Nintendo Wii

[Stone_Protector_101]

i know this is old but i keep hearing yes and no's all over online and in person.
i just want to know is the US Nintendo Wii region free? if not does anyone know if the JP Wii is?O_O

[xfrumx]

Neither are.... and from what I hear the Wii updates will eventually make your mod-chips not work.

[Stone_Protector_101]

aww man god thanks... sigh......wonder will there ever be a action reply that let that happen. but guess not....

[xfrumx]

Who knows maybe we will see a update able AR or something similar that you can update on your PC via USB then put it back in the Wii when the Wii is updated.

[TonyTheTiger]

This is now going to become just an ongoing race. People develop mod chips or Action Replays or some other peripheral and the company develops an anti-mod update. Then the same people come up with a stealth device. Then the company comes up with an anti-stealth update. Then the people make an anti-anti device. And the company follows with an anti-anti-anti update. So unless you don't care about connecting the console online, you just don't know how long these loopholes will last.

Hell, Nintendo could even get around consoles that aren't online by putting the update code right in newer games. "You can't play Super Mario Whatever unless you update your Wii." Add in the possibility that you could lose online privileges ala Xbox Live if you're caught you now risk limiting your console's abilities as opposed to broadening them. Factor in the risk of losing whatever money the peripherals cost and you have a situation where any kind of console modification becomes a gamble. The interest in these gray market products will probably shrink as a result.

[Snapple]

Neither are.... and from what I hear the Wii updates will eventually make your mod-chips not work.

Indeed. In fact, I've heard that some people can't play SSBB on a modded Wii, so it may be already starting.

[Willem]

Hell, Nintendo could even get around consoles that aren't online by putting the update code right in newer games. "You can't play Super Mario Whatever unless you update your Wii."

wasn't that the case with mario galaxy or metroid prime? update on the disc.

[TonyTheTiger]

wasn't that the case with mario galaxy or metroid prime? update on the disc.

It was. In fact, a friend of mine experienced it first hand. He had to update before being able to play Mario Galaxy and lo and behold he can no longer play his import of the Gamecube Soul Calibur II on his Wii because the update locks out his Gamecube Freeloader disc (removes region lock).

Before, console manufacturers had to sit in the corner and do nothing but whine (and possibly make up numbers) about how much piracy and unlicensed software hurt them. With the recent advancements though, these companies can now actively throw a few punches back and have proven themselves rather formidable in that fight.

[Coldguy]

All Wiis are region locked, but many people are waiting for a boot loader to come out to solve this problem.

[Icarus Moonsight]

Then they will wait for another one when an update knocks it out. Maybe now is a good time to buy a freeloader disk. I am so glad I kept my cube. :D

Does anyone know if it's harder to import a Japanese Wii than it is to find a N. America one on shelf? Somehow, I think it would be. If too many games I'm into only come out in Japan then I might look into picking one up sometime though.