December 31st, 2012

Unfortunately, the GamePad is region locked

18 Comments
iPad Mini GamePad 1

We knew the Wii U console itself would be region locked. This means games from Japan, for instance, cannot be played on a console from North America. But it turns out, the region locking also extends to the GamePad. This means a GamePad from Japan cannot be used with a console from North America. I’m not sure what the point of that is, but there’s video proof after the break.

  • http://twitter.com/Jdub08874679 Jdub

    WTF? Why? You might as well region lock the sensor bar while your at it

    • Hybrilynx

      i totally agree. which reminds me, i wish i had a wireless sensor bar with the deluxe set.

    • Ziggy

      The old Wii came with a grey colored one, instead of black, at least we get further range with it.

    • Hybrilynx

      i wouldnt care if i got a pink wireless one. i hate stuff that clogs things up or waste space. unless its food.

    • Ziggy

      So you hate toilet paper, it clogs up your toilet

    • Hybrilynx

      you know what i mean. but good reply.

  • TGX-GAMER

    Nintendo Dont make this plis.Greater bullshit of nintendo WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Alex_Atkin_UK

    This is because the GamePad doesn’t let you choose which region you are in and that is necessary for it to know which WiFi channels it can legally use.

    Its a bit dumb though, as it also means if you import a Wii U from another region there is a chance you will be using a WiFi channel that is illegal in your country. Bad idea Nintendo.

    • ABEzilla116

      “WiFi channels” bingo! This guy is correct. It isn’t exactly “region locked” its just compliant with Japan’s wireless channels while we use different ones.

  • Bob

    The reasoning is pretty obvious.
    If one region sells it for less then another and if one economy’s currency is weaker than another, the natural action will be to import it from another country.
    It’s not rocket science people. It’s economics.

    • http://www.facebook.com/8xBIT Thomas Reifenberg

      Yeah, but that you look at import costs and shipping, The prices always balance out, plus, for those who want to leave their country and live somewhere else are completely screwed. They have to buy what they already own, just because a number on the game is different. They should only have to get a different AC adapter if the country’s voltage is different. That seems to be Nintendo’s new motto, world together with region coding. It makes no sense. The only smart thing Sony did a few years ago was drop the region coding altogether. My PS3 is from Japan, plays Eurpoean games and has American downloaded software.

    • Bob.

      “Prices always balance out” is flat out wrong.

  • http://www.facebook.com/8xBIT Thomas Reifenberg

    Region coding is the dumbest thing to be introduced to the world, just plain stupid. What if you move across seas? You’re screwed! Even my PAL videotapes work on my NTSC VCR, the color may be off sometimes, but it plays.

  • Guest

    http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2599851773411&set=a.1081882465127.10451.1768296377&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf
    I HATE REGION-CODING WITH A PASSION! Nintendo has been irritating the crap out of me for some time with this nonsense. They advertise togetherness between countries, but then they do this! What’s the point? You are just pissing your fans off by making them buy 2 of everything because you find it necessary to region-code everything! This is the kind of thing that promotes hackers to hack your systems and get everything free because you want to be annoying like this! I can understand PAL/NTSC coding in some parts, but portable systems and NTSC-U/NTSC-J, REALLY???

  • http://www.facebook.com/8xBIT Thomas Reifenberg

    I HATE REGION-CODING WITH A PASSION! Nintendo has been irritating the crap out of me for some time with this nonsense. They advertise togetherness between countries, but then they do this! What’s the point? You are just pissing your fans off by making them buy 2 of everything because you find it necessary to region-code everything! This is the kind of thing that promotes hackers to hack your systems and get everything free because you want to be annoying like this! I can understand PAL/NTSC coding in some parts, but portable systems and NTSC-U/NTSC-J, REALLY???

    • Steve

      Yayyyyy no one gives a damn.

  • Tails the Foxhound

    Not a big problem…yet. When they get double Gamepad games, this will become more pronounced. Even then it won’t be a big deal to a lot of people unless they start getting a bunch of engraved/specially colored Gamepads in Japan. (They will, and I will be mad.)

  • http://PolyKhromeGames.blogspot.com/ Brian Lockett

    Of course. I love Nintendo, but this is one area I wish they’d change. No sense denying someone with a Western-region Wii U from playing Japanese games and vice versa. It’s only more money for Nintendo.