Report: 3DS will be region locked

by Ben Gilbert on Jan 11th 2011 1:00PM

Unlike the GameBoy, GameBoy Advance, and DS before it, Nintendo's next handheld may not play nice with games outside of its designated region. A report on Korean gaming site RuliWeb details an alleged interaction between Nintendo customer support in Japan and an individual inquiring about 3DS region locking. The supposed Nintendo Japan support officer specifically spells out, "There are no region codes in DS and DS Lite, but DSi, DSi [XL], and 3DS have region codes. The region codes are installed in each game and the 3DS itself ... you can't play if the region codes are different."

As Tiny Cartridge points out, the DSi and DSi XL both include a form of region locking in that DSi systems can only access their own region's DSi Shop, and DSi-enhanced releases (read: games that use the camera, among other things) are locked to the region in which they're released. The 3DS's region locking sounds like it works the same way: the alleged Nintendo rep spells out, "For example, if you play a Korean 3DS game with a Japanese 3DS system (or vice versa), you won't be able to play at all." Nintendo had yet to respond to request for comment as of publishing.

Via: Tiny Cartridge
Source: RuliWeb

Tags: 3ds, ds, nintendo, region-locked, region-locking, report

Reader Comments (88)

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

But it's the fact that the DS is region free that allows me to play games that don't come out in the UK, like 9 hours 9 persons 9 doors.

If this is true, it will make me sad.

@Richard Jae

greeeeeaaaatttt...come on.......give more excuses for the creation of new flashcards........

@Hunter141072

At what point did I even mention flashcards? Where did you get this baseless accusation?

Ever heard of importing? It's what I do to play these games. Usually through Play-asia.

@Richard Jae
Yeah me too, or lik-sang before sony shut them down. I think he was commenting on Nintendo's alleged decision and wanted to be up at the top.

@SuperWoody64
Or he was commenting on piracy being the only way short of having an import console to play import games. The posters below mention psn and xbox as having unlocked online stores. (they do you just need to have an account that's in that region-I have a jap and euro account for this reason)
afaik the ps3 discs aren't locked but some 360 games are but it's on the disc, not the console itself.

The title of this is misleading. Online is always region locked for consoles and handheld. Xbox LIVE and PSN accounts are region locked, the DSi store is region locked. All online stores are. The console however will not be region locked to cartridges. Just online functionality.

How is it misleading? The article makes it clear that 3DS is most likely following in DSi's footsteps with region locked 3DSware and 3DS retail games. DSi games are already region locked when played on DSi, including Pokemon Black & White.

Pokemon Black & White are DS, not DSi games, and not region locked.

@Elranzer Pokemon Black & White are DSi Enhanced games, and the Japanese release does not work in North American DSi or DSi XL systems.

@Anticrawl

"Online is always region locked for consoles and handheld. Xbox LIVE and PSN accounts are region locked, the DSi store is region locked."

I've purchased items from the Japanese PSN store. I haven't tried on the 360, but you can at least browse.

@Anticrawl PS3 is no way region locked for games. In Rock Band 1/2/3, Killzone 2, Warhawk etc. I had no problems playing with friends from the US (I'm located in the UK). Also, there's no problems with purchasing games from other regions (they always work). And you can connect & buy from PSStores from other regions. Even the DLC isn't region locked in the sense that it will work on your console if you have the disc and DLC for the correct region (US game & US dlc or UK game & UK
dlc). 3DS and DSi on the other hand won't even launch the game if it's a region locked title.

@Vidikron - I can verify this. I've purchased plenty of stuff from the Japanese PSN. While it may be true that you can't access the Japanese PSN with an American account, I had no trouble setting up a Japanese account and making purchases (that played perfectly on my American PS3). Sony doesn't care where the money comes from, as long as it is coming. Why Nintendo doesn't share the same philosophy, is beyond me.

@Dark Archon PSN Archonik XBL Dar

I'm speaking about the online stores. PS3's store is region locked. As in it is locked to the region your account is set to, I'm well aware the 360 features no hardware restricted region locking. However some non-NA region titles may still not work on NA region consoles because of video output and online restrictions. Legally though all titles are required to be playable on any region console for the PS3.

@Anticrawl
"The console however will not be region locked to cartridges. Just online functionality."

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/18/dsi-enhanced-idolm-ster-is-region-locked/

@Anticrawl

"PS3's store is region locked. As in it is locked to the region your account is set to, I'm well aware the 360 features no hardware restricted region locking"

But they're not. All you have to do is create an account in that region and you can browse those stores and purchase items. Needing to create an account for that region doesn't mean it's region locked. Where the account is based is just how the system determines which store to display. Region locked would mean that no matter how you set up your account the system would verify your location and only show you one store front.

@Anticrawl
The 360 online marketplace is somewhat region locked. I have a Japanese 360, but still cannot purchase and 360 games on demand from the Japanese marketplace because it is abased on ip address.

@Railgun

I'll add to that that the video store in PSN is region locked. As are other video features (like BBC TV on the UK dashboard). The game stores however are not region locked.

@Railgun

It's not based on your IP it's based on the region your account is set to.

@Epoque I imported Pokemon White, it DOES NOT function on my DSi. the DSi does in fact support region locks. It however, does function in my DSlite. The DSlite is region-free.

The DS is the only system I own that is not hacked. I think my 3DS may break this trend.

@This Little Man Says His Name Is
No, it's IP based. I have a Japanese 360, a Japanese Xbox Live account, the system locale and everything is set to Japan. I could access the Japanese market place, and I could even purchase DLC for my Japanese games. But it still won't let you purchase any games on demand or videos unless you are in Japan. And you have to use a Japanese credit card.

I imported GBA, and still import DS games regularly. The great thing about portable systems is you can buy a game no matter where in the world you are, and play it then and there. The move towards region locking portables is going to be pretty frustrating, at least for retail games. My interest in 3DS when down quite a lot, though it's not like I didn't see this coming.

@Epoque

I just wonder if Sony will follow suit. With the PS3 and PSP region free, I'm not too worried.. but then again, that's usually when Sony yanks the rug from under me.

Great idea: now only pirates will be able to play imports.

@hibikir
My thoughts exactly, the entire idea of region codes only prevents people who buy games from playing them.

No battery life, now this... I think it's best if you release it now, Nintendo, before we realize how disappointing the 3DS is.

@Ashitaka

I totally agree. Seems every other day there's a buzz kill associated with the 3DS. Nintendo's handhelds have always been region free. What could they be possibly afraid of here? One of the best things about my DS was the ability to import all the games that never came here.

And people make fun of me for waiting till the PSP2 comes out for me to make my choice between the two. The PSP might not have been my favorite handheld by far, with a better control system, added PSN support and better battery life from a non-UMD format, I think it could really shine.

@Ashitaka

What?! Does Mario kart, Paper Mario, Orcarina of time, Star Fox, Kid icarus, Metal gear solid, Street fighter, Ridge racer, Dead or alive, Resident evil, Kingdom hearts etc. etc. etc. sound dissapointing to you?. I'll take a low battery life over no getting any of them at all anyday. I want you to sit down and think about what you just said.

@Mrguy you know that guy

Halo 3, Gears of War 2, Alan Wake, Ace Combat 6, etc etc are great 360 exclusives that I love, but it doesn't mean the HARDWARE is something I'm going to praise anytime soon.

The same with this. The software hasn't been dissed by anyone here on Joystiq. It's a GREAT lineup, especially at launch. But the HARDWARE..the SYSTEM itself is the thing that needs improvements, which is kinda sad, as it's not even out yet.

What in the world.......

HOW CAN THIS BE.....
HOW CAN THIS BE HAPPENING !?!?

*Gasp*
Well, damn...

No surprise, DSiware as already region locked. Wii and Gamecube were region locked.

But it's possible this only applies to 3DSiware and not 3DS physical carts.

@Elranzer

Nope, the region code is on the cartridge, assuming the rep wasn't full of it.

I just think it's stupid to do that to handhelds.

I don't import many games so this really doesn't affect me (if I ever get a 3DS), it still sucks for those that do, travel, and those in the Military, though.

I don't see how this saves any money, whatsoever. So why do it?

I can only imagine it's useful for the launch, so units don't get moved out of their region as much. But that's only the first year, tops. So why screw with your customer base over that?

For shame Nintendo and any Publishers that encourage this crap.

@Mmmmz Growing up, I was constantly moving due to my Dad's malleable industry. We often didn't spend more than a couple of years in one place and one year I actually lived in three different countries. Having a handheld was a godsend because, unlike the consoles, we didn't have to worry about voltage, TV frequency, or region-locking. That was very freeing and defined the features of a handheld system to me.

Nintendo, I guess, sees it differently. They just see it as something to play on the bus or train -- maybe the plane -- and want you purchasing games where they damn well think you should. This could possibly be a deal breaker for me as I'm planning to leave my current country of residence in the future. Why buy a handheld if I can't take it with me if I leave next year?

Honestly, with the amount of globalisation that occurs these days, you'd think we'd be past this bullshit by now. It's actually a step backwards.

@RonnocoMail
While I do agree that region locking sucks, a reason they're doing it is because Flashcarts abused the region free feature of the DS. This would make it harder for future Flashcarts [if they decided to use that method for piracy] to work on all consoles.

@The Aquacharger
Sorry finished without saying this. Now while that is their reason, this will encourage hackers to hack the system quicker and turn more people into pirates.
I would like to hope if enough outrage is done they might either remove the Region code from consoles via a patch or with a new console iteration

god, I hope this only means for the 3dsiware!

The biggest selling point for me was always that I could buy games from anywhere in the world. That was a major selling point to me when the PS3 came out and I found out almost every single game is region free. I love buying imports. A lot of decent games that never come out over stateside.

Until R4-3DS comes around... :D

@MasterGouken Which is, sadly, banned by law in the UK.

Well, No 3Ds for me then. Loved importing games for my GBA and DSLite from the US.

Would I prefer it to not be region locked? Sure, but at the same time I've never actually played a GameBoy or DS game from another region. Maybe if I lived in Europe and I knew how many games get released in America and not Europe this might be different, but as it stands I can't say this really bothers me.

Nintendo, always the social awkward kid in the class.

@Jechtshot78

BUT! He usually ends up being the valedictorian.

The gaming narrative is this: give the player choice to buy any game anywhere. Nintendo pioneered this idea with with their handheld consoles - my Kirby's Dreamland cartridge came all the way from the United States. So an action like this is just inverse to what handheld gaming is all about. Maybe in the short term retailers/third party developers/other stakeholders might be appeased with an incremental increase in quarterly profits, but looking long term, with phone gaming finally coming of age and all that, its like Nintendo and friends are sticking their collective heads in the oven. It's just a stupid idea.

With reportedly higher prices, a lacklustre lineup of games and now region locking, I can't play the 'it might be alright on the night' game anymore.

Sorry Nintendo, I won't be getting 3DS till it's hacked then.

@mko

So... you won't get a 3DS now, until it's hacked later...

You do understand that you can purchase games from your own region and play them, correct? Why not just buy a 3DS when it comes out, get some great games, and then later when it's hacked, play your backlog of oddball Japanese games?

@Enosoma
To save money in the meantime?

So with region locking on and in order to ensure that there are no legitimate or logical reasons for homebrew, which will inevitably bring on Piracy they have to;

Ensure every game. Is availible everywhere. In turn costing them and their developers more money due to translate and ship these games.

Whereas without region locking the costs are zilch for Nintendo and transferred onto the customer (which by the way doesnt mind this).

Yeah i dont see it happening. Nintendo have just caused themselves a problem without realising it if you ask me. Seems its down to where the region lock "zones" are.

Ummm We already knew this.... I mean since E3 LAST YEAR. It kinda sux but expected. Different publishers put out the same game in different regions as well as IP licenses are only good in certain regions soo its fair enough and not a big deal.

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Report: 3DS will be region locked

Reader Comments (88)

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 1:02PM Mrguy you know that guy said

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