Wii U Will Be Region-Locked

Wii U Will Be Region-Locked - IGN var IGN = IGN || {}; IGN.pagetype = "article"; var igndrones = igndrones || {};igndrones.async = igndrones.async || [];igndrones.async.push(function() { igndrones.init({"audience":{"csid":"C07583","property":"ign","pagetype":"article"},"chartbeat":{"uid":"21105","domain":"ign.com","authors":"Richard George","sections":"Desktop Web,articles"},"comscore":{"c2":"3000068"},"exelate":{"p":"373","g":"001","c":"901810"},"ga":{"account_number":"UA-23541058-1","_setDomainName":".ign.com","custom_vars":[[1,"pagetype","article",3],[3,"article-id","506013b79e4ee52a5f9d5167",3],[4,"content-title","Wii U Will Be Region-Locked",3],[5,"author","Richard George",3],[6,"publish-date","2012-09-24",3],[7,"article-type","news",3],[12,"categories","ign.wii.wii-u",3],[15,"action","articleview",3],[16,"controller","v2articles",3],[17,"module","default",3],[18,"resource","articles",3],[20,"is-community","no",3],[21,"signed-in","no",2],[22,"subscriber","no",1]]},"linksmart":{"site_guid":"e8001434aabca750c585a401b7ccebf4adefde9ccece2151f848d46543c18009"}}); igndrones.fireTop();});SugarAds.adsData = {"adsDisabled":"false","dfp_network":"5691","dfp_adunit1":"IGN","resource":"articles","pagetype":"article","tags":[],"article_types":["news"],"categories":["ign","wii","wii-u"],"route":"articles","year":"2012","article_id":"506013b79e4ee52a5f9d5167"};SugarAds.renderAds(["prestitial","728x90","300x250","featured","side300x250","s728x90","2x2"]); Prime Newsfeed Latest View My Newsfeed » Pick Your Xbox 360 Representative Xbox 360 PS3 Wii U PC Vita 3DS iPhone Tech Movies TV Comics Reviews Wikis & Cheats Upcoming News Videos Boards IPL Blogs Podcasts Blu-ray Games Sites Stars Wii U Will Be Region-Locked Really, Nintendo? C'mon... by Richard George September 24, 2012

Though it comes as little surprise, it appears as though Nintendo's Wii U console will be region locked. The latest issue of Famitsu reports that Nintendo plans to prevent its new console from playing software outside of specified territories. A direct quote as translated on Twitter: "What can be played on the Wii U is restricted by a region-lock feature; software not sold in the same region cannot be played."

This is hardly the first time Nintendo has applied this policy. Wii and the 3DS were locked, as were some models of the Nintendo DS. Earlier Nintendo hardware featured physical differences in carts as a means for region locking.

So... anyone planning to import a Japanese Wii U now? If Nintendo of America's strange localization timetables continue, we're not sure how long we'll be able to resist. Stay tuned to IGN for the latest details on Wii U as the system's launch approaches.