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Wii U Is Region Locked
September 25th, 2012 by Nickie Williams
Just like both the Wii and the Nintendo 3DS/3DS XL, the new Wii U video games system will be region-locked, according to Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu.
This of course, means that you will not be able to import games from other countries and play them on your Wii U console. Region locking has been commonplace on video game consoles since around the launch of the Playstation. Unlike DVD’s, region locking or coding is not down to a single number but more of just the country that you purchase the game or the console from. Another way to lock the games is to use TV picture settings, such as PAL against NTSC. I’ve tried, believe me. I used to own a NES that I bought home from the US- but using it with a PAL TV meant that I got a picture and no sound. And the same happens if you put a NTSC game into a PAL video game system.
About ten years ago, long ago and far away before region locked consoles were the norm, the import-export market on video games was a huge industry. Certain games like Chrono Cross that were not released in the UK could be imported from the US at a higher cost to the consumer. A lot of games are also released in the Japanese gaming market too, that never actually make it outside of the country. But since the market has been sounded by the death knell, the tolling of the bell- this is no longer the case and if you want to import games, then you need to own the correct console to go with them.
It’s an expensive thing, but if you want those games- the sacrifice has to be made.