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axisofweevils · Nov 11, 2014

I know a lot of people were concerned about this, so it is nice to have clarification.

IGN has learned that Amiibo figures will work with systems from different regions. Following a firmware update on a Japanese system, we were able to pop an American Amiibo figure onto the Wii U GamePad and register it to a Japanese profile without any problems.

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2014/11/11/nintendo-amiibos-are-not-region-locked

10k · Nov 11, 2014

And who said nintendo would never make hardware that isn't region locked?

Anth0ny · Nov 11, 2014

baby steps

mocolostrocolos · Nov 11, 2014

I'm actually shocked.

Laconic · Nov 11, 2014

10k said:
And who said nintendo would never make hardware that isn't region locked?

They are really just DLC software locked in a seperate plastic box - not hardware.

10k · Nov 11, 2014

Laconic said:
They are really just DLC software locked in a seperate plastic box - not hardware.

It was a joke.

GiantBreadbug · Nov 11, 2014

Excellent, so if there are regions that decide to not give the tip of Ike's sword its own little shitty plastic piece connecting it to the base, I can import.

Aostia · Nov 11, 2014

Laconic said:
They are really just DLC software locked in a seperate plastic box - not hardware.

weren't they biohazard weapons able to spread cancer? (cit.)

LegendOfGood · Nov 11, 2014

Do we expect that there will be certain Amiibos that will only be available in certain regions?

Laconic · Nov 11, 2014

10k said:
It was a joke.

Aaaah. Okay then.

My bad.

Aostia said:
weren't they biohazard weapons able to spread cancer? (cit.)

Yes.

J@hranimo · Nov 11, 2014

I wonder if this can suggest we'll get region-exclusive Amiibos?

Or at least some Amiibos releasing in some regions before others.

Aostia · Nov 11, 2014

Laconic said:
Aaaah. Okay then.
Yes.

;D

of course they are region free ;p

-Horizon- · Nov 11, 2014

I can just imagine if they were region locked. You put a JPN amiibo on a US game pad and the thing combusts.

TheMoon · Nov 11, 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAOpbShAMkM

But you cannot scan them through the packaging because of a metal strip blocking the connection.

Collector's nightmare.

DXB-KNIGHT · Nov 11, 2014

Thank God, I was afraid that using s Japanese Amiibo on my NA WiiU would make the WiiU disappear

i wouldn't put it past Nintendo that they thought about it

sakipon · Nov 11, 2014

TheMoon said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAOpbShAMkM

But you cannot scan them through the packaging because of a metal strip blocking the connection.

Collector's nightmare.

Keeping figures trapped in their boxes is terrible practice anyway.

Ban Puncher · Nov 11, 2014

Good to know.

Cosmonaut X · Nov 11, 2014

Paging Cheesemeister! ;-)

axisofweevils · Nov 11, 2014

Of course, this now means that if any international people want to get in on that NA Loot Crate amiibo deal, they can do so without worrying if the figures will work.

Exile20 · Nov 11, 2014

TheMoon said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAOpbShAMkM

But you cannot scan them through the packaging because of a metal strip blocking the connection.

Collector's nightmare.

It stops people from buying a bunch, scanning them in games like MK8 which you need to do only once and returning them.

Akhe · Nov 11, 2014

With that in mind, you know what to do, Nintendo.

JoeM86 · Nov 11, 2014

Makes sense. The Pokémon Rumble U figures weren't region locked either

SatoAilDarko · Nov 11, 2014

Exile20 said:
It stops people from buying a bunch, scanning them in games like MK8 which you need to do only once and returning them.

This. As soon you can use them permanently unlock stuff by only scanning once it's smart to block it off as people could just buy the figures scan and return easily.

Zaraki_Kenpachi · Nov 11, 2014

Exile20 said:
It stops people from buying a bunch, scanning them in games like MK8 which you need to do only once and returning them.

Yeah, I'm not sure why that's a problem at all. It's pretty understandable.

Son Of D · Nov 11, 2014

J@hranimo said:
I wonder if this can suggest we'll get region-exclusive Amiibos?

Or at least some Amiibos releasing in some regions before others.

I think wave 3 of the amiibos are all in Feb in NA whilst some are January in Japan and EU.

Piscus · Nov 11, 2014

I get why they'd prevent scanning through the box, and I get people who judge OCD collectors like myself that want to keep their figures in the box.

Still... =(

SerTapTap · Nov 11, 2014

It hadn't occurred to me that this was a possibility. Good to hear, though.

Ban Puncher · Nov 11, 2014

Now I'm kind of disappointed that they weren't locked because it would of been really funny that a plastic toy had region restrictions.

Gambit · Nov 11, 2014

Good. Hope the dollar Euro conversion will develop will be good in February.

Somnid · Nov 11, 2014

I'd like to point out while the OS can take it it doesn't mean a region-specific Amiibo would be usable with software from another region. So, if there's ever a Diskun Amiibo in Japan US software may not support it even if it is possible to scan it.

metsallica · Nov 11, 2014

Welp, importing Wave 3 then. Why wait till February and deal with retailer exclusivity!

TI82 · Nov 11, 2014

Its sad that we even have to say this

Somnid · Nov 11, 2014

metsallica said:
Welp, importing Wave 3 then. Why wait till February and deal with retailer exclusivity!

Wouldn't you pay quite a bit more to ship that?

3bdelilah · Nov 11, 2014

That's one small step for man, a giant leap for Nintendo.

Phantasmal Repose · Nov 11, 2014

Nintendo's taking a step in the right direction. Good on them.

Starwolf_UK · Nov 11, 2014

PhantomGaming said:
Nintendo's taking a step in the right direction. Good on them.

They're not doing it for you/us; they're doing it for themselves. It makes the productions a lot easier and offers other advantages.

Toki767 · Nov 11, 2014

Can you even region lock NFC?

TI82 · Nov 11, 2014

Toki767 said:
Can you even region lock NFC?

Program different patch for different regions, different encoding for different regions etc

Toki767 · Nov 11, 2014

TI82 said:
Program different patch for different regions, different encoding for different regions etc

That seems like too much work for Nintendo.

Princess Viola · Nov 11, 2014

Piscus said:
I get why they'd prevent scanning through the box, and I get people who judge OCD collectors like myself that want to keep their figures in the box.

Still... =(

How dare you not free the prisoners.

PreyingShark · Nov 11, 2014

Not really that surprising TBH.

Ninty's not really into the whole hardware region locking thing as far as I can tell. Both my Wii U Pro Controller and CPP XL are from Japan but work just fine with my American shit, for example.

Exile20 · Nov 11, 2014

Toki767 said:
Can you even region lock NFC?

I am sure you can.

TI82 · Nov 11, 2014

Toki767 said:
That seems like too much work for Nintendo.

Apparently

Socat · Nov 11, 2014

Piscus said:
I get why they'd prevent scanning through the box, and I get people who judge OCD collectors like myself that want to keep their figures in the box.

Still... =(

Then just buy 2

Zoracka · Nov 11, 2014

This is amazing news. I got family in US, so shipping is free and the price of the Amiibos are halved.

metsallica · Nov 11, 2014

Somnid said:
Wouldn't you pay quite a bit more to ship that?

Exchange rate is pretty good right now plus tax differences and cheaper shipping options through forwarding services... It's hard to say as it's all theoretical at this point but I suspect it'll be more even than you'd think.

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