Region free goes bye bye

[TheGrandMom]

DSi-only software is region locked - Joystiq

"Nintendo's decades-long streak of region-free handhelds is coming to a close. In a statement to CVG, the company confirmed that Nintendo DSi-only cartridges and downloadable content will be locked to the region where you buy the Nintendo DSi. Web browsing, photo sharing and playing DS games will be region free, but US gamers hoping to import the console between now and "well into 2009" will probably have to brush up on their Japanese to enjoy the best new features.

We're not too worried, though. Something in our gut tells us that SD card slot will give region-unlocking ninjas in the homebrew community an easy "in."

__________________________

I usually import but the new DSi was making me doubt this decision. Then this little snippet was released and I think its pretty much sealed it for me. My husband is breathing a sigh of relief to be sure but this news totally pissed me off. They are making money hand over fist already, why go to region encoding!? I buy MORE games and MORE systems without it which means they make MORE money off of people like me! WTF kind of ass backwards thinking is this!? Oh wait......it's Nintendo.........carry on...

[Effedup]

Re: Region free goes bye bye

Very lame...

[Feba]

Re: Region free goes bye bye

Doesn't impact me personally, but sucks nonetheless.

I do wonder how much of it has to do with Nintendo's plans for the DSi, and how much of it is just region locking assholishness. Perhaps they only plan for a few games to be DSi only, and release most games as standard DS titles.

[Pai Pai Master]

Re: Region free goes bye bye

Bah, now I have to wait until Summer 2009 like the rest of you worthless North Americans.

[Ayrlie]

Re: Region free goes bye bye

real gamers will get around it: either by importing or by finding out other means of getting around the region locking

[Haroldo]

Re: Region free goes bye bye

Doesn't really affect me because: 1)I think the DSi sucks and will only get one If I'm not able to find a brand new Lite or decide to give somebody as a gift. 2) I only get US (or sometimes BR) games.

I don't think that's a smart decision by Nintendo but I don't think the worst they made lately. Maybe the developers wanted the region locking for whatever reason they might have. But like I've said: It doesn't really affect me. When and If Nintendo start using DRM on games that's when I'll be really mad.

[Susurrus]

Re: Region free goes bye bye

Ewwwwwwwww region lock.

Which is even worse for portables.

Portables are great for traveling, so maybe people want to buy software in other countries if they travel there to have for the plane ride home or something.

Nintendo fail! Oh well, I won't be getting a DSi anyway. Already have my fatty DS and like it.



Just a side note talking about region locking....still looking for busting past region lock on PS1/PS2 games running on PS3 w/out chipping. Just thought I'd throw that out >.>

[Haroldo]

Re: Region free goes bye bye

Portables are great for traveling, so maybe people want to buy software in other countries if they travel there to have for the plane ride home or something.

That's a nice point you brought up.

[TheGrandMom]

Re: Region free goes bye bye

The biggest reason Nintendo came out with the DSi was to stop the Flash Card software users that pirate the games. There is a video up where a guy uses 28 different cards on the DSi and none of them work. So if you use a Micro Flash Card like EZFlash, it will not currently work with your DSi. I'm sure someone will find a way around it eventually but for right now they don't work.

[Haroldo]

Re: Region free goes bye bye

The biggest reason Nintendo came out with the DSi was to stop the Flash Card software users that pirate the games. There is a video up where a guy uses 28 different cards on the DSi and none of them work. So if you use a Micro Flash Card like EZFlash, it will not currently work with your DSi. I'm sure someone will find a way around it eventually but for right now they don't work.

Now, THAT is great news.

[TheGrandMom]

Re: Region free goes bye bye

Depends on which side of the flash card you are on. LOL I've said it many times on this forum, I use the EZFlash card on my DS. I love the fact that I can demo games on my PSP and 360 and what I can not demo I can rent usually from Blockbuster or a local game store or borrow from a friend. Either way there is usually a way I can test a game before I play it and decide if its for me before blowing $60. Now with DS games, they are only $30 but thats still a good amount of money for some people and throwing that away on a sucky game...well sucks! And there just isn't any way to demo DS games and that also sucks. So we depend on reviews and word of mouth but you know how that goes, people are biased and not everyone likes to play the types of games you like to play. So there have been plenty of times I've still bought stinkers that were "OMG AWESOME" or passed on games that were "EWW SUCKAGE". So I have an EZFlash and I d/l a game I'm interested in. If I actually enjoy the game and play it for more than a few hours, I go buy it and thats that. If I don't like it, then it gets deleted and I move on. My EZFlash is my demo system. And yes, I know not everyone uses their Flash Card in this manner and that is unfortunate but there are some of us that do. We realize that Nintendo has every right to protect their property and don't mind that they are trying to either.

[eticket109]

Re: Region free goes bye bye

Just a quick aside. You mentioned renting games. Gamefly rents GBA and DS games.

[TheGrandMom]

Re: Region free goes bye bye

Ya I'm not a big fan of Gamefly. I had an issue with them and ended up paying for a game they lost.

[Haroldo]

Re: Region free goes bye bye

well, I think that will be a way to download demo versions with the DSi. Right now I think you can only download demos from a Wii and some stores have demos. It would be nice to have something like Sony did, a Windows version of the Playstation Store. I have a similar problem, the average 30$ DS game can easily become a 80$ investment with shipping and import taxes though my experience with using reviews and forum post the choose games has been always positive.

And yeah, I know that are lots of people like you flash cards in a reasonable way like you do, or some that use only for homebrew software. What bothers me is the majority that use them as substitutes for buying games, specially those who could easily afford.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Region free goes bye bye

You know, I really don't care about the region lockout thing this time. I never really import that much to care and if they make GBA games downloadable, its kind of a moot point. No doubt you'll be able to download demos as well.

Though, really, demos are no subsitute for doing the research on games to make sure you're really getting something you want. I've played demos that lived up to the final build and I've played demos that haven't. I've played demos that were better than the final product and final products better than the demos.