Hardware Switch region regarding online gaming

[UltraDolphinRevolution]

I am considering the purchase of a Switch when Smash comes out in December. However, I am living in China, a country in which the Switch is not officially sold (except Hong Kong and Taiwan). I think they are all imported from Japan or Australia.

Does it matter whether they are from Japan or Australia? The Switch is supposed to be region-free but is it also true with regards to online gaming? A console from another region will have massive lag if it tries to connect to another region (from which it originally came).

The official Nintendo website claims you can't change the console's original region (i.e. where it was purchased). Is it true?
Maybe some of you have already bought e.g. American Switch and played it somewhere else.

 

[aykay55]

I am considering the purchase of a Switch when Smash comes out in December. However, I am living in China, a country in which the Switch is not officially sold (except Hong Kong and Taiwan). I think they are all imported from Japan or Australia.

Does it matter whether they are from Japan or Australia? The Switch is supposed to be region-free but is it also true with regards to online gaming? A console from another region will have massive lag if it tries to connect to another region (from which it originally came).

The official Nintendo website claims you can't change the console's original region (i.e. where it was purchased). Is it true?
Maybe some of you have already bought e.g. American Switch and played it somewhere else.

The Switch is not region-locked, however if I try to play a game which is only supported in one region, then the servers are most likely located in that region, meaning extreme lag may be an issue. The only thing that somewhat region locks you is your Nintendo Account region, which determines what eShop you can access. However, this can easily be avoided by creating a new account with the region you want access. Games are playable with any region account though.

 

[manzhen]

I don't know if it's still the case now, but I used to have to switch my HK account to a Japan account to play Mario Kart 8 online. No big deal, this setting can be changed from the Nintendo website.
I haven't played since the paid service went live, so no idea if this still applies.

 

[UltraDolphinRevolution]

I don't know if it's still the case now, but I used to have to switch my HK account to a Japan account to play Mario Kart 8 online. No big deal, this setting can be changed from the Nintendo website.

You didn't find players with your HK account?
And it's really changed on the website? I would have figured it's in the Switch's system menu.

 

[manzhen]

You didn't find players with your HK account?
And it's really changed on the website? I would have figured it's in the Switch's system menu.

It's not even about not finding players, it's just that with an HK account, you can't even connect to the online multiplayer services. When you try to play MK8 online for instance, a message will pop up and tell you something like "sorry but this service is not available in this region". The only way around it is to connect to the Nintendo website and change your account region to Japan, Europe, US,... or any other place that supports the online. And yeah, no way to change it from the Switch itself. You need to go through the website. A bit of a hassle, and too bad we can't play with the "flag" of our region. At least some games are getting official Chinese translations now, it's a step in the right direction.

 

[UltraDolphinRevolution]

It's not even about not finding players, it's just that with an HK account, you can't even connect to the online multiplayer services. When you try to play MK8 online for instance, a message will pop up and tell you something like "sorry but this service is not available in this region". The only way around it is to connect to the Nintendo website and change your account region to Japan, Europe, US,... or any other place that supports the online. And yeah, no way to change it from the Switch itself. You need to go through the website. A bit of a hassle, and too bad we can't play with the "flag" of our region. At least some games are getting official Chinese translations now, it's a step in the right direction.

Ok, I will do that then if I buy Smash. Thank you.
BTW does the language automatically change to Japanese? Would be a problem for me (but I guess language is independent from region).

 

[manzhen]

Ok, I will do that then if I buy Smash. Thank you.
BTW does the language automatically change Japanese? Would be a problem for me (but I can language is independent from region).

No, you can continue to play the game in any language you want, thankfully!