Wii region delays

Hornet2112

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I have to say that although I'm pleased to own a Wii myself, I wish I had never bought a UK machine, this is the first time I haven't imported a console and I've regretted ever since.


This report by an Australian Wii owner specifically focuses on Australian and New Zealand release dates but I'm sure there's many European owners who'd share his views. It's debateable whether anything will change but perhaps someone in Nintendo might wake up...

http://www.aussie-nintendo.com/?v=news&p=16776
 
Get it chipped and it will play import games and pretty much all region gamecube games.
 
It's always been a problem with Nintendo consoles and games and is nothing new. That's why when it comes to Nintendo I always import my consoles. My Gamecube was a US one modified to also play Japanese games and my Wii is a US one. I've been playing Super Paper Mario for quite a while now whilst it is only just about to be released over here. My Metroid Prime is on it's way whilst it won't be out here for another two months. Smash Brothers will probably be the same. Mario Galaxy is the only exception where it is coming out here four days after the US release.
 
I realise I could get it chipped and it's becoming quite tempting, if it was a magic solution guaranteed 100% I'd be there. Not all games work - and I do buy all my games, I realise I could play copies of games I buy but that's just silly!

The thing that I find strange is that with simultaneous release - or near as possible, would actually be advantageous to Nintendo. A single marketing push would help them, as it is they have to generate all the buzz for a particular title a number of times, all the momentum is lost. Super Paper Mario is a good example, months ago this was in all the press and the Non-US/Japanese owners had sit around watching everyone else have fun. It could even put people off buying some titles... though probably not a Mario game!

We're now in the situation where a number of AAA titles are all being released within a very short period of time in Europe, having had a games drought for months, I'm sure the sales will be affected to some extent, particularly if you have to feed more than one console! :smashin:
 
Isn't getting consoles chipped in the days of internet enabled gaming a little dangerous though? I always used to chip my consoles, but when the manufacturers can detect it and disable it from online I haven't bothered.
 
Problem with chipping is, you still don't have 100% region free, and problems such as region bricking (using an NTSC game with an update on that bricks your console).

I never had a gamecube - I thought the times of releases month apart at different regions finished with PS1 games? Xbox 360 games are 99% of the time released the same week in different regions - wonder why nintendo can't get this right?

And it's not like some games need changing much - take Super Paper Mario for example. It's not even out over here, been out in the US for god knows how long. Silly thing is, if you have a chipped console I believe it works anyways, so why the delay?! This is the only thing I dislike about my Wii/Nintendo.
 
Region locking is frustratingly pointless, every handheld they've made has been region-free so where's the sense in it :confused:
 
Been happening since before I got my nes when I was a tender 6 years old a decade and a bit ago. You get used to it as time goes by but it don't mean you have to like it

Regards
 
Unfortunately delayed PAL releases have always been the case with Nintendo and I don't see it completely changing in the near future. Although at least it's only a two month delay with Metroid Prime 3 and a minimal 4 days for Super Mario Galaxy, two of the biggest releases this year.

Could I please remind people to keep any further discussion of chipped consoles to this thread only http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=517606 Thankyou.
 
Region locking is frustratingly pointless, every handheld they've made has been region-free so where's the sense in it :confused:

Apparently, according the guy I spoke to at Nintendo Europe, its all to do with the different TV standards - NTSC - PAL - SECAM
Handhelds dont have different display standards so any game will 100% work out of the box with any console in any country.
TVs however do have different display standards and its the people who dont understand this that could end up causing the tech support guys at Nintendo no end of grief when their US game looks wierd or doesnt display at all on their UK TV.
 
Well I can tell you know that I have seen Super Paper Mario (NTSC) in action on a English TV with no issues what-so-ever so I can categorically say nintendo are talking out of thier a*** lol.

I have also heard reports of NO issues with Metroid Prime (NTSC) on PAL consoles...
 
Well I can tell you know that I have seen Super Paper Mario (NTSC) in action on a English TV with no issues what-so-ever so I can categorically say nintendo are talking out of thier a*** lol.

I have also heard reports of NO issues with Metroid Prime (NTSC) on PAL consoles...

Well yes, for sure, most UK TVs are now PAL, PAL60 and NTSC compatible. I too have seen many US games play perfectly well on UK TVS - I have some myself! But the argument the guy at Nintendo was putting across was that not everyone in Europe has TVs that are compatible like this and for those people who own an old telly it would be a headache. Of course nealry all TVs these ARE multi standard but these standards do still officially exist.
Im not defending region coding, I hate it! The reason I phoned Nintendo and had it out with them was because I was outraged that the Wii games are region locked. But I can see the guys point. You know how in this day and age everyone covers their back in every way they can. If they made the Wii region free then they would maybe have to have an NTSC compatible TV listed as a requirement on the box and I do believe Nintendo want people off all ages to be able to pick up and play the Wii not get all techy about TV standards.
Of course you could argue that they still should have made it region free and then left it to the games publishers to put a PAL or NTSC compatible label on the game box. Seeing as most non-av people wouldnt be importing anyway it probably wouldnt affect the average user and its probably just all about cashing in by overcharging us UK gamers!!
 
Sorry - wasn't aware that some TV's weren't compatible....

But surely it doesn't take long to convert it as 360 games are out the same week generally - seems to take nintendo forever!!!
 
Sorry - wasn't aware that some TV's weren't compatible....

But surely it doesn't take long to convert it as 360 games are out the same week generally - seems to take nintendo forever!!!

Yeah I know, it can take a stoopid ammount of time for them to release over here. I know they have to translate into several different languages for Europe but still it really shouldnt take as long as it sometimes does. Maybe its all that text they have in their games!!

I do think though that part of the reason for the delay is that games generally sell better in the US than in Europe so they wait to see which games ae popular in the US and sometimes Japan before deciding which ones to release over here.
Also they have to take into account that certain styles and genres of games sell better in different areas of the world so that probably also puts a delay on too.
 
MS and Sony can manage it ok.

The PAL/NTSC ceased to be relevant years ago, they just don't want people picking up cheaper games from other regions. It's exactly like the cdwow thing where we're not allowed cheaper CD's sourced from outside of Europe.
 
I think it must be down to a cruddy translation department. It takes no time to make the output PAL compatible, it does take time or planning for Nintendo to make the game multi lingual. That would fit with why a less popular title with loads of text such as Super Paper Mario will take far longer than a big hitter with not so much text like Metroid Prime.

It is still poor though as the other companies are starting to show how it can be done. 360's near universal release dates and Sony's lack of region coding are proof that the customer doesn't have to wait.
 
That would fit with why a less popular title with loads of text such as Super Paper Mario will take far longer than a big hitter with not so much text like Metroid Prime.

I wouldn't call Super Paper Mario a less popular title. It's one of the best selling games on the Wii and one of it's AAA titles.

I very much doubt it has anything to do with localisation or any technical reasons. It's more to do with Nintendo's stubborness and refusal to release the games simultaneously or near enough so or put enough effort into doing so.
 
Found an interest email from Nintendo on another forum...

Dear Customer, thank you for your e-mail.

When a game is released in Europe it has to be translated into many
different languages, on text heavy titles like Pokemon and Zelda this
can take a long time. In addition products must also be submitted for
testing in order to pass the different safety tests and regulations each
country and the EU impose.

Microsoft's and Sony's products are classified as electronic goods and
as such are subject to less stringent and rigorous tests as Nintendo
products, which are classified by the EU as toys and as such undergo
much longer and rigorous testing procedures.

Kind regards,
Your Nintendo Team

Sounds abit strange to me??
 
Sounds abit strange to me??

It seems to be largely first party games where the problem lies so I'm not seeing how it's relevant.

Even if all that's true there's no justifying putting region coding on. If Nintendo think very few people are interested in importing games (which they've been quoted as saying) then why bother stopping people from doing it.

If games being sold outside the intended region was really an issue to them why has the gameboy and all its descendants been region-free for so long.
 
If Nintendo think very few people are interested in importing games (which they've been quoted as saying) then why bother stopping people from doing it.

If games being sold outside the intended region was really an issue to them why has the gameboy and all its descendants been region-free for so long.

The guy at Nintendo told me its becuase of the different TV standards. See my earlier posts in this thread.
 
Obviously for people with a freeloader, different TV standards was a non-issue ;)
 
and as per my earlier post, sony and ms manage it ok.

Yes I know, and I quite agree that Nintendo need to sort themselves out.
Im not defending Nintendos stance on all this, Im just relaying what they told me when I called them up about this region coding business.
Personally I think the way the world is structured as a global economy for the business community yet structured as a globe of divisions and regions for the consumer really stinks.
 

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