Dust that GameCube off - it looks like you'll have to put it back into your gaming rig.
Nintendo is now probably twiddling their thumbs and casually whistling while gazing off in the distance, pretending like they didn't know that the latest Wii firmware update would render Datel's Freeloader software unusable.
Freeloader was originally a third-party product for the GameCube, enabling users to defeat the territorial protection of the console to play imported games. Up until now, gamers could use Freeloader to play imported GameCube titles on the Wii, but the version 3 firmware update killed that possibility.
Nintendo told Eurogamer that there was nothing they could do as Freeloader is not an officially licensed product. Nintendo has said nothing about fixing compatibility problems with the software.
[Via GamesIndustry.biz - thanks, Justin]
Dale North is Destructoid's Editor-In-Chief, a founding editor, and specialist in Japanese gaming. An accomplished musician, Dale was reporting from Japan during the earthquakes of 2011. Luckily, he got the fuck out alive and is home in America now with his wife and beloved corgi, Einstein. Dale is also a co-founder of Destructoid's sister anime site
Japanator. Likes Corgis, Sega Saturn, PSP, iPhone, Photographic tools.
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Contest:
7:57 AM on 08.08.2007
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Was this really an unintended consequence of the firmware update? Could something like this be an accident? Or did Nintendo purposefully do this to "flex nuts" while they work towards disabling mod chips through firmware adjustments?
Where's the Internet Matlock on this one?
Oh and real gangstas don't have to flex nuts, cause real gangstas know they got 'em.
So why didn't you make a call to Datel and create some dialogue, Nintendo? Do we not at least deserve that you tell us gamers about it, just out of basic customer respect? Just as you earn or respect again, eh.
Well, it just makes me more glad I kept my GC, because it was only a matter of time before this happened. I hope Nintendo like their customers enough to work with Datel and fix this.
In a way this is one of things with current consoles, updates are a double edged sword, because you are never told what the updates do, or are you given the option to opt out
Perhaps now they are in first place, they are doing the U-turn. I really hope not, because as consoles get more like PCs, this region lock out stuff just seems evermore stupid. They force it on us and say its for telling territorial sales etc. That may have once been the case, but I'm not buying that any more.
1) Nintendo. Stop being dicks. What the hell?
2) Am I the only person in the world who held onto my Gamecube when I bought a Wii? Freeloader still works the same way it was originally intended to work: lets you play foreign Gamecube games on your Gamecube. Yay for being a pack rat.
I agree that this is different from the Game Genie thing in that Nintendo's still stinging from that lawsuit. They had to pay out $15 MILLION to Galoob for lost sales. I think they learned that this is not something they can win in a legal battle because the same jurisprudence concepts apply.
So Nintendo does dirty tricks like this instead. Freeloader has no ground to stand on if this was an accidental cold shoulder. Nintendo's release dates vary widely across the globe. Everytime I look at Europe's line-up I get a small pang of pity. I don't know what they're doing or why, but it's obvious they are strategically planning the releases in different territories at different times for some reason. Having a device that counters their marketing/release plan is obviously going to irk them.
This is a dick move by Nintendo, if it was intentional. Which, honestly, I can't see how "whoops" fits into this. And we honestly thought they'd make the system region free for a second or two last year? Ha! Ha and Ha! Pricks.
If they really wanted to do something that made sense, why not release a sneaky update to brick all hard modded Wiis? Why should the rest of us suffer, or rather, why should they shun the rest of us from buying Wiis?
It looks Nintendo's taken a leaf out of Sony's book with such a pompous attitude.
And the so called "logic" for having fucked up released dates for EU is useless. In a day and age when MS and Sony can do releases in a few days between the US and EU regions, why can't they do the same?
It seems like anger should be directed at Datel for not releasing a newer Wii version of Freeloader which could be updated via USB... what made them think their existing product which was unsupported by Nintendo would continue to function in the face of firmware updates?
If Nintendo must be blamed lets focus on their policy, the region lockouts, rather than the fact they chose to enforce the policy...
Thank you, I was wondering if I'm the only one who insisted on being able to play Gunstar Super Heroes on my TV.
Nintendo needs to pull its head out of its ass. The more they try to bend people to their price fixing, regional locking will, the more people will realise they're being fucked over hard and RAW.
Then again, region free absolutely kills console sales and software sales, I mean the handhelds like Game Boy, DS and PSP are...fucking through the roof. Never mind.
Anyway, I'm glad I didn't sell my cube now.....