Editorial: Why Nintendo needs to go region free: Over 22,000 people support petition

[BulbaBot]

Editorial: Why Nintendo needs to go region free: Over 22,000 people support petition to ...

Video Game Forum Section Head Joshawott explains why he believes in a region free gaming future, which led to him starting the petition for the End Region Locking campaign.

Read more on Bulbanews

 

[Silktree]

Re: Editorial: Why Nintendo needs to go region free: Over 22,000 people support petit

I'm going to be blunt: A 2000-word editorial is not a good way to get people to sign a petition. Especially since most players don't need much convincing that region locking is bad for them.

 

[Joshawott]

Re: Editorial: Why Nintendo needs to go region free: Over 22,000 people support petit

I'm going to be blunt: A 2000-word editorial is not a good way to get people to sign a petition. Especially since most players don't need much convincing that region locking is bad for them.

Oddly enough, there are a large number of people who are opposed to region locking. The editorial covers a lot of "reasons" for the practice that I've heard from people since running the campaign...then proceeds to knock them over.

 

[S.S. Shadow Minun]

Re: Editorial: Why Nintendo needs to go region free: Over 22,000 people support petit

The region-locking was a better way against the software privacy, but also destroyed gamer's reputation to play imported games.

 

[Joshawott]

Re: Editorial: Why Nintendo needs to go region free: Over 22,000 people support petit

The region-locking was a better way against the software privacy, but also destroyed gamer's reputation to play imported games.

Actually if anything, region locking increases piracy. One of the main reasons people try to hack a console is to remove such region protections and that becomes a gateway to experiment with other forms of homebrew and piracy. The DS was plagued with piracy not because it was region free, but because of the way the system was built. Sony haven't had as much problems with the PSP or PS3, which are both region free.

 

[SnorlaxMonster]

Re: Editorial: Why Nintendo needs to go region free: Over 22,000 people support petit

I'm going to be blunt: A 2000-word editorial is not a good way to get people to sign a petition. Especially since most players don't need much convincing that region locking is bad for them.

Oddly enough, there are a large number of people who are opposed to region locking. The editorial covers a lot of "reasons" for the practice that I've heard from people since running the campaign...then proceeds to knock them over.

I have to agree with Silktree: the editorial comes off at first as a huge wall. I would suggest adding some images, and maybe even section headers (so people understand that they can skip certain sections easily) to make it more appealing to the average reader.

 

[Magma Bomb]

Re: Editorial: Why Nintendo needs to go region free: Over 22,000 people support petit

Combating piracy always was a double-edge practice, there's no way to do so without harming your consumer's liberty in some way or another.
Personaly, region locking is a pain for me because I am brazilian and we have some of the most expensive consoles and games of the world. No wonder so many people opt for hacking their consoles.

 

[xXAragon]

Re: Editorial: Why Nintendo needs to go region free: Over 22,000 people support petit

The region-locking was a better way against the software privacy, but also destroyed gamer's reputation to play imported games.

Actually if anything, region locking increases piracy. One of the main reasons people try to hack a console is to remove such region protections and that becomes a gateway to experiment with other forms of homebrew and piracy. The DS was plagued with piracy not because it was region free, but because of the way the system was built. Sony haven't had as much problems with the PSP or PS3, which are both region free.

Surely, no matter if the console or handheld isn't region locked, you are bound to encounter some form of hacking to have to deal something with that console/handheld. Seeing that are in the society that we are in, there are people out in the world who try to find a way to make it easier for themselves or others to get what they want, when they want it, although I am sure I am on the bounds of more of game hacking, rather than the console itself. But it still stands, whatever happens, they'll be there.

 

[Joshawott]

Re: Editorial: Why Nintendo needs to go region free: Over 22,000 people support petit

@Silktree; I've now updated the article, breaking it up a bit and adding in pictures.

@xXAragon; I never said that all hacking would go away if region locks were removed. However, the number of people who will try to hack a console will decrease. A lot of the modifications and hacking done to Wii consoles was to remove the region lock. Sure, there are still going to be people who will try to pirate games and play homebrew apps, but those who hack consoles to try and remove region locks will, for obvious reasons, lose their motivation for doing so.

Those who have managed to successfully hack a console to remove region locking might then go on to think "Well, if I could do that, what else can I do?" which could lead to them exploring piracy. So it also cuts off a potential slippery slope for a large number of people.

 

[Bittersweet]

Re: Editorial: Why Nintendo needs to go region free: Over 22,000 people support petit

This article was actually an interesting read for me.

I always thought that the audience for importing foreign region games was so small that it was practically a non-issue, but this article's definitely changed my mind on the topic.

 

[UnovaCastaway]

Re: Editorial: Why Nintendo needs to go region free: Over 22,000 people support petit

You have some great arguments.

I was surprised by the price differential for the same 3DS game in different countries, but I know that Europe has a pretty big VAT. Luckily for you, that's built into the retail price to prevent guessing. In North America the sales tax is a surcharge added at the time of purchase and it varies by state/ province and locality. In my state, a $39.99 game costs closer to $43. It's higher or lower in other places (big cities and counties in some states pile on their own taxes), and some states don't have a sales tax at all. The $39.99 is a base MSRP for retailers.

 

[Joshawott]

Re: Editorial: Why Nintendo needs to go region free: Over 22,000 people support petit

You have some great arguments.

I was surprised by the price differential for the same 3DS game in different countries, but I know that Europe has a pretty big VAT. Luckily for you, that's built into the retail price to prevent guessing. In North America the sales tax is a surcharge added at the time of purchase and it varies by state/ province and locality. In my state, a $39.99 game costs closer to $43. It's higher or lower in other places (big cities and counties in some states pile on their own taxes), and some states don't have a sales tax at all. The $39.99 is a base MSRP for retailers.

Aye. When I looked up the prices, I used the list price on various online retailers, which will also be cheaper than in-store due to being online.

 

[Fennekin]

Re: Editorial: Why Nintendo needs to go region free: Over 22,000 people support petit

Personally, I have no problem buying games in my region, so the region-locking was never an issue. But I can understand how others would feel.

 

[PkmnChmp5]

Re: Editorial: Why Nintendo needs to go region free: Over 22,000 people support petit

The real reason Nintendo is keeping the region-lock is because they want people to import the systems from other countries as well as the games that don't get localized, on top of buying systems/games in their own region so Nintendo ends up making more money in the end.

 

[Stratelier]

Re: Editorial: Why Nintendo needs to go region free: Over 22,000 people support petit

The real reason Nintendo is keeping the region-lock is because they want people to import the systems from other countries as well as the games that don't get localized, on top of buying systems/games in their own region so Nintendo ends up making more money in the end.

Malarkey. Now while the Wikipedia article doesn't do much in covering the issue, it does provide three generic reasons:

1 - Prices vary by region. In some cases, the cost of importing a foreign title may actually be lower than buying the local version. So you're effectively sending your money out of the country, not always good for the economy if it occurs at a large scale.
2 - Content standards and legislation thereof vary by region.
3 - Staggered release dates by region are easier to manufacture and prepare for than simultaneous worldwide release dates.

 

[PkmnChmp5]

Re: Editorial: Why Nintendo needs to go region free: Over 22,000 people support petit

The real reason Nintendo is keeping the region-lock is because they want people to import the systems from other countries as well as the games that don't get localized, on top of buying systems/games in their own region so Nintendo ends up making more money in the end.

Malarkey. Now while the Wikipedia article doesn't do much in covering the issue, it does provide three generic reasons:

1 - Prices vary by region. In some cases, the cost of importing a foreign title may actually be lower than buying the local version. So you're effectively sending your money out of the country, not always good for the economy if it occurs at a large scale.
2 - Content standards and legislation thereof vary by region.
3 - Staggered release dates by region are easier to manufacture and prepare for than simultaneous worldwide release dates.

Reasons 1 & 3 are countered in the article. Besides, I don't believe enough people import enough games to have any sizable impact on the economy. And as far as reason 2, how can legislation stop Nintendo from going region-free but not affect Sony or Microsoft.

 

[Joshawott]

Re: Editorial: Why Nintendo needs to go region free: Over 22,000 people support petit

The real reason Nintendo is keeping the region-lock is because they want people to import the systems from other countries as well as the games that don't get localized, on top of buying systems/games in their own region so Nintendo ends up making more money in the end.

Malarkey. Now while the Wikipedia article doesn't do much in covering the issue, it does provide three generic reasons:

1 - Prices vary by region. In some cases, the cost of importing a foreign title may actually be lower than buying the local version. So you're effectively sending your money out of the country, not always good for the economy if it occurs at a large scale.
2 - Content standards and legislation thereof vary by region.
3 - Staggered release dates by region are easier to manufacture and prepare for than simultaneous worldwide release dates.

Reasons 1 & 3 are countered in the article. Besides, I don't believe enough people import enough games to have any sizable impact on the economy. And as far as reason 2, how can legislation stop Nintendo from going region-free but not affect Sony or Microsoft.

Not to mention that a lot of blu-rays are now region free. Even those released by major studios such as Disney.

 

[Tophat Dragoneye]

Re: Editorial: Why Nintendo needs to go region free: Over 22,000 people support petit

In my opinion, region-locking is a bigger issue in Europe and the US than it is with Japan and any other continent because of the English speaking/translated games, as many people risks missing some great games. Even though Nintendo of America has said that they won't remove region-locking, there is still a chance we can change their mind (points towards Operation Rainfall as an example). A lot of game companies are actually willing to port games to other regions if there's a huge demand. I'm fairly certain games like Project X Zone wouldn't have been released in the US or Europe if folks didn't tell Namco Bandai, Capcom and Sega that they were interested in the game.

Anyway, interesting article, Joshawott. I already signed a few weeks ago to show my support just so you know.

 

[Shiny Staraptor]

Re: Editorial: Why Nintendo needs to go region free: Over 22,000 people support petit

It'd be great if game companies in general abolished this. There are better ways to circumvent piracy... and it means I can't buy anything digital when I'm on holidays.

 

[MonsterMMORPG]

Re: Editorial: Why Nintendo needs to go region free: Over 22,000 people support petit

i also support region free