[Shouta]

Zefah you are really being unreasonable. If you need another controller why won't you buy one on your local store? How can this even compare to DRM?

Because, if it's region-locked, you can't buy another controller at a local store. That's the point? They're blocking you from using any controller you want on your system. You can make the argument for region-locking for games, though it's an entirely unneeded protection measure, but going as far as controllers is pretty stupid.

[DUFFMCWALIN]

Were you planning to buy a controller that you cant even buy yet, from a different region? How does this even affect your decision?

It doesn't but its just another boned headed decision, and my dad works in Saudi Arabia and this makes it harder to move stuff back and forth when he visits and goes back to work.

edit: Oh and don't fucking tell me what I was and wasn't going to do with my money. I was jazzed as I finally had enough money to cover rent and buy one, but anti-consumer and not being able to share with my dad totally put me off. Also don't people import games and systems? This kills that even more.

[Aeana]

It still doesn't make it a legitimate complaint. There are legitimate complaints about Wii U right now (GamePad battery life, loading times, slow eShop/firmware downloads, to name a few), but here I mostly see people who don't ever plan to buy a Wii U making up theoretical circumstances in which it may be an issue. You shouldn't complain about small things when you have much more important issues.

How do you know who does or doesn't own a Wii U or what their plans are?

[kingkaiser]

wait for the moment Nintendo decides to sell the Pads separately, but only in Japan...it will be nice to see how people will still defend this bullshit then

[MarkusRJR]

This will only piss me off when Japan gets blue/red/green controllers and NoA doesn't bring them over.

[miksar]

"The circumstances in which this can effect someone are varied, therefore it doesn't matter" is a defensive and shitty attitude no matter how you cut it.

Do you know the reasons for it though? Region locking for games is obviously greed, but in this case I see it more as a software/technological/legal issue than anything else.

[Zefah]

Zefah you are really being unreasonable. If you need another controller why won't you buy one on your local store? How can this even compare to DRM?

I don't own a Wii U now or for the foreseeable future. However, if I were to buy one I'd probably get it while in Japan.

If games started to come out that utilized multiple controllers, or my controller just stopped working for whatever reason, I'd have to wait until I went to Japan again or import a controller. It just seems so unnecessary.

I'm honestly not outraged. I have no intentions of getting a Wii U any time soon, but I could see why people who have imported the system already would be greatly annoyed. It's just a stupid decision that doesn't seem to benefit anyone. It certainly doesn't benefit consumers.

There are a heap of stupid anti-consumer decisions with the Wii U, though. This is just another one on the massive pile.

[Drkirby]

Do Wii U controllers really Wifi? If so, it should be easy enough to get it to work on a PC. Wonder if you could just flash the bios.

[Gummb]

"The circumstances in which this can effect someone are varied, therefore it doesn't matter" is a defensive and shitty attitude no matter how you cut it.

It doesn't matter in my situation. I'm not in the position to leverage my power in a way to save all people this does effect. If the opportunity comes along and I see someone that Nintendo fails to provide a solution to, then I will be "angry" enough to join in.

But for now... give me a break.

[Projectjustice]

And when that happens don't you think that Nintendo will sell them separately in EU and USA?

I think they forgot this is whats going happen.

[MormaPope]

Do you know the reasons for it though? Region locking for games is obviously greed, but in this case I see it more as a software/technological/legal issue than anything else.

They should've ironed out those kinks before launching the console.

[Fusebox]

Good to see someone at Nintendo design is spending time and resources on important functionality such as this, and not wasting their time working on things like wireless range and battery life.

[liger05]

I don't own a Wii U now or for the foreseeable future. However, if I were to buy one I'd probably get it while in Japan. If games started to come out that utilized multiple controllers, or my controller just stopped working for whatever reason, I'd have to wait until I went to Japan again or import a controller. It just seems so unnecessary. I'm honestly not outraged. I have no intentions of getting a Wii U any time soon, but I could see why people who have imported the system already would be greatly annoyed. It's just a stupid decision that doesn't seem to benefit anyone. It certainly doesn't benefit consumers. There are a heap of stupid anti-consumer decisions with the Wii U, though. This is just another one on the massive pile.

nobody hates region locking more than me but maybe just maybe there is a reason for this which is nothing to do with anti-consumer decision making.

[metalslimer]

Because, if it's region-locked, you can't buy another controller at a local store. That's the point? They're blocking you from using any controller you want on your system. You can make the argument for region-locking for games, though it's an entirely unneeded protection measure, but going as far as controllers is pretty stupid.

Since it's the firmware which is preventing the update, we would have to wait for a theoretical multiplayer game to come out to see if another controller worked with the system to see if it would connect. It's possible it would considering I believe the update to controller firmware is probably for system reasons rather than game reasons.

Also did the guy actually go back and try the other controller after the update was done?

[Talwind]

I read the article. It really says that you can actually connect US controller to Japanese Wii U, or vice versa. However, the online update (didn't know it actually updates controller's firmware) recognizes the region of the controller and prevents you to progress.

GAF pls :(

[jedivulcan]

Can anyone translate the on-screen message ? (I don´t know japanese :( )

I don't know what it says either. The economic and ethical rationale for putting this sort of restriction of a peripheral is baffling to say the least. There's no technical reason for it.

I spent a night over in Paris once and wanted to watch Netflix on a French TV. With a bit of VPN and an HDMI adapter, I could off my iPhone.

I couldn't say the same thing fifteen years ago. There was SECAM, lack of internet, and the Dark Ages.

I think what I'm getting at is a lot of technical barriers that have, in the past, got in the way of interoperability with video entertainment has largely been broken down with new standards.

Sure, Japan and the US didn't exactly have a lot of the same problems NTSC and electrical requirements were the same. There was and still is the language barrier. I couldn't even doodle a line of Kanji into character recognition software to save my life.

The fact the only thing Nintendo has left is coding regional restrictions into the firmware of their systems, let alone their controllers now, is eye-rolling, not world ending.

At this point, Nintendo's still a tiny itty bitty fraction of technology as a whole. Their engineering and marketing departments have very loose definitions of "academic" thinking.

Still waiting for that Iwata Asks: Friend Codes and Region Locking.

[Zefah]

nobody hates region locking more than me but maybe just maybe there is a reason for this which is nothing to do with anti-consumer decision making.

There might be. I really don't give a damn, though. How does Nintendo not figure that shit out? Oh wait, they're Nintendo. They're in the business of not figuring stuff out.

wait to the december npd but you do know we had the same things said after launch yet it did 400k even though people there were mountains of units at best buy and other stores. Now it may well of had a terrible december but as we saw a few weeks ago going by the units you see in a store may not be the best indicator.

Yeah, we'll see. Personally, I don't think 400k is very impressive in the month you launch (and the biggest shopping month of the year), especially if you weren't particularly supply constrained. I'd be surprised if the December numbers were very good. The word of mouth around the Wii U isn't very good.

[NBtoaster]

So Nintendo thought this was worth prioritising over something else the console didn't support (like DLC), inflating the day one update more, because some big bad mean consumer might import a controller, that aren't even available seperately yet?

[miksar]

How do you know who does or doesn't own a Wii U or what their plans are?

I simply don't care what a minority of user base may theoretically experience in the future (and you can't argue that it is not a minority) as long as there are issues that make the experience much worse for the whole user base.

[FullMetal]

When was this?

[Drkirby]

They should've ironed out those kinks before launching the console.

Yeah, you can easily just iron out those legal kinks.

Hey, doesn't this actually make it illegal to use an American Wii U in some European nations, due to interference? Or do those laws not apply to imported electonics?

[Derrick01]

Region locked controllers. Man I've seen everything in this industry now. This is like a form of DRM that would make even Ubisoft blush.

[metalslimer]

I don't know what it says either. The economic and ethical rationale for putting this sort of restriction of a peripheral is baffling to say the least. There's no technical reason for it.

Well since it is a firmware issue, we already know the technical reason. At it's worst, Nintendo would be trying to price fix the controller prices across different regions.

So Nintendo thought this was worth prioritising over something else the console didn't support (like DLC), inflating the day one update more, because some big bad mean consumer might import a controller?

Yes, I'm sure this took weeks to implement, if there even was an implentation besides giving controllers their own firmware.

[Alistair Roo]

Now we region lock controllers? wow...

[Allan Holdsworth]

Seems to be a firmware issue, hopefully it's corrected but I'm not too optimistic.

While this will affect a really small percentage of the Wii U userbase*, "Who cares?" is still a pretty poor argument to defend this.

1. You buy a NA and Japanese console to get around the software region lock, you would need to buy 2 more controllers to play multi
2. Move to a different country
3. Special edition controller releases in one region only
4. You opt for a JP console because of the games that won't be released in English, but then it might be cheaper to buy a 2nd controller from the US.

etc.

* region locked software affects a really minuscule percentage of a given console userbase, I don't see anyone defending it though.

[tkscz]

Haven't read the hole thread yet, anyone ask why would you have a controller from another region yet?

[Aeana]

I simply don't care what a minority of user base may theoretically experience in the future (and you can't argue that it is a minority) as long as there are issues that make the experience much worse for the whole user base.

The theme of a lot of posts in this thread, yours included, is that we shouldn't complain about one issue when there are bigger issues. That's dumb. We can complain about all of them at once. Smaller issues aren't suddenly non-issues just because a larger one exists.

[MormaPope]

I simply don't care what a minority of user base may theoretically experience in the future (and you can't argue that it is a minority) as long as there are issues that make the experience much worse for the whole user base.

Adding in theoretical is sorta disingenuous, as it will happen.

[+Aliken+]

Oh god this is the end of the world!!!

...seriously people need to stop overreacting...

[miksar]

They should've ironed out those kinks before launching the console.

They should've ironed out other more important kinks. "Controller region lock" is a non-existent issue because 1) GamePads are not sold separately; 2) the console doesn't support two GamePads as of now.

[Gleethor]

Can we please update the OP with the fact that the gamepad has its own firmware so people don't just waltz in, go "LOL NINTENDO" and leave?

[Gummb]

GAF pls :(

Haha, this is great. Stay classy GAF.

Can we update the OP or something? Though, I do love the hilarity.

[dark_prinny]

Haven't read the hole thread yet, anyone ask why would you have a controller from another region yet?

Dont bother, maybe 2. All of them invalid and over reacted.

[Zefah]

Can anyone translate the on-screen message ? (I don´t know japanese :( )

Here you are!

Message on the TV:

The update cannot be completed with an overseas Wii U GamePad.
Please look at your GamePad's screen.

If you have the GamePad that came with this system, press the sync button on the system twice after rebooting to register the GamePad.

If no Wii U GamePad is connected, please turn off and on your system using its power button.

Message on the GamePad screen:

The update cannot be completed with an overseas Wii U GamePad.

If you have the GamePad that came with this system, press the sync button on the system twice after rebooting to register the GamePad.

[RESTART]

[metalslimer]

Here you are! Message on the TV: The update cannot be completed with an overseas Wii U GamePad. Please look at your GamePad's screen. If you have the GamePad that came with this system, press the sync button on the system twice after rebooting to register the GamePad. If no Wii U GamePad is connected, please turn off and on your system using its power button. Message on the GamePad screen: The update cannot be completed with an overseas Wii U GamePad. If you have the GamePad that came with this system, press the sync button on the system twice after rebooting to register the GamePad. [RESTART]

So has anyone actually tried using a imported controller after the update? Also doesn't the gamepad have a usb port so I wonder how easy it would just be to upload the different firmware onto it.

[Delusibeta]

When was this?

The epic "next gen boxart" thread was when that was created.

[Dennis]

I think the important issue that thi

*** This post is locked to the PAL region! ***
*** Please use an official Dennis from your native region of NeoGAF ***

[Starwolf_UK]

So does this mean the GamePad firmware can be updated? It could just be a safeguard. I remember when a few people bricked their Wiis importing Super Paper Mario (using a modchip to get round the region lock) as the game wanted a firmware update (Wii menu version on disc was a higher number so ask for update) and went and installed the US menu on EU Wiis leading to an Opera error message (why it happened).

That said the other reasons are interesting. Does this mean other consumer electronics with transmission capabilities are similarly region locked? Would it mean having to pay more (this tends to Nintendo's reason)?

Well, that's annoying. Not to much of a surprise though, Gamecube memory cards were region locked too.

Not really. Japanese firmware used a different filesystem that supported unicode filenames. A memory card imported would need formatting then work perfectly as any other. Is it region locking if it only works in one region at any time?

Heck, if you played Japanese games using a freeloader you could use the same memory card as everything else...unless the game had a unicode filename (e.g. Donkey Konga, Mr. Driller) in which case you could not save at all (and trying to do so would format it).

That said this makes me awfully curious about the Korean Gamecube. Was Japan region but had games in English...I guess unicode filename Japanese games would save fine.

[liger05]

Yeah, we'll see. Personally, I don't think 400k is very impressive in the month you launch (and the biggest shopping month of the year), especially if you weren't particularly supply constrained. I'd be surprised if the December numbers were very good. The word of mouth around the Wii U isn't very good.

What other launches did more than 400k first week? The Wii u didnt do 400k in a month!!

[tkscz]

Dont bother, maybe 2. All of them invalid and over reacted.

Then why this reaction? Why hasn't anyone sat and thought, "I live in the US, if I can buy a controller within my region, and the controllers aren't really different from one another, why would I need a controller outside my region?"

I think people only saw "Region locked" and simply flipped.

[miksar]

The theme of a lot of posts in this thread, yours included, is that we shouldn't complain about one issue when there are bigger issues. That's dumb. We can complain about all of them at once. Smaller issues aren't suddenly non-issues just because a larger one exists.

You can complain about everything, but the point in complaining is actually improving things, not just complaining for the sake of complaining. Fixing the controller region-lock issue won't improve anything because no one can take advantage of it so far. Things like making mature games available to buy only for a few hours a day are much more important. I don't want Nintendo spending a single second resolving a non-issue as long as a serious issue is still present.

Furthermore, before complaining, we should understand the reason Nintendo did it. Is it just an anti-consumer corporate greed measure? I hardly doubt it. If GamePad has a firmware, I can see how it can be a problem as it has TV functions implemented in it. No one complains that we don't have a universal firmware instead of European, American and Japanese.

[Sleeplessnights]

When was this?

Wii U live launch show

Dont bother, maybe 2. All of them invalid and over reacted.

It's rather unfortunate that you think everyone is in the same situation as you when it comes to the Wii U.

[Dreamwriter]

Why are people seeing this as an issue at all? This isn't Nintendo being evil or greedy. In the US at least, the consoles and the Gamepads fall under a metric TON of FCC regulations. One example is the fact that Nintendo is not licensed to use the radio frequencies the system uses to communicate with the Gamepad outdoors, which is one of the reasons for the limitation of how far the signal reaches. There are other laws regarding the amount of shielding that is needed in the controllers, laws about which frequencies can be used, and even laws about how much interference the controllers should accept from other sources.

That's just the US. I'd be pretty dang sure Japan has its own, different rules and regulations, same with Europe. This is most likely the biggest reason for the region locking.

[Captain Smoker]

Who cares, you can't even buy one.

Internet overractions.

[dan2026]

Who cares, you can't even buy one. Internet overractions.

Yeah but when they start to sell them separately, its going to be a massive mess.

Imagine getting a 2nd hand controller off ebay, you have no idea which region it came from!

I can't believe people are defending more Nintendo stupidity.

[tkscz]

Wii U live launch show It's rather unfortunate that you think everyone is in the same situation as you when it comes to the Wii U.

Then give me one GOOD reason why someone needs a controller outside of their region?

Yeah but when they start to sell them separately, its going to be a massive mess. Imagine getting a 2nd hand controller off ebay, you have no idea which region it came from! I can't believe people are defending more Nintendo stupidity.

Umm... ask the seller before buying, and if no answer, don't buy at all? No, it's just gaf overreaction.

[dark_prinny]

Wii U live launch show It's rather unfortunate that you think everyone is in the same situation as you when it comes to the Wii U.

I want to hear your arguments, instead of a "WOW... This... WOW post you made.

I Don't think everyone is on the same situation as me. I simply Don't see any solid arguments besides the " anti consumer " and " LOL Nintendo" ones.

[Horse Armour]

I think the important issue that thi *** This post is locked to the PAL region! *** *** Please use an official Dennis from your native region of NeoGAF ***

*Inserts 50c Coin.*


Post Unlocked. Thank You for using the Nintendo forum region unlocking service. Available 24/7 for your worldwide forum needs (unless you live in Europe, then it's 11pm-4am and you'll have to fax through your birth certificate and a recent utility bill).

[Gummb]

You can complain about everything, but the point in complaining is actually improving things, not just complaining for the sake of complaining. Fixing the controller region-lock issue won't improve anything because no one can take advantage of it so far. Things like making mature games available to buy only for a few hours a day are much more important. I don't want Nintendo spending a single second resolving a non-issue as long as a serious issue is still present. Furthermore, before complaining, we should understand why the reason Nintendo did it. Is it just an anti-consumer corporate greed measure? I hardly doubt it. If GamePad has a firmware, I can see how it can be a problem as it has TV functions implemented in it. No one complains that we don't have a universal firmware instead of European, American and Japanese.

This is very true, we never knew the Wii U's firmware could be updated until this problem happened. It's very possible that the GamePad's region lock is a consequence of ensuring that the GamePad remains usable for the system it was originally meant to be played with. The truth is that we don't know. Until Nintendo comments, it is irresponsible to speculate and generate piles of slander for something we don't understand.

In the mean time... :lol

[metalslimer]

Why are people seeing this as an issue at all? This isn't Nintendo being evil or greedy. In the US at least, the consoles and the Gamepads fall under a metric TON of FCC regulations. One example is the fact that Nintendo is not licensed to use the radio frequencies the system uses to communicate with the Gamepad outdoors, which is one of the reasons for the limitation of how far the signal reaches. There are other laws regarding the amount of shielding that is needed in the controllers, laws about which frequencies can be used, and even laws about how much interference the controllers should accept from other sources. That's just the US. I'd be pretty dang sure Japan has its own, different rules and regulations, same with Europe. This is most likely the biggest reason for the region locking.

Dat Nintendo stupidity and incompetence.