Support NeoGAF

[Mass Effect]

Question; If the 3DS is region-locked, but the DS isn't?, can you play imported DS games on a 3DS?

 

[Pancakes R Us]

yeah, right

Twitter? For Nintendo?

They have just discovered the internet

Haha, what a hit.

I'm all for this campaign...it can't hurt, right?

 

[Lord Ghirahim]

Xbox One games will be playable on any Xbox One console -- there will be no regional restrictions.

C'mon Nintendo. Give me back my region-free handhelds at the very least. No more excuses.

 

[A Black Falcon]

Yeah, now that MS is going region free, Nintendo really needs to do so as well... they've got no cover left.

 

[F#A#Oo]

I support this even though I'm not on twitter.

 

[vctor182]

I'm in, let's put an end to region lock!

 

[Rösti]

Nintendo did show that they do listen when it gets enough complaints, we just have to keep pushing for this.

The Investor Meeting is next week so if we make a huge push they could announce it at the Investor Meeting if they wanted to that they will end region locking.

For them to announce something at the 73rd Annual General Meeting of Shareholders would probably take a huge effort. What can be done however is to give information on this initiative to multiple attendees at the meeting. And then they can perhaps mention as part of a question #EndRegionLocking. The meeting is usually filled with a bunch of silly questions so why not throw in something that is somewhat important?

More information on the meeting: http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2013/convocation_notice1306e.pdf

 

[F#A#Oo]

Is it even possible for Nintendo to make Wii U and 3DS region free?

 

[Yes Boss!]

Is it even possible for Nintendo to make Wii U and 3DS region free?

Of course it is. Even it some type of region-locking exists in the released disc they can simply code it in an OS update.

 

[Ploid 3.0]

A defeatist attitude never accomplished anything! Let's make it happen!

I hardly do anything in social media. I created a twitter just to get a beta code, I will help in this cause. I don't even have a wiiU, just showing my support. GL dudes!

 

[Cbajd5]

Question; If the 3DS is region-locked, but the DS isn't?, can you play imported DS games on a 3DS?

Yes you can, as long as they're not DSi enhanced.

 

[gngf123]

Is it even possible for Nintendo to make Wii U and 3DS region free?

How they do it depends how their region locking actually works, but it should be possible. To quote my post from a couple of pages back, with a couple of grammar changes to make it easier to read:

I'm far from an expert on this. However, IIRC every retail game goes through Nintendo's licensing system. From this, the publisher then gets a key from Nintendo that they can put in the game. That's how region locking seems to be done, with different sets of keys for each region.

In theory, Nintendo could release a patch to make the system accept keys from different regions.

 

[Vibranium]

Yes please, and proper account systems for both platforms too. Time to start a new Twitter campaign thread?

 

[DaSorcerer7]

Question; If the 3DS is region-locked, but the DS isn't?, can you play imported DS games on a 3DS?

Yup.

 

[Samurai_Heart]

Let's do it, Nintendo needs to make region free specifically for handhelds but a future where all region lock is gone will be awesome... we need to do something about Blu-rays and DVDs in fact as well...

 

[peanutbutterlatte]

We can do anything! Let's make Iwata shave his head!

 

[BatDan]

Tweeted at them. Seems kind of weird that they're the sole console to region-lock now. Probably time to change that (and to start talking to third parties some more, I love my Wii U but they need to fix this now).

 

[Chaos17]

It will be hard for Nintendo to change this region lock since it on each console though I won't be against a none region lock 3DS (Fantasy liiife). Still, I won't go against them, they're already trying what they can to save their Wii u. So I will let them be and only wish for tanslation.

 

[KillGore]

Done!

 

[newshinycd]

It will be hard for Nintendo to change this region lock since it on each console though I won't be against a none region lock 3DS (Fantasy liiife).

Would a system update remove region lock?

 

[Keyouta]

I've tweeted them today saying they're now the only company locking their hardware, hopefully people can make enough noise. There's really no reason to be locking the consoles nowadays with so much globalization, MS and Sony haven't had problems.

 

[manueldelalas]

On one hand we made them bring Xenoblade Chronicles and we made them do S&P2; on the other hand, we couldn't bring Mother 3 here...

mmm it's possible, but not probable...

 

[Karsticles]

I think I am going to draft an e-letter to Nintendo on this. Maybe, with some tweaks, it could become our "message to Nintendo". Would anyone do me the favor of assembling a list of truly great and interesting games that did not make it over to the west this last generation? I know them all visually, but the names are hard for me to remember.

 

[InsaneZero]

On one hand we made them bring Xenoblade Chronicles and we made them do S&P2; on the other hand, we couldn't bring Mother 3 here...

mmm it's possible, but not probable...

Mother 3 came in really, really late in the GBA's life, so there's an excuse there.

 

[Alfred Saxon]

X1 region free (YES!) come on big N your turn.

 

[H_Prestige]

Would a system update remove region lock?

Yes. There is nothing physical about region locking. It's a software check.

 

[A Black Falcon]

How they do it depends how their region locking actually works, but it should be possible. To quote my post from a couple of pages back, with a couple of grammar changes to make it easier to read:

Yeah, I'd think that that's all they'd need to do.

 

[Shin Johnpv]

im bringin it back

the bottom tag line doesn't make sense.

 

[Somnid]

Would a system update remove region lock?

Region lock is all in the firmware, it just reads a header for the game data and if it's an allowed region it plays. The hardware is agnostic.

 

[ASIS]

the bottom tag line doesn't make sense.

Probably because it's not region free.

 

[peanutbutterlatte]

Mother 3 came in really, really late in the GBA's life, so there's an excuse there.

There were plenty of GBA up-ports for the DS. I don't think people would have made that big a fuss. Noooo excuse.

 

[jeffers]

what do you reckon this would do to the differing release dates between NA and EU? ease the constraints?

 

[newshinycd]

Region lock is all in the firmware, it just reads a header for the game data and if it's an allowed region it plays. The hardware is agnostic.

Yea Chaos17 was saying it would be difficult since it's on each console. Which doesn't make any sense...

 

[AzaK]

added. if the rumours of the xbox 180 include dropped region locking, ninty will be the one left out =(

And no fucks will be given just like everything Nintendo does. They don't give a fuck if we want online. They don't give a fuck if we want HD or a good amount of storage. They don't give a fuck if we want new IPs for older gamers. They don't even give a single, utter FUCK if we want a good selection of VC games that they have sitting there.

If there's one company I expect to NOT listen to fans, it's Nintendo.

Yup.

 

[Dr Dogg]

At this point I'd be happy with just acknowledgement from Ninty they dun goofed.

im bringin it back

Capital letters and periods in a sentence from Salsa? Alright the period might be in the wrong place but hey it's progress.

 

[baxter2231]

Yea a real account system is far far more important imo. Fix that first then region locking.

 

[Meelow]

For them to announce something at the 73rd Annual General Meeting of Shareholders would probably take a huge effort. What can be done however is to give information on this initiative to multiple attendees at the meeting. And then they can perhaps mention as part of a question #EndRegionLocking. The meeting is usually filled with a bunch of silly questions so why not throw in something that is somewhat important?

More information on the meeting: http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2013/convocation_notice1306e.pdf

Interesting, I think this could work, also we should post it on Miiverse, I think Nintendo fans are just as wanting (if that's the correct word) as Sony and Microsoft fans.

If Nintendo announces they will send a update to end region locking they will get big respect AND it will have another advantage against the PS4 and Xbox One, Wii U having no DRM, Region free, and you don't have to pay for online would look good.

We are already getting hints at a real account system.

 

[Onesimos]

I already did my part in the campaign, but it needs hundreds or even thousands of responses as found in the PS4 thread to be effective.

 

[InsaneZero]

And no fucks will be given just like everything Nintendo does. They don't give a fuck if we want online. They don't give a fuck if we want HD or a good amount of storage. They don't give a fuck if we want new IPs for older gamers. They don't even give a single, utter FUCK if we want a good selection of VC games that they have sitting there.


Yup.

Tweet and contribute now.

Time for bitching comes later.

 

[Camp Lo]

It's a realistic attitude. Nintendo aren't in touch with their fans like Sony is.

This. Get on Miiverse and revolt; see how well that shit goes.

 

[gngf123]

On one hand we made them bring Xenoblade Chronicles and we made them do S&P2; on the other hand, we couldn't bring Mother 3 here...

mmm it's possible, but not probable...

We helped them bring Earthbound to the eshop though I guess?

If there is a big enough movement it can be done, it's just not a large enough issue for most people.

 

[Rentahamster]

Funny how Nintendo is the only one who does this now.

If they eliminate it, this would be the greatest thing since I took pliers to my SNES, or a tiny spring to my PS1.

 

[Somnid]

The upshot is now that the Xbox One bullshit is out of the way we can have better media attention to this topic.

 

[Frolow]

On one hand we made them bring Xenoblade Chronicles and we made them do S&P2; on the other hand, we couldn't bring Mother 3 here...

mmm it's possible, but not probable...

Nintendo probably would have brought Mother 3 over here if it was released earlier in the GBA's life cycle. It would have been around 2007 by the time a localization would've been finished

 

[codhand]

they only listen to the miiverse posts, maybe i'll try there

 

[Lord Ghirahim]

I already did my part in the campaign, but it needs hundreds or even thousands of responses as found in the PS4 thread to be effective.

The Microsoft news should boost the campaign. For a while.

 

[plank]

how many Nintendo games on average are imported from Japan?

 

[ExitPlanetDust]

If they remove the region lock from the 3DS, I am going to import the fuck out of some 3DS games. My CC bills will be the end of my marriage and the beginning of a black hole on my credit report.

 

[Azure J]

And no fucks will be given just like everything Nintendo does. They don't give a fuck if we want online. They don't give a fuck if we want HD or a good amount of storage. They don't give a fuck if we want new IPs for older gamers. They don't even give a single, utter FUCK if we want a good selection of VC games that they have sitting there.

This I don't get. Instead of being cynical at a would be response to a dialogue that hasn't even been started yet, how about we present the side that has always existed but never in coherence or unity before first? If after the presentation of this Nintendo sticks it's fingers in its ears then yes, they're fucked up and deserve all criticism and lambasting. Doing so now though is thoroughly defeatist and annoying.

 

[Sammy Samusu]

Too late, maybe next-generation!