Nintendo blocking 18+ Wii U content in Europe

[The Catboy]

I wouldn't say a repeat, but rather just possible loss in sales. You're making it sound as if a lot of people are going to be buying stuff on the eShop.

I didn't think that post out as well I wanted, I am going to rephrase it a bit.

 

[ComeTurismO]

Something I find funny is that all of these things are okay at my country in Pakistan. The pakistani government blocks a few movies and a few websites, but not 18+ content. If you look at Europe... LOL.

 

[loco365]

Stupid laws everywhere. In this day and age where 3 year olds have iPads and what have you, how is this being effective all around? It just seems to inconvenience a large portion of customers. If little kids are browsing the internet, they'll come across some weird or inappropriate stuff regardless. Why the hell are companies becoming day care centers?

Well shit. I'm 17 and I don't have a phone.

I do see the point people are making in which they're shooting themselves in the foot regarding mature content. But when you think about it, if I couldn't download the game at my leisure, I could just as easily walk down to the store and pick it up. The only downside to that is not everyone can just do that, although if you have an older friend you trust, you can do that as well. But if Nintendo wants to be actual competition with Sony and Microsoft, they should allow all content at all times.

That's my opinion, anyways.

 

[Deleted_171835]

Hyperbole all up in this thread. This isn't going to kill Nintendo or make the Wii U flop among so-called core gamers. At worst, it'll reduce eShop sales for M-rated games.

And hopefully NoE takes notice of this and fixes the issue. This should only be happening on German Wii U's.

 

[PizzaPino]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-12-10-nintendo-explains-crazy-wii-u-eshop-restrictions

“Legal age restriction requirements vary across a number of European countries. Since Nintendo of Europe is based in Germany, Nintendo eShop is complying with German youth protection regulation which therefore applies to all our European markets. Under German law, content rated 18+ must be made available only at night.

 

[Armadillo]

So why can't they just IP block?

Germans get the restricted message, everyone else does not. 18+ content is only available at night for Germans. That would comply, wouldn't it?

Even if it does not, they need to sort it out. Everyone else manages to comply without effecting the rest of Europe.

 

[Rydian]

If they exist in the country, that's an issue.

It'd be sorta' like having a server in the US with child porn on it, but using IP blacklisting to make it so only countries that have legal child porn can access it. The issue is the existence and distribution would fall under US law,even if the content is being "exported".

 

[emigre]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-12-10-nintendo-explains-crazy-wii-u-eshop-restrictions

Yeah Ninty are just bullshitting.

 

[ComeTurismO]

Yeah Ninty are just bullshitting.

Ho, HO HO!

 

[Armadillo]

If they exist in the country, that's an issue.

It'd be sorta' like having a server in the US with child porn on it, but using IP blacklisting to make it so only countries that have legal child porn can access it. The issue is the existence and distribution would fall under US law,even if the content is being "exported".

Is that not different though? That content is illegal. The 18+ stuff is not, just distribution to minors within Germany is. I would think that as long as blocking it to Germans, it would be fine.

Either way, they need to sort it. Move servers, create another division elsewhere to run online services. The German law is not going away & long term I only see it hurting Nintendo in Europe. Once it starts effecting DLC & digital only titles, why would you bother unless you only have a Wii-U.

18+ multiplatform game, with likely dlc. Where am I going to get it, the system where I'm not allowed to download additional content for it, until a certain window or the system I can download it when it want. Same with digital titles.

Like it or not, DLC and digital titles seem to be a large part of consoles now, and it's probably only going to increase, so Nintendo need to sort this out now.

 

[Rydian]

Distribution to minors outside of a certain time is illegal in Germany, where they're physically located, so they can't do it.
It doesn't matter if the content is going to another country, they're in Germany and need to follow Germany's distribution laws.

But yeah, move/duplicating servers would be good, if possible.

 

[Just Another Gamer]

And if people thought Nintendo doesn't hate the Europe region when it comes to games and consoles.

 

[Armadillo]

Distribution to minors outside of a certain time is illegal in Germany, where they're physically located, so they can't do it.
It doesn't matter if the content is going to another country, they're in Germany and need to follow Germany's distribution laws.

But yeah, move/duplicating servers would be good, if possible.

. They have do that then. Even if they are following laws, everyone else manages it, without effecting rest of Europe. Even if the situation is different (server location etc), average person is just going to look and think well, I can buy on PSN/XBLA/Steam/What ever service, why can't Nintendo do the same.

Looking around, apparently it's not between certain times, but precautions to stop minors accessing it, time is one way and is the way Nintendo have picked. Apparently Sony do it, by making psn cards 18+ in Germany. Can't buy card without be 18, can't have credit card without being 18. Don't see Nintendo doing that though.

I saw some people saying about ID verification or something like that, apparently there are systems in Germany for it, but I'm not German, so they could just be talking crap.

And if people thought Nintendo doesn't hate the Europe region when it comes to games and consoles.

To be fair NOE up until now has been being pretty good to Europe. Some nice wii exclusives, Mario kart trophies, free 3ds XL game, bringing more colours over (pikachu XL, white XL).

It's like they've been trying so hard to shake the perception that they hate Europe and now they are throwing it away.



Wii-U is out for me now. Until they sort this, I won't buy one.

 

[Rydian]

Well, most countries don't have their distribution centers in Germany it seems.

ID verification is just asking for trouble, too bad age-input doesn't work in this case.

 

[Elrinth]

As everyone else said before, use parental controls for this. Don't lock it for everyone. It's retarded.

 

[Taleweaver]

Wow...and here I was, thinking that the whole reason those nintendo points cards were nowhere to be found (in Belgium) was because it would allow minors to just buy everything (instead of just pirate everything, as they currently do ).

So not only do I need a credit card, I also have to stay up 'till 11PM just to buy a game from the eShop? Boy...what's next? Do I have to hold my ID to the wiiU camera before it allows me to download anything as well?


However, the question I'm mostly wondering about is...where do those Germans buy their retail mature games? A game store or a night shop?




...

Wait a second...

*goes off to check something*


Okay...it didn't work, but it was worth the shot: it DOES make a serverside check on the current time. So just changing your time isn't going to do anything. While I admit it's better that they've got their stuff covered, it's still not something I support.
(zombiU is always in the eshop, but if you select it to buy, it'll nag that you cannot view the item at that time).

 

[crediar]

Afaik only Nintendo and Origin are doing this now, you can freely access the 18+ game content in ANY webshop like amazon.de, steam and so on. (Note: access != buy, but in the eshop you can't even look at the zombiu page)

Not only is this annoying but also pointless because no under 18 can stay awake after 23:00 right? right?

Plus when you create your network ID you have to enter a birthdate so that should be enough.

This is just a useless law annoying everyone and protecting no one.

 

[Eerpow]

Distribution to minors outside of a certain time is illegal in Germany, where they're physically located, so they can't do it.
It doesn't matter if the content is going to another country, they're in Germany and need to follow Germany's distribution laws.

But yeah, move/duplicating servers would be good, if possible.

Yes and it goes both ways too, in Sweden it's illegal to show commercials on TV networks aimed at children, but what companies do to get around this is that they locate their broadcasting centers in the UK instead where they aren't affected by Swedish law, Nintendo can't do anything until they've moved their servers. I'm guessing they could open a small low traffic duplicate only containing the M-rated content somewhere rather cheap. The extra sales due to being available 24h should hopefully be more than enough to cover the costs.

 

[PizzaPino]

http://www.gonintendo.com/?mode=viewstory&id=193237

Good news is, Nintendo is working on a fix. According to the latest ONM podcast, Nintendo is working to fix this issue, but no specific details were given.