Wii U will be region-locked - Report
By
Laura Parker, Associate Editor
Nintendo reportedly confirmed new console will follow in the footsteps of the Wii and 3DS by implementing a region-locking feature.
Nintendo has reportedly confirmed the Wii U will be region-locked.
The publisher made the original statement in the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu (as reported by GameSpot sister site CNET), seemingly confirming the Wii U--just like the Wii and 3DS before it--will not allow gamers to play titles imported from other regions.
Nintendo's region-locking policy has been in place since the days of the Nintendo Entertainment System for some of its devices, and has often been the cause of discontent among gamers.
The Wii U will launch on November 18 in the U.S. The system will be available in two bundles: a $299 8GB white basic model and a $350 32GB deluxe black version.
For more on the Wii U launch, check out GameSpot's full report.
By
Laura Parker, Associate Editor
Laura Parker is the Associate Editor of GameSpot Australia. She loves adventure games, sparkly stuff, Trivial Pursuit, cake, Master Chief, earthworms, and rhetorical questions. She once stole a sandwich from Peter Molyneux.
268 comments
Yesiree, no surprises here. You're not making it very easy to like Nintendo, and this coming from a fan...
1 Like Well, I guess this ensures that I will not be buying a Wii U. Thanks a lot, Nintendo.
Wasn't PS3 region locked too? My buddy moved to Australia and I can't buy him cheaper games in US/Canada and send them over. He had to a buy a new PS3 over there.
2 Like PS3 is region free but like bluray movies certain game discs are region encoded.
Nintendo knows how to make it the number one best selling hardware in japan and other regions .
1 Like This sucks, but we should NOT be surprised. Even PS Vita is starting to lock some things.
2 Like Think i'll be staying with the PC for the "next Gen" and just leave the consoles alone.
1 Like Oh come on! Region Lock Out? Really?
I'm european and there are still some games that I would like to play, which isn't available in europe. And it would be really nice to have the opportunity to buy a game when i travel to the US or Japan and not having to worry about whether the game works or not.
Sorry for my bad English.
@Battle_Pants Don't worry, just like people have invented ways around region locks for pretty much every console released so far, one way or another they'll bypass this too, eventually.
As the old saying goes, when there's a will, there's a way.
No surprise there. Only Sony unlocks their systems. Doesn't really matter much because 99% of gamers only play stuff from their region anyways.
@Vodoo You're right about the PS3 being region free, but I'm pretty sure both the PS1 and PS2 were region locked. Don't know about PSP/Vita though.
Here is a idea....if you like Japanese games buy a Japanese system......I really don't want to play a game I can't truly follow because I can't understand what anything says.....non effecting to me.....
7 Like @Killer6b9 But what about Europe? We don't get all the games over here. Are you saying that i need to buy a EU-system AND a US-system? It's the same hardware then i should be able to play a game no matter where i buy it.
2 Like @Battle_Pants Just so everyone understands, it is not always the console that is locked but the games. The PS3 and Xbox 360 are the same way....you will find games you will not be able to play due to region locks. Here is a website for Xbox just for instance.....http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-00-3-xbox360_compatibility_guide-49-en.html still invalid argument.
3 Like ahh ps3 is region free, i buy japanese games. when they arrive, i open it and pop it in. bam it works, no region lock messages, no buying different region system.
4 Like @Killer6b9 My point is that I should be able to play a game no matter where i buy it. I don't really care about who puts the region lock in place. I don't like when hardware manufacturers do it no matter if it's Nintendo, Microsoft or Sony, I don't like when developers do it, I don't like region lock. Period.
Why shouldn't I be able to play a game when i already own the hardware?
1 Like @Killer6b9 sorry to burst you bubble but your not the one that decides what is and isn't an invalid argument. and Im not a stupid consumer like you, i don't agree with microsoft or sony region locking their systems either, so still YOUR argument is invalid
@Battle_Pants And for the people that are about to say no way no Sony.....here is one for you as well...http://www.ps3news.com/tag/locked
4 Like @Killer6b9 Lol, ladies and gentlemen, a prime example of the nintendo fanboy "well I didn't want that anyways" typical reaction. guess what killer6b9, MORE OPTIONS ARE A GOOD THING
This comment has been deleted
2 Like @dreamfist11 @Killer6b9 Chill out dude, so it sounds like your not in a good place financially right now, we feel for you. No need to bite the guys head off.. what hes saying is how life works. You think being able to buy some video game consoles makes you rich? Speak to the guys who make customized yachts for travelling round the world, with space for their cars on board.. games consoles? Not so much.
4 Like lol thats dumbest thing i have ever heard. so let me get this right i have to buy console i already own just to play games from other reasons. thats such a waste of money
LOLOLOL IT JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER DOESNT IT NINTENDO FANBOYS!?!? "No nintendo would never do that" pffft!! Nintendo just trololold all nintendo fanboys ROFLMAO
@dreamfist11 What dummy said that? Every console Nintendo's released so far has been region locked, why would this be any different?
4 Like Region locking is pointless. If I buy a legitimate copy from another country, why should I be unable to play it here, at home, on a system I ALSO bought, but in the US instead?
This does not benefit you. If anything, it HURTS you, because you're completely nixing your import market.
1 Like C'mon, people. Where's your American spirit?.....................Yea, region lock is NOT one of Nintendo's better "innovations".
Well that's torn that. I'm still trying to deal with all the things I CAN'T buy for my 3DS (I can't even get Nintendo to take my money), and now the Wii U is going to be the same. A shame, really.
This comment has been deleted
This is so stupid. PS4 and 720 will be region free meanwhile Nintendo decides to lock out imported games. I guess they want people to spend 400 bucks to buy a Japanese Wii U which won't do.
@HaloPimp978 "PS4 and 720 will be region free" Says ****ing who? Experience says they will be, just like pretty much every console released after the NES.
@Red_hot_smasher Well based on Sony's history PS4 will be region free because The PSV is and so is the PS3.
Why do they even do this? What benefits come from region locking your consoles? You only end up making your fans wait months and years to localize a game...
@N4o7A i think (but not sure) its to make changes that are acceptable to certain audiences. some games are more... Japanese then others and cant be released in other counties due to laws and culture differences. they might take out say a pointless swimsuit scene in a game or take out a long hard extra endgame boss battle. or for E rated games like brawl they change some of the character scripts to write off say "oh my god" to something else as america is more sensitive to that. an exe of something else back in the pokemon cards days was "Mistys tears" jp card, look it up to laugh. i actually got one somehow way bk when.
9 Like I hate region locks. And nowadays Nintendo games are not that great anymore - it's just recycling icons and franchises. Probably will give this console a miss
4 Like Nintendo like Region locking because they like locking things. Look at zelda for example, there are so many locks, it's not even funny
@RitsukoEX Whaa?? You ain't know....0_o
Yeah, it does. Part of the reason I haven't broke my neck to get one yet (though I do currently own a Vita). Looks like the same will hold true for the WiiU.
What's wrong with this? They want to control what comes out where, and that sounds reasonable to me. I know we as consumers might like it not locked, but it may hurt us more in the long run by affecting the company.
@mario-nin-freak They do it so they can get more $$$, Europe and the rest of the world get rape up the arse when it comes to price. Secondly if they don't have the stupid "Japan only" games I wouldn't have mind as much but they do. I bloody hope the new Fatal Frame will get a western release.
@mario-nin-freak It's not hurting Sony....nor was it a bad thing for DS/lite era for Nintendo.
What hurts more is when don't get to experience diversity and unique games that they may not otherwise get to see in their regions. Just some food for thought.....
@PumpkinBoogie Can you prove it doesn't hurt Sony? In fact, they haven't been profitable in a while.
Conversation powered by Livefyre
Content you might like…
-
Nintendo: don't expect 99-cent Mario game
President Satoru Iwata praises smartphone market for aspiring game developers, but says it's not the right path for Nintendo.
- Nov 16, 2012
Users who looked at this article also looked at these content items.
Hot Stories
Newsmakers
-
Biden: No legal problem with taxing violent games
United States Vice President Joe Biden believes there is no legal restriction on ability to tax violent media. Full Story
- Posted May 13, 2013 12:50 pm PT
-
Just Cause dev promises 'holy f**king sh**' moments in future games
Avalanche Studios co-founder says developer's ambition is for action, not moments that make players cry; steampunk-style game on hold. Full Story
- Posted May 15, 2013 6:33 am PT
Featured Stories
-
Bungie shoots down Destiny for PS Vita rumor
Developer confirms image suggesting version of upcoming shared-world shooter in development for Sony's latest portable is a fake. Full Story
- Posted May 16, 2013 5:08 am PT
-
Ubisoft planning to release games more frequently
Assassin's Creed and Far Cry publisher says its network of 26 studios and over 7,000 developers will allow company to ship major franchises more regularly. Full Story
- Posted May 16, 2013 4:42 am PT
-
Metro: Last Light dev responds to workplace conditions claims
4A Games creative director Andrew Prokhorov thanks Jason Rubin for telling the studio's story, but says, "We deserve the ratings we get." Full Story
- Posted May 16, 2013 12:44 pm PT
-
EA opens DICE LA to make Star Wars games
DICE head would also like to poach top talent from rivals Infinity Ward and Treyarch. Full Story
- Posted May 15, 2013 3:28 am PT
-
EA dropping Online Passes - Report
Future EA games won't require Online Passes; the service is being scrapped after tepid player response. Full Story
- Posted May 15, 2013 8:28 pm PT
Submit News
Related Game
Recent News
-
Sony points users to PS4 video on 'slow news day'
PlayStation maker directs Twitter followers to watch PlayStation 4 teaser video hours before Microsoft will reveal its next-gen platform.
