FUCK! (Wii delay/shortages in Australia predicted).

[weemadando]

First off: FUCK. I can't believe we're getting the arse end of the bargain from ALL THREE COMPANIES.

Second: FUCKING LIES.

In the US, first-party Wii titles will retail for $50 (A$66.50).

Yeah. SURE. Because every game that retails for USD50 is released in Australia at AUD66.5, NOT the AUD90-100 that EVERY SINGLE USD50 IS LAUNCHED AT.

ANDERS IS ANGRY!

[Stark]

Just import one. It's heaps cheaper anyway. No fucking way I'm waiting months and paying 20% more when I can just import one and change the plug.

Yes, I'm hoping there really is no region coding. But if there is, who cares? Import the games. It really is cheaper, even after figuring in shipping costs.

[Spyder]

Don't imported games usually come in Japanese?

[Bounty]

Don't imported games usually come in Japanese?

Not if you import from the US.

[weemadando]

I thought region coding had been confirmed?

And worse still - region locked downloadable content - so in Australia we mightn't even get to see the release of the back-catalogue titles!

[Dominus Atheos]

Why on earth would you even consider not importing from the US?

[Stark]

I thought region coding had been confirmed?

Amusingly, by Nintendo of Europe, ie the guys we'll get ours off. Nintendo of America says it's voluntary... so if I buy a US Wii and US games, I doubt I'll have a problem. Like I said, I'm prepared to never buy a Wii game from a shop here: I'm never going to buy a DS game here, since it's so much cheaper to import.

And worse still - region locked downloadable content - so in Australia we mightn't even get to see the release of the back-catalogue titles!

Really? Can you link me? That would be absurdly lame and shit.

[weemadando]

I can't remember the source, but I distinctly remember seeing/hearing something about the downloadable content also being region restricted...

Probably Australian Gamer or PALGN.

[weemadando]

Why on earth would you even consider not importing from the US? :P

Why can't the ACCC fucking enforce their "region coding is an anti-competitive practice and thus illegal" thing? For fucks sake... Bend everyone over and rape then with red hot pokers until they release the legal Australian version which has no region locked features and allows for play of any region titles (as required under ACCC rulings for DVDs which was extended to consoles IIRC).

[Warthog]

With regards to the Wii being region-locked, Gamesindutry is saying here that it will be locked.

One question that I have before I jump on the importing bandwagon, if I got a Wii or a PS3 from the Japan or US would they support PAL or do I need to get it modded to convert from NTSC to PAL?

[Stark]

If your television doesn't support both PAL and NTSC, then frankly buy a new one. I haven't heard of such a thing for years.

[Archaic`]

I'm going to wait until I get my Wii, at this point in time, just to see how this "Region Lock" plays out. I've heard so many conflicting stories, I'm not prepared to believe anyone until we have some hard evidence.

I do wonder however if a lot of people may be blowing the words "region lock" our of proportion, and that the games will still be set as region free.

[atg]

I can't remember the source, but I distinctly remember seeing/hearing something about the downloadable content also being region restricted...

I believe that relates to games in Japanese not being available in English speaking nations.

There hope there isn't any delays, I've already put in a pre-order at EB.

[Stark]

You're buying it from EB for AU$400? *WHY*?

I was initially worried about warranty - the only thing I figured importing might have problems with. Turns out online stores provide FAR BETTER SERVICE THAN EB. EB are cunts who want their customers to do their own warranty claims even though they're a retailer, and dodgey HK importers are prepared to replace things I've bought *even though it's not covered by warranty*. Sorry, stores lose.

In short, buying in Australia is a) AU$80 more expensive, b) one month+++ later, and c) may somehow get owned on downloadable content. Buying from the US saves money, gets it first, gets downloadable shit from the largest base, and the only real loss is that there is a *CHANCE* I might not be able to abuse the EB returns policy, or only abuse it on first-party games. PS, US$50 for games is AU$65 including shipping, so there is NO REASON to buy in AU at all.

EDIT - Also, Nintendo of America has the *best* warranty, covering the most things, whereas Nintendo of Australia has a *bullshit* warranty, covering as little as possible. NoA replaces DSes with single dead pixels, for instance, NoAU says 'lolz you have been owned, fuck you'. ANOTHER reason to never buy anything from NoAU.

[atg]

You're buying it from EB for AU$400? *WHY*?

Because there has been no definite word on region encoding. If I'm at a shop and see a game I want, I'd like to be able to buy it then and there and start playing that day, rather than order online and wait for the game to come.

Buying from the US saves money, gets it first, gets downloadable shit from the largest base

Where are sources for this region-locked downloadable content? I've only heard that games with text/speech in foreign languages wouldn't be available in your country, ie Japanese language in Australia. Why would there need to be a difference between the American catalogue and the Australian one?

[Archaic`]

Message(#6851-000520-2850\5202850)

Hi!

Thanks for sharing your feedback with us. I can confirm that the Wii console is manufactured with a region code that limits the system to playing only those games sold in the coded region. This is the same coding done for previous systems such as Nintendo GameCube and Super NES.

It's important to note that even if region coding had not been included in the Wii console, games from certain regions (i.e. Australia and Europe) still wouldn't have been compatible with U.S. or Japanese systems due to incompatible television signals.

Your comments regarding this matter are important to Nintendo, so I will be sure to pass along your e-mail to the appropriate personnel for further review. Rest assured that your feedback will be heard and I'm sure that Nintendo of Australia is fully aware of any requirements and laws pertaining to your country specifically. If you have any additional questions about Wii, I would refer you to our Wii-dedicated website (http://wii.nintendo.com).

Nintendo of America Inc.
R.M. Rickets

Nintendo's home page: http://www.nintendo.com/
Power Line (Automated Product Info): (425) 885-7529

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ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
-----------------


From:
Posted At: 07:45:20.000 09/26/2006
Posted To: Nintendo <nintendo@noa.nintendo.com>
Subject: Webform: Nintendo Wii > Other

To whom it may concern
Recently, there has been a significant amount of confusion with regards to how region locking may be handled on the Nintendo Wii console. With the upcoming release of the console in Australia on December 9th, I wanted to clarify this. Especially in the light that region locking of DVDs and Game Consoles has been ruled illegal by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (relevant links below), will Nintendo be making the Wii as released in Australia either natively region free, or able to be modified in such a way to remove the region protection being imposed on the end user?

Kind regards,
Liam Pomfret
a.k.a. Archaic, Bulbagarden.net webmaster

ACCC website - http://www.accc.gov.au
Information on one relevant case is at http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/87974

Well....fuck. I wonder if they're aware that all the televisions in this country are able to play both PAL and NTSC.

[atg]

"We will be guaranteeing preordered stock at retail--so that's definitely the way to go to secure it because we can't guarantee total supply because we don't know how many consumers are going to go wild over this," Bhopti said. "We are bringing in a significant number of Wiis into Australia--it won't be a small drop. But at the same time, our expectations are so big for this product that we would, to err on the safe side, recommend that people preorder."

Excellent, I've pre-ordered so I'll be covered.

Bhopti said pricing for games, accessories, and virtual console titles was still being finalised for Australia, although they would be "relative to overseas pricing." In the US, first-party Wii titles will retail for $50 (A$66.50).

This could indicate that we might see a drop in the price for Australian games finally. I'll wait and see though.

[Stark]

You're buying it from EB for AU$400? *WHY*?

Because there has been no definite word on region encoding. If I'm at a shop and see a game I want, I'd like to be able to buy it then and there and start playing that day, rather than order online and wait for the game to come.

Ironically importers will still get the games first, since the wait is often measured in months for Nintendo games and shipping takes *2 days*. I already know all the Wii games I'll be buying for the first few months of it's life, so I have no need to go to a store and deal with EB's retarded staff.

At least we know there's region coding now. I consider the AU$300 I'm likely to save in the first few months worth more than EB convienience, however.

However, as Ando said the ACCC thinks region encoding is bad. This has actually hurt gamers, however, since it also decided that mod-chips are bad. So AU gets the worst content and releases, later than anyone else in the world, and we're prevented by law from chipping our units. It's absurd.

GOOD THING I'LL OWN A US ONE.

[atg]

Ironically importers will still get the games first, since the wait is often measured in months for Nintendo games and shipping takes *2 days*. I already know all the Wii games I'll be buying for the first few months of it's life, so I have no need to go to a store and deal with EB's retarded staff.

I generally buy games on impulse after seeing it in store. So what I was meaning was the delay in ordering it after I've seen it in store, when I could just be playing it right then.

Where do you order from that gets 2 day shipping? The place I usually order from online (lik-sang.com) takes at least 7-14 days usually.

[Stark]

The trick is to pay more for faster shipping. I figure if it still works out as cheaper than the store price, I'm still winning albeit by less.

I guess we buy games differently: I buy games based on knowing about them beforehand, so I can just as easily order as buy from a store. Hence the loss of local purchasing doesn't really affect me beyond 'I can't rape EB on their stupid return policy anymore'.

[Archaic`]

Where did you get the idea that mod chipping is bad, Stark? Last I knew, so long as the modding was done only to fix region issues (if it's like the PS2 and region codes can't be defeated without also disabling copy protection, it's still legal, so long as the primary purpose is to defeat the region coding), it's completly legal in this country.

[atg]

The trick is to pay more for faster shipping.

The only time I've paid for faster shipping was when I ordered a game for my DS, which got here in 7 days.

[Stark]

Where did you get the idea that mod chipping is bad, Stark? Last I knew, so long as the modding was done only to fix region issues (if it's like the PS2 and region codes can't be defeated without also disabling copy protection, it's still legal, so long as the primary purpose is to defeat the region coding), it's completly legal in this country.

From the Australian Federal Government. Sale of mod chips is illegal. Didn't you notice all the mod/import stores close down? If I knew where to get mod chips these days, I wouldn't have waited EIGHT FUCKING MONTHS for Guitar Hero.

^--- Notice my coded question.

ATG: I'd suggest trying 'playasia.com'. DP can hook you up with teh discounts, and I ordered a DS unit and misc accessories, paid US$20 extra, and it was here in two days. By contrast, my order of games from Lik-Sang is STILL not here, at the 8 day mark.

[Galvatron]

It's because Australia is entirely peopled with criminals, and criminals are used to having people not trust them, as you are not trusted by me, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you.

[Stark]

It's because Australia is entirely peopled with criminals, and criminals are used to having people not trust them, as you are not trusted by me, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you.

When I became a citizen here, I clearly lost my 'wealthy merchant colonist' background from New Zealand and got the 'dirty convicts' background. Do I get to respec my skills too?