Author Topic: So are games region free or what?  (Read 4888 times)

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Offline 18 Days

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So are games region free or what?
« on: September 16, 2006, 08:51:20 AM »
Because IGN is reporting otherwise.
http://wii.ign.com/articles/732/732982p1.html
Apparently online content, read; Virtual Console, is region locked too.
My launch plans are in disarray at the moment.

A straight answer from Iwata would be cool but I heard it might be Iwata Time and that's not happening.

This has probably been discussed somewhere already but I can't be bothered keeping up with the slew of new discussion.
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Offline Dirk Temporo

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RE: So are games region free or what?
« Reply #1 on: September 16, 2006, 08:53:09 AM »
I sure do wish that Nintendo could have a universal answer.
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Offline Famicom

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RE:So are games region free or what?
« Reply #2 on: September 16, 2006, 09:44:23 AM »
Joystiq apparently followed up on the story with a US spokesperson and said it will not be region-free. Neither the games nor console. I'm saddened.
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Offline capamerica

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RE: So are games region free or what?
« Reply #3 on: September 16, 2006, 10:10:40 AM »
The non-Region free news came out in the UK, I'm thinking that maybe US and Japan can switch games back and forth but Europe and Australia can't.
There wasn't a whole lot stoping US and Japan from playing each others game with the GameCube  all you needed was a quick 3 wire mod you could get the US Cube to play Japan games.
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Offline GoldenPhoenix

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RE:So are games region free or what?
« Reply #4 on: September 16, 2006, 10:11:33 AM »
Quote

Originally posted by: Famicom
Joystiq apparently followed up on the story with a US spokesperson and said it will not be region-free. Neither the games nor console. I'm saddened.


Seems odd that some random U.S. spokesperson would know more than Parrin Kaplin VP of marketing. I'll just have to wait and see, perhaps IGN can get a clarification from Parrin.
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Offline jasonditz

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RE: So are games region free or what?
« Reply #5 on: September 16, 2006, 11:34:28 AM »
I dunno, Parrin does say some stupid things sometimes.

Offline KDR_11k

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RE: So are games region free or what?
« Reply #6 on: September 16, 2006, 11:46:43 AM »
Perhaps NoE complained that noone will buy their overpriced crap anymore if we can import games from other markets so the region freeness was scratched from the plan. I'm tempted to mail NoE and ask them if that was their brilliant idea or if NCL just decided to let them torture us more. Maybe one day all of those jerkwads get fired and we can get someone that's at least marginally competent to handle this market.

Offline blackfootsteps

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RE:So are games region free or what?
« Reply #7 on: September 16, 2006, 04:50:48 PM »
Quote

Originally posted by: capamerica
The non-Region free news came out in the UK, I'm thinking that maybe US and Japan can switch games back and forth but Europe and Australia can't. ...


Aussie Cubes can play European GC games out of the box. I'd assume it would be the same for the Wii.



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Offline KDR_11k

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RE: So are games region free or what?
« Reply #8 on: September 16, 2006, 08:21:21 PM »
Yes but that's because they count as one region. The question is wheher we can buy the games from a market that actually has them (and for a non-insane price).

Offline blackfootsteps

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RE:So are games region free or what?
« Reply #9 on: September 16, 2006, 09:31:22 PM »
...and we all know that won't be the case.
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Offline 18 Days

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RE:So are games region free or what?
« Reply #10 on: September 16, 2006, 11:57:00 PM »
Quote

Originally posted by: blackfootsteps
Quote

Originally posted by: capamerica
The non-Region free news came out in the UK, I'm thinking that maybe US and Japan can switch games back and forth but Europe and Australia can't. ...


Aussie Cubes can play European GC games out of the box. I'd assume it would be the same for the Wii.


But see what if they want to change this? NAL lost a lot of sales through retailers like DVD crave selling UK products.
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Offline Aussiedude

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RE:So are games region free or what?
« Reply #11 on: September 17, 2006, 03:19:17 AM »
Well Perrin Kaplan  has AGAIN stated the Wii is region free. WTF is going on? Is Yarnton nobbing himself or what?

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Offline 18 Days

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RE: So are games region free or what?
« Reply #12 on: September 17, 2006, 04:17:53 AM »
Let's face it. She's stupid.
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Offline Talon

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RE: So are games region free or what?
« Reply #13 on: September 17, 2006, 05:14:16 AM »
Wii games maybe reigon free, but virtual console games most likely wont.  It will be interesting to see if they do offer NTSC counterparts in the PAL territories.  Most of the TVs nowdays support both NTSC and PAL in the PAL territories.

To be honest it would cost Nintendo very little to host there entire library on the Virtual Console in all formats that is accessible to everyone.  Whether or not they decide to do it is another question.
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Offline Dirk Temporo

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RE:So are games region free or what?
« Reply #14 on: September 17, 2006, 06:41:05 AM »
Quote

Originally posted by: 18 Days
Let's face it. She's stupid.


Oh yeah. Let's completely disregard the possibility that it might be the other guy who's wrong, and immediately assume the worst.
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Offline KDR_11k

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RE: So are games region free or what?
« Reply #15 on: September 17, 2006, 06:44:40 AM »
NTSC Wiis will be region free, PAL Wiis not.

And NoE is a bunch of mindless jerks I'd trust Kaplan more when it comes to information about the US market.

Offline Athrun Zala

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RE: So are games region free or what?
« Reply #16 on: September 17, 2006, 09:53:28 AM »
so it'd safe to assume then that the US Wii will be region free, the European one won't, and NOE is REALLY screwing up
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Offline Arbok

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RE:So are games region free or what?
« Reply #17 on: September 17, 2006, 10:22:19 AM »
Quote

Originally posted by: KDR_11k
NTSC Wiis will be region free, PAL Wiis not.


Actually, if I'm understanding this correctly, I don't think that's the case. I think all Wiis will have a region, probably in the same manor that the Gamecubes do currently in terms of countries. The difference here is that, at least in the US, it sounds like companies are being allowed to make region free games (much like Hong Kong makes region 0 DVDs that can play in all markets) while Nintendo's first party offerings will be done this way; however, that's not stopping third parties from locking their game to a specific region if they want to (which might be done for legal issues, like in the case of a Jump Superstars) while other branches of Nintendo could pick to still use regions, meaning that the US Wiis still couldn't play those discs.

In other words, assuming there isn't an issue with playing a NTSC disc on a PAL Wii or a system lock out on those systems for anything with code "0", Wiis from other locations should be able to play the US first party releases no problem.

Although that's assuming I'm understanding all of this correctly and it works exactly like DVD regions do.
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Offline GoldenPhoenix

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RE:So are games region free or what?
« Reply #18 on: September 17, 2006, 12:33:17 PM »
Quote

Originally posted by: Dirk Temporo
Quote

Originally posted by: 18 Days
Let's face it. She's stupid.


Oh yeah. Let's completely disregard the possibility that it might be the other guy who's wrong, and immediately assume the worst.


Until we get a final confirmation I am going to accept the word of VP of Marketing over some anomynous "spokesman" from Nintendo.
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