it.1) it affects Europeans and Japanese-aficionados, and 2) I'm planning/hoping on learning Japanese soon, so it will be a problem after that.

 

[FAST6191]

No one's arguing that Nintendo isn't within their rights to add in region-locking to their consoles. They're arguing that they should remove it because it's an intrusive, restrictive, anti-consumer policy.

I might actually argue Nintendo is not within their rights to do this-- nobody seems to pay too much attention to it but the WTO (of which the US, Japan, the UK, Australia and most of Europe (certainly the countries that usually see and make games for Nintendo consoles) has been part of for almost decades at this point) but they do have an agreement to not allow the restrictions of global trade.

 

[the_randomizer]

I might actually argue Nintendo is not within their rights to do this-- nobody seems to pay too much attention to it but the WTO (of which the US, Japan, the UK, Australia and most of Europe (certainly the countries that usually see and make games for Nintendo consoles) has been part of for almost decades at this point) but they do have an agreement to not allow the restrictions of global trade.

So, they might be violating a law or at least a trade agreement? Interesting. Wonder what could become of that.

 

[Rydian]

Hey Ray, shut up. You're spouting bullshit again.

 

[FAST6191]

So, they might be violating a law or at least a trade agreement? Interesting. Wonder what could become of that.

Probably but the argument was brought up back when DVDs were region locked and nothing came of that and its successors were also region locked.

Also re the buy another console from the region stuff -- so I have to buy what is hardware wise almost identical for a tiny software lock.... good show.

 

[Veho]

Games that violate the so-called "cultural acceptance and legal restrictions" can simply... not be released in given regions.

So instead of localizing the game, they should just not release it on that market at all? Great idea.

At least Nintendo doesn't sue you for importing their consoles from other countries.