Nintendo DSi Software Will Be Region Locked 148
aliquis writes with news that software made for the recently announced Nintendo DSi will be region-locked. Nintendo's reasoning is that the DSi "embeds net communication functionality within itself and we are intending to provide net services specifically tailored for each region." It's also been discovered that accounts with the DSi's online store won't be linked with the Wii store, so points for one won't work with the other. Nintendo has stated that they don't intend for digital distribution to replace retail sales. We discussed the DSi's announcement last week.
Why would you do this? (Score:5, Insightful)
Just do a check on the region, and have a default if you have no content tailored for that region
Region locking is especially painful when it comes to portable devices. When I travel, one of the advantages of a DS is that if I see a game I am interested in, I know I can buy it and play it regardless of where I bought my DS.
All I can say is that this greatly reduces my enthusiasm for the device as it becomes more clear that Nintendo want to keep the region restrictions that allow the crazy price variations viable. In Australia it is still cheaper to buy a console and games from the US and pay shipping than buying them from the actual storefront.
Re:No more imports for you (Score:3, Insightful)
I give it six months from release, tops, before someone manages to load homebrew on it - and another three at most before a way of loading dumps of commercial games and patching around the region locking in them is found. Then, maybe 12 months at most before flashcarts for it become mass-market items that any idiot can use.
If we're looking at ONLY a way to work around the region locking, I'd expect an outboard device in less than three months from release.
With a built-in SD slot this thing is going to be GREAT for home-brew once it's cracked. And it will be, sooner or later.
Bad move (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Why would you do this? (Score:2, Insightful)
Exactly! Why the $#@) would nintendo switch over to the Dark Side on this issue now?!? I bought the original DS shortly after launch and bought a lite a few years later and this is how nintendo rewards me? While traveling international it's great as is, there are also some great games that won't be released in other countries due to licensing and "they won't be that into it" reasons. Electroplankton, jump superstars...
The one -potential- justification I could see is the piracy that goes on, they sell cartridges that allow you to download and store any DS games you want onto a flash-based system apperantly. Region locking might cut down on that... for a day or two.
Really dissapointing. Has the big N not seen what happens with computer game piracy and DRM? Once again, legitimate users are the only ones who get the shaft. If I do get a DSi, the first (and possibly only) thing for it I will be buying is a piracy device.
Region locking still legal? (Score:2, Insightful)
At the age of global free trade, when companies can legally utilize anywhere in the world the lowest cost labour, cheapest material, biggest tax advantage - is it still legal for companies to limit consumers with region locking?
Re:I really hate Nintendo as a company... (Score:1, Insightful)
Re:I really hate Nintendo as a company... (Score:2, Insightful)
Simple, Nintendo is, in the groupthink, one of the companies that can do no wrong.
Re:Disappointing (Score:5, Insightful)
yea, this is a pretty disappointing announcement.
that makes no sense at all. region-locking isn't required for providing region-specific online services. even without region locks you can still have different region releases connect to different online servers. and even with region locks you can still import a Japanese DS and use it in the U.S. to connect to Japanese services.
the parental controls argument is also completely nonsense. there's no need to stop adult gamers from playing import titles just so a U.S. parent can control what games their child plays. if they're worried about conflicting rating (censorship) standards they can just add an option in the parental controls which lets parents region-lock that particular machine. what is so hard about that? and if the region-locking only affects DSi-specific games then kids will still be able to play games without parental controls. so what's the point of all this?
this whole DSi thing seems like a really dick move by Nintendo. not only are they confirming that the DS/Lite will be obsolete and unable to play many new releases (just 2 years after the DS Lite was launched), but they're also needlessly restricting consumer freedoms.
Re:I really hate Nintendo as a company... (Score:3, Insightful)
Unfair moderation!
Exhibit A: Nintendo absolutely hates piracy.
As well they should be. Piracy is a problem ... in Asia. Worse, at least in the Philippines it is hurting their reputation because the shrink wrapped pirate crap being sold under their name is just that - crap and breaks almost immediately.
Is there anyone here who seriously believes that someone should be encouraged to sell crap under someone else's name and be able get away with it? Really?