Nintendo confirms DSi will be region-locked
News that will put the lid many a plan to import
Nintendo has confirmed the news we'd all feared - DSi will be region-locked, so only boxed and downloaded games bought from the same region as the console itself will work on it.
The company confirmed the news to CVG, with a spokeperson saying:
"DSi software (software that is only compatible with DSi) is region-locked, eg: European DSi software can only be played on European DSi consoles.
"Nintendo DS software however is region free so you can play any DS software on DSi from any region.
"You can also browse the Internet on your DSi wherever you are in the world and exchange your photos with friends from around the world."
Nintendo does however have a reason for making DSi the first DS to have this region-barring, and it's not just that they're big party poopers.
The spokesperson explained that it's all to do with net services the console will offer, and new parental controls, saying: "DSi is region-locked because DSi embeds net communication functionality within itself and we are intending to provide net services specifically tailored for each region. Also because we are including parental control functionality for Nintendo DSi and each region has its unique age limit made by different independent." (Sic.)
Which is understandable, but it still means the prospect of importing a DSi from Japan when it's released there on November 1st is that much less appealing. It looks like we'll be waiting until spring next year to get ours after all. Big boos.
