Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[PS Vita is region-free]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/16/ps-vita-is-region-free/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/16/ps-vita-is-region-free/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/16/ps-vita-is-region-free/#comments The PS Vita will officially be region-free, as tweeted by Sony Computer Entertainment president of Worldwide Studios, Shuhei Yoshida (@yosp). Asked if it has been confirmed that Vita is region-free, Shuhei tweeted, "Yes, it is." And on the seventh day, there was confirmation.

Vita will drop on December 17 in Japan, at $390 for the 3G model or $325 for wi-fi only -- with no region locks, this means American and European buyers can order the Japanese version and have it before any of their lame, Vita-less friends. And then when those friends tell them to get a life, they can hold up their Vitas and say, "I already have one." And then they'll have no friends, especially if they tell them this joke.

JoystiqPS Vita is region-free originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ngpplaystationplaystation-vitaps-vitapspregion-freesonysony-ngpVitaFri, 16 Sep 2011 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Japanese Bayonetta knows English, is region-free]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/28/japanese-bayonetta-knows-english-is-region-free/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/28/japanese-bayonetta-knows-english-is-region-free/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/28/japanese-bayonetta-knows-english-is-region-free/#comments Chances are, you want "non stop climax action" as soon as possible. Thanks to the PS3's region-free gaming, you'll be able to do just that. The game's menus and dialog, as Siliconera discovered, are all in English -- no need to learn Japanese, folks. Considering the game isn't due to arrive in North America until early next year, this import is an easy choice for those who want Hideki Kamiya's latest now.

JoystiqJapanese Bayonetta knows English, is region-free originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>actionbayonettaimportPlatinum-Gamesregion-freesegaWed, 28 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo: DSi is region-locked]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/06/nintendo-dsi-is-region-locked/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/06/nintendo-dsi-is-region-locked/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/06/nintendo-dsi-is-region-locked/#commentsFiled under: ,

Those of you who intend to import a DSi from Japan next month may wish to revise your plans, as Nintendo has now confirmed that all DSi software will be region-locked. "DSi software (software that is only compatible with DSi) is region-locked, e.g: European DSi software can only be played on European DSi consoles," stated Nintendo's spokesperson to CVG, brutally driving a stake through our dreams of ever playing Japanese DSWare.

There are elements of the DSi that are region-free -- you'll be able to surf the 'net wherever you are in the world, exchange photos with friends in other regions, and still play non-local DS games on the DSi -- but it looks like we can forget about importing Japanese DSi software. It simply won't work.

Nintendo's messenger says this is because the DSi "embeds net communication functionality within itself" and provides "net services specifically tailored for each region." The fact that each region has unique age limits is also mentioned. What a thoroughly depressing start to the week! We're off for coffee and extra donuts.

JoystiqNintendo: DSi is region-locked originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dsidswarenintendo-dsinooooooregion-freeregion-lockedMon, 06 Oct 2008 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Top 5: Gaming in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/18/top-5-gaming-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/18/top-5-gaming-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/18/top-5-gaming-in-japan/#commentsFiled under:

Musicians have Vienna. Catholics have the Vatican. And gamers have Japan. While many significant contributions to the world of gaming have come from outside the Land of the Rising Sun, Japan is the unassailable fountainhead of modern video gaming. It's the birth and workplace of gaming giants such as Hideo Kojima, Shinji Mikami, Yuji Naka, and probably others. To say that Japan is a place that hardcore gamers need to check out is an understatement at best.

Recently, I took a week to visit my brother who teaches English at a Japanese university near Nagoya. Hundreds of thousands of words could be used to describe the wonderful food, the beautiful temples, and the unique culture of the country. But being a life-long gamer, I paid special attention to the distinct connection between the country and the gaming scene we all know and love. For the Top 5, I usually come up with a topic, then list the top five items for that topic in order. For this edition, it was truly difficult to narrow it down to only five. With that in mind, here's my best attempt at listing the Top 5 gaming elements of my time in Japan.




The Top 5 is a weekly feature that provides us with a forum to share our opinions on various aspects of the video game culture, and provides you with a forum to tell us how wrong we are. To further voice your opinions, check out What Are You Playing?, submit a vote in the Wii Fanboy Poll, and take part in the daily discussions of Wii Warm Up.

JoystiqTop 5: Gaming in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arcadeimportsjapanjoystiqfeatureskyotomario-kart-arcade-gpnintendonintendodsnintendowiiregion-freestreet-fighter-ivtop-5virtualconsoleMon, 18 Aug 2008 12:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Wii Menu hack now available to adventurous homebrewers [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/wii-menu-hack-now-available-to-adventurous-homebrewers/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/wii-menu-hack-now-available-to-adventurous-homebrewers/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/wii-menu-hack-now-available-to-adventurous-homebrewers/#commentsFiled under:


Yesterday's jaw-droppingly comprehensive Wii Menu hack, which enables cross-region Wii, Gamecube, and downloadable games, as well as various display and UI tweaks, was unavailable to the public when the video (encore presentation above!) was released. But today creator Crediar has released the files for use on your own Wii.

We're very interested in opening up our Wii systems, but at the same time, we're ... going to hold off until we hear some feedback about this. Something as drastic as this HackInstaller seems like it could carry a high risk of Wii brickage. If it ends up being a Wii killer, we're sure we'll hear about it in the next week or so.

[Update: Oh noes! PAL only! Thanks, Asok!]

JoystiqWii Menu hack now available to adventurous homebrewers [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>channelshackinstallerregion-freewii-menuWed, 06 Aug 2008 15:37:00 EST<![CDATA[Homebrew program enables region-free, Freeloader-free gaming]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/15/homebrew-program-enables-region-free-freeloader-free-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/15/homebrew-program-enables-region-free-freeloader-free-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/15/homebrew-program-enables-region-free-freeloader-free-gaming/#commentsFiled under: ,


This isn't quite the perfect solution yet, but homebrewer Nuke's latest program is pretty damned amazing, if it works like it says it does. Gecko Region Free is a homebrew loader for Wii games from any region! It's sort of a free Freeloader without the disc.

Why "sort of?" Well, obviously, you have to be able to run Wii homebrew to operate this, and there are still some challenges in that area. Like the ten-minute limit on the recent "Homebrew Channel." And the Twilight Princess requirement. In other words, you still need a disc -- but not the Freeloader disc. And we think that homebrewers are going to do a better job of staying ahead of Nintendo's patching than Datel will.

[Via DCEmu]

JoystiqHomebrew program enables region-free, Freeloader-free gaming originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>freeloadernukeregion-freetwilight-hackusb-geckoTue, 15 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ask Joystiq: On region-free downloading, Xbox streaming and Karnov]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/04/ask-joystiq-on-region-free-downloading-xbox-streaming-and-karn/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/04/ask-joystiq-on-region-free-downloading-xbox-streaming-and-karn/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/04/ask-joystiq-on-region-free-downloading-xbox-streaming-and-karn/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

This week on Ask Joystiq, we look at downloading foreign content to a foreign system, streaming content to an Xbox 360, and identifying one --or possibly two? -- obscure Argentinian NES games.

If you have any burning questions, unsolved gaming mysteries, or just a desire for musings from our knowledgeable cadre of writers, drop us a line at ask AAT joystiq DAWT com (and yes, we write it that way for a reason).

Q: I might be going to Japan towards the end of the summer and might pick up some games or a system. If I get a system, how would that work when I bring it back to the states and log on-line for a Wii, PS3 or 360?? Would a Japanese Wii let me log in to only US servers or would I be able to download Japanese games from the marketplace. Same question applied to the other systems...
-- iwantmymtv

A: For the Wii, the region of the console corresponds to the region of the Wii Shop Channel -- Japanese systems will access the Japanese store, no matter where you plug them into the intertubes. You have to buy Wii Points that correspond to the system's region too, which means using a Japanese credit card or getting some Japanese Wii Points cards imported. [source]

Any PS3 will play downloads from any region, but each PSN account is locked to a specific region when you create it. Luckily, it's relatively easy to set up "dummy accounts" for each region you want to buy content, as long as you have a credit card from that country. Be warned, though: there is a significant language barrier for navigating the Japanese store.

Xbox Live users can also create dummy accounts to get around regional restrictions, but there are reports that Microsoft has been blocking downloads from accounts where this practice is detected. As always, let the international buyer beware.
-Kyle Orland

Continue reading Ask Joystiq: On region-free downloading, Xbox streaming and Karnov

JoystiqAsk Joystiq: On region-free downloading, Xbox streaming and Karnov originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ask-joystiqconnect-360connect360famicomHDDkarnovPS3region-freestreamingwhomp 'emWhomp'emWiixbox 360Xbox-360Xbox360Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Custom Wii on eBay LIKE NEW, except not [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/06/custom-wii-on-ebay-like-new-except-not/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/06/custom-wii-on-ebay-like-new-except-not/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/06/custom-wii-on-ebay-like-new-except-not/#commentsFiled under:


Why lay down a fat stack of cash for a new Wii on eBay when you can get one that is like new ... if, by "like new," you mean "has been modded and messed with and some dude played Fergie songs and Naruto on it." At the moment, iliksprite's modded, region-free Wii is a whopping penny, but with a brightly-lit controller and five extra real games, not minigames, thrown in (read: probably copies of real games), we expect this one may garner some bids. After all, with Wiis in such high demand, we've seen even the ugliest of skinned systems roll out for upwards of $500, and this one isn't ugly. Just warranty-free and not particularly new.

[Update: As one of our commenters noticed, it seems this listing is gone from eBay. A shame, too -- we were hoping to snag something like this just in time for "chrostmas." It's our favorite time of year!]

Continue reading Custom Wii on eBay LIKE NEW, except not [update]

JoystiqCustom Wii on eBay LIKE NEW, except not [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 Dec 2007 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>customdemandregion-freeyarrThu, 06 Dec 2007 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty 3 cheaper to import]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/07/call-of-duty-3-cheaper-to-import/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/07/call-of-duty-3-cheaper-to-import/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/07/call-of-duty-3-cheaper-to-import/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Call of Duty 3Play-Asia's got Call of Duty 3 for $48 (includes shipping -- from Hong Kong). That retailer down the street? Oh, well, they've got it for $59.99. We think the choice is clear. Don't you?

[Note: Call of Duty 3 is region-free.]

[Via 1UP]

JoystiqCall of Duty 3 cheaper to import originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Nov 2006 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionCall of Duty 3CallOfDuty3importPlay-Asiaregion-freeTreyarchXbox-360Tue, 07 Nov 2006 19:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Wii not even remotely region-free]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/15/wii-not-even-remotely-region-free/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/15/wii-not-even-remotely-region-free/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/15/wii-not-even-remotely-region-free/#commentsFiled under:

Remember when Nintendo's Perrin Kaplan told Wired News that first-party Wii games would be free of regional shackles? Well, it turns out that she never received the internal memo stating the exact opposite: The Wii will not be region-free. Not even a little. Some confusion arose after David "there's no DS redesign" Yarnton told UK press that the system would indeed be region-locked. Were Kaplan's comments misinterpreted somehow? After all, having region-free games and a region-free system are two very different things. We took the issue to a Nintendo US spokesperson and received the clarification we desired, unpleasant as it was.

"We've heard conflicting reports from lots of folks out there, but can tell you that Wii will be region encoded, as will first-party software."

It's a segmented world after all.

JoystiqWii not even remotely region-free originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Sep 2006 20:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>importingregion freeregion lockingRegion-freeregion-lockedRegionFreeRegionLockingWiiwii region-freeWiiRegion-freeFri, 15 Sep 2006 20:25:00 EST<![CDATA[First-party Wii games will be region-free [update 2]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/14/first-party-wii-games-will-be-region-free/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/14/first-party-wii-games-will-be-region-free/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/14/first-party-wii-games-will-be-region-free/#commentsFiled under:

After tactfully cornering Nintendo's VP of Marketing at their NYC event, Joel Johnson from Wired News was able to extract a rather valuable tidbit of information that will likely please gamers all across the world. Perrin Kaplan casually confirmed that all first-party Wii games will be free of draconian region locks, thus allowing them to run on a Wii system purchased from Japan, Europe, America and everything in-between. The same doesn't hold true for third-party games yet, but one can only hope they follow the glorious example and do away with an annoying system that has long since been dropped in handheld platforms.

If you can surmount the language barrier, feel free to gleefully bring Nintendo's next turnbased roommate adventure Pokemon dating card RPG to America, even if they won't.

[Via Game|Life]

[Update 1: Gamesindustry.biz reports that Nintendo UK says the Wii is region-locked. This is contrary to Perrin Kaplan's statements, though her exact comments may have been misinterpreted to begin with. It's possible that Kaplan implied first-party games would specifically be region-free -- which is not the same thing as saying the console is region-free. After all, one can play region-free DVDs on a region-locked DVD player. Not that the Wii can play DVDs anymore...]

[Update 2: It was too good to be true.]

JoystiqFirst-party Wii games will be region-free [update 2] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Sep 2006 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>NTSCNTSC/JPALPerrin KaplanPerrinKaplanregionregion-freeWiiThu, 14 Sep 2006 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Get Far Cry and Blazing Angels cheap]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/04/01/get-far-cry-and-blazing-angels-cheap/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/04/01/get-far-cry-and-blazing-angels-cheap/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/04/01/get-far-cry-and-blazing-angels-cheap/#commentsFiled under:

Like Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfigher, the NTSC/J versions of Far Cry: Predator and Blazing Angels are compatible with US and Canadian consoles. You can order them for $39.90 each (plus shipping) at Play-Asia.com and laugh at your friends who paid $60 at Wal-Mart. Then you can ask yourself why everything costs more in Hong Kong except certain Xbox 360 games.

[Thanks Scott]

JoystiqGet Far Cry and Blazing Angels cheap originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 01 Apr 2006 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>region-freesave moneySaveMoneySat, 01 Apr 2006 01:00:00 EST