Nintendo blocking eShop access to 18+ content during the day (only accessible 11pm to 3am)

[PreZZ]

Nintendo has begun blocking access to Wii U eShop content rated PEGI 18+ between the hours of 3 a.m. and 11 p.m. in European territories, Eurogamer reports. This means the four-hour window from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. is the only time during which games like Assassin's Creed 3 or ZombiU can be purchased, or even have their trailers viewed.

We've checked with a fictional panel of experts, and the general consensus is that this a totally weird thing for a company to do, especially considering that the Wii U already has parental controls implemented in its operating system. The block appears to apply to all accounts and it's uncertain whether it's possible to opt out of the restriction in any way.

What we do know: if we were given a Wii U but had to wait until just before midnight to download the game we wanted, we'd just go to the damn store and buy it. We've reached out to Nintendo of Europe and Nintendo of America for more information; perhaps there's some other logic at play here that isn't apparent.

Update: Nintendo of America tells Joystiq "This is a European policy and does not impact Nintendo of America."
Source: Eurogamer

[PreZZ]

What a stupid business decision! Imagine how ubisoft who created a new IP for wii U and is one of the systems better games feel right now... Nintendo continues to push the good third partys away, nothing changes. The system already has parental control even for eshop, are they out of their minds?! Nintendo are doing all the same mistakes again, like digital games being tied to console and not your account, release schedule full of shovelware, and keeping that family friendly image and refusing to get the hardcore gaming crowd back. I own the console and love it, but this is truly the last nintendo console I buy... ive had enough. Even if its only in Europe, it shows how the company handles its customers and publishers and who knows if it could happen elsewhere.

[joshnickerson]

[Zama]

It will be pandemonium!

[The 1 2 P]

I do think it's a ridiculous move though, as the only thing it will really accomplish is inconvience paying adults. Underage kids who want to view or purchase the content will not be deterred by late night hours of operation.

[Tanooki]

It's retarded but I guess they figure their options are limited. Kids years ago learned to watch M videos for games online you just set the birthday ticker back 18+ years and you can watch it. The only other choice is that parental control in the system, but that would be Nintendo trusting sue happy retarded people who look for any reason to make a buck. As soon as some fool intentionally or not doesn't set it and their 10 year old has screaming nightmares over Zombi's who is going to get blamed? It blows, but at least they're NOT doing it here in the states.

[Graham Mitchell]

The wii u has parental control settings clearly displayed and accessible in the home screen. This is ridiculous.

As aggravating as this is, I'm not surprised given my experiences in the miiverse.

Nintendo really appears to not want adults purchasing their products, because they're making it so difficult to access things that might interest us. Oh we'll, at least it's not going on in the states.

[ScourDX]

Once a kiddy console always a kiddy console. Nintendo is a control freak. They want to control everything including eshop access time. Time like this they need a major shake up from top management.

[CoteRangers]

Personally, I think it's a bad strategy in marketing effort, since it would attract less mature gamers on the system. I live in Canada, so thankfully it doesn't have an impact on my country, but I feel bad for the mature players in Europe to be forced to own a physical copy of the game rather than getting it from Nintendo eShop.

[PreZZ]

Once a kiddy console always a kiddy console. Nintendo is a control freak. They want to control everything including eshop access time. Time like this they need a major shake up from top management.

Nintendo Japan needs to get their head out of their asses. Reminds me of Sega. Let the NA branch do what the fuck they want, and everything will be just fine... if this happened with sega, the saturn would have been the N64 hardware WITH CDROM! it would have killed both ps1 and n64!

[Tupin]

Nintendo Japan needs to get their head out of their asses. Reminds me of Sega. Let the NA branch do what the fuck they want, and everything will be just fine... if this happened with sega, the saturn would have been the N64 hardware WITH CDROM! it would have killed both ps1 and n64!

From what I've heard, working for NCL is very, very traditional. Breaking rank is absolutely out of the question, and employees are pretty much under lock and key when it comes to development, like having keycards for every room. NOA apparently gets yelled at a lot for not being up to standards.

[LimitedEditionMuseum]

Once a kiddy console always a kiddy console. Nintendo is a control freak. They want to control everything including eshop access time. Time like this they need a major shake up from top management.

Last time I checked, if something belongs to you, you can control is as much as you like.