Nintendo DSi software will be region locked

[Sabz5150]

Disappointing...

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=253920

Looks like I won't be getting one until this is circumvented.

[The 1 2 P]

It's not really that big of a surprise. Nintendo doesn't want you playing Japanese porn software on a US system and vice versa. Our porn taste are so different. We just aren't ready for the tentacle-on-little-girl action.

[joedick]

I think the only software region locked will be DSi specific software. There probably won't be too many games that will only play on the DSi.

[SpaceHarrier]

But...

I NEED TENTACLES!

[Poofta!]

I think the only software region locked will be DSi specific software. There probably won't be too many games that will only play on the DSi.

thats exactly it. and since the system has online capabilities (as well as browsing) they want the content to be catered to the region.

i dont really care to be honest. this isnt a big deal. unless you read japanese and are fluent i dont see why you would want to use their social networks. and if you do, you probably will get a jap dsi anyway.

[TonyTheTiger]

What can the DSi do that would make certain DS games require it? From what I can tell it's all just incidental enhancements. If there are games that only play on the DSi would that technically make this a new system that happens to be 100% backwards compatible as opposed to a revision?

[Clownzilla]

I don't really understand why game companies have region locking on anything. The internet allows the whole world the ability to game with each other so why not allow that? Who is Nintendo, Microsoft, or Sony to say what American, Japanese, European tastes are? I know many Americans that love to play against European and Japanese gamers. Some of my most fun battles on games like Burnout Paradise (XBOX 360) are against British gamers. Some of the greatest Tetris DS matches I have are against Japanese gamers. I'm not trying to be some left wing hippie (lol, I'm a right wing conservative) but it seems that gaming is one of the very few things in this world that brings all of us to a common ground. It's sad that gaming companies have to destroy that........

[TonyTheTiger]

The region locking is to protect both publishers and retailers. Simultaneous world wide releases are hard. It's only relatively recently that they're becoming increasingly common. Region locking was devised to make sure that sales didn't get screwed up because of that.

[Clownzilla]

The region locking is to protect both publishers and retailers. Simultaneous world wide releases are hard. It's only relatively recently that they're becoming increasingly common. Region locking was devised to make sure that sales didn't get screwed up because of that.

It's one thing to region lock a game intended for worldwide release but it's another thing to lock a release that is only intended for one market. Why shouldn't somebody from the USA be able to import a Japan only game and play it?

[chicnstu]

What can the DSi do that would make certain DS games require it?

The cameras will be used in certain games.

[TonyTheTiger]

It's one thing to region lock a game intended for worldwide release but it's another thing to lock a release that is only intended for one market. Why shouldn't somebody from the USA be able to import a Japan only game and play it?

You can't always tell. Who's to say what games won't be localized in other regions? If not by the initial publisher then maybe by another. A company like Working Designs would have had trouble existing if they couldn't be sure their version of the game would be in the U.S. and not the Japanese import undercutting their sales.

Then you get games that are released in Japan or the U.S. by publishers that have distribution rights ONLY in those regions because other publishers have them in other regions. Takara has distribution rights of Transformers in Japan but not in America. Takara would be pissed (and rightfully so) if a Transformers game published by someone else found its way into Japan.

[CosmicMonkey]

Some of my most fun battles on games like Burnout Paradise (XBOX 360) are against British gamers. Some of the greatest Tetris DS matches I have are against Japanese gamers. I'm not trying to be some left wing hippie (lol, I'm a right wing conservative) but it seems that gaming is one of the very few things in this world that brings all of us to a common ground. It's sad that gaming companies have to destroy that........

The region locking won't stop this. You'll still be able to play people from around the world, you'll just need the game for your region. Just like you can play Your US Burnout on your US Xbox against English mateys.

[j_factor]

You can't always tell. Who's to say what games won't be localized in other regions? If not by the initial publisher then maybe by another. A company like Working Designs would have had trouble existing if they couldn't be sure their version of the game would be in the U.S. and not the Japanese import undercutting their sales.

Funny you should bring up Working Designs. They got their start on the Turbo CD, which has no region lock. Then again, they did RPGs. Not too many people are going to import RPGs that are in Japanese.

The main thing I would point out is that the Game Boy, Lynx, Game Gear, Game Boy Color, Neo Geo Pocket Color, Game Boy Advance, N-Gage, DS, and PSP have all done without region locking, and I don't recall any major publishers complaining, nor do I recall anything "bad" happening.

[TonyTheTiger]

Remember that region locking is designed primarily as a way to protect distributors. Any other perceived benefit is secondary. But the primary purpose is to protect the sales of movies/games/etc. released in certain regions at a later time than in others. Even if there were no other benefits, distributors would be pissed off if those movies they had the rights to sell in Country B were having their sales undercut because everyone was importing the films from Country A where they've been out for the last 4 or 5 weeks.

[Kyle15]

How will they lock this one? Pure region-coding protection, or just a minor cart difference?

I hope it's just a simple cart difference, but in the chance it isn't, Datel can just crack it.

[TonyTheTiger]

So then is this a new system or a revision? If there are games made for it that won't work on the normal DS/DS Lite then it's a new system, right?

[Jorpho]

What can the DSi do that would make certain DS games require it?I imagine the dual touch screens would be a big deal.

[mnkysuit]

That's unfortunate to hear. I was looking forward to importing one in November. Hm, I'll be pissed if Nintendo dicks around with the DSi software and makes me regret waiting for the US release.