Posted December 9, 2012 How does that £59.99 divide when considering how much you're paying for each wrinkle on Daniel Craig's perfectly modelled screwed up piece of paper face? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 9, 2012 That's a small window... Thread title should be "Nintendo unblocking 18+ rated Wii U eShop content at certain times". Obviously they need to do better than that, seems like a lazy way to implement security until they get their online business up to snuff. But then again I thought the same of Wii online codes and that stuck around the whole generation. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 9, 2012 (edited) so i'm probably late to the party on this one but Pegi 18 games on e-shop are restricted to 11pm to 3am? What the actual fuck!? I know German has strict laws, and the servers are there, but how about a pin system, or country specific laws! way to shake off the kiddy image and encourage developers to bring the big gun games that are invariably pegi 18 I emailed nintendo europe, enough emails and media coverage and they may alter it, good lord its madness!, i'll have to wait until 11pm for DLC and leave it running while i'm asleep EDIT:whomever moved this to he dedicated topic i hadn't seen THANKYOU Edited December 9, 2012 by Agent Gibbs Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 10, 2012 http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-12-10-nintendo-explains-crazy-wii-u-eshop-restrictions Nintendo has explained the restrictions on Wii U eShop 18+ content. Last week Eurogamer confirmed that Nintendo of Europe blocks access to 18+ content on the Wii U eShop at certain times of day. We were unable to buy 18-rated content, such as ZombiU and Assassin's Creed 3, during the day time. This, it emerged, was because access to content Nintendo deems unsuitable to minors is restricted to the 11pm to 3am time window on these shores. This morning Nintendo confirmed to Eurogamer that these restrictions are in place because of German regulations - regulations Nintendo of Europe is bound by because it is based there. “At Nintendo we always aim to provide a safe gaming experience for fans of all ages and ensure that we comply with applicable legal age restriction requirements across Europe,” a Nintendo spokesperson told Eurogamer. “Legal age restriction requirements vary across a number of European countries. Since Nintendo of Europe is based in Germany, Nintendo eShop is complying with German youth protection regulation which therefore applies to all our European markets. Under German law, content rated 18+ must be made available only at night. “Therefore the accessibility of 18+ content in Nintendo eShop is limited to [uSK: 22:00 UTC until 4:00 UTC] [PEGI: 23:00 UTC until 3:00 UTC].” USK is the abbreviation of Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle, the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body responsible for computer game ratings in Germany. On these shores we're governed by PEGI, so can only buy and access 18+ content on the Wii U eShop from 11pm to 3am. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 10, 2012 Cheers Serebii. Crappy situation all round, but that doesn't excuse them from applying the German laws to all EU countries... They should have a seperate eShop server cluster set up outside of Germany. It should be easy to only have the German regulatory laws apply to Germany. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 10, 2012 So....in Gemany you can go to a shop and buy ZombiU at 11AM, but you can't buy it digitally? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 10, 2012 Cheers Serebii. Crappy situation all round, but that doesn't excuse them from applying the German laws to all EU countries... They should have a seperate eShop server cluster set up outside of Germany. It should be easy to only have the German regulatory laws apply to Germany. It's tricky though. As I said on Eurogamer (to which I was negatived and the idiots there just went on about Nintendo not doing stuff right), as NOE is based in Germany, they have to follow German laws. MS and Apple don't run their Europe bases in Germany so they don't have to, but Nintendo do. They made Germany the European HQ before this law occured and moving would be incredibly costly and detrimenal to their business; Nintendo aren't exactly doing brilliantly in Europe. As much as it sucks, it's how business works. They're subject to the laws in the country in which it is based and that's how it is Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 10, 2012 Cheers Serebii. Crappy situation all round, but that doesn't excuse them from applying the German laws to all EU countries... They should have a seperate eShop server cluster set up outside of Germany. It should be easy to only have the German regulatory laws apply to Germany. Yeah its "nice" to have official word on it, but i'm with @Dcubed its a complete cop out, the other internet games distribution services (PSN/Live/Steam/Origin) don't have this issue and comply with each countries laws, so why should nintendo, the often ridiculed "kiddy" games company, trying to improve its image, cop out and go with insanely restrictive German laws for ALL OF EUROPE?! way to go nintendo Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 10, 2012 Yeah its "nice" to have official word on it, but i'm with @Dcubed its a complete cop out, the other internet games distribution services (PSN/Live/Steam/Origin) don't have this issue and comply with each countries laws, so why should nintendo, the often ridiculed "kiddy" games company, trying to improve its image, cop out and go with insanely restrictive German laws for ALL OF EUROPE?! way to go nintendo The other companies aren't based in Germany. Nintendo is and has been since long before this law came into effect. All because they're based in Germany, they have to abide by the law in all their transactions, including international ones. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 10, 2012 (edited) The other companies aren't based in Germany. Nintendo is and has been since long before this law came into effect. All because they're based in Germany, they have to abide by the law in all their transactions, including international ones. That's very true, but there's nothing stopping Nintendo from setting off an off shoot company in another EU country to get around the issue, or allowing their distribution partners to run their own versions of the eShop to get around the problem. I'm not blaming them for the current situation as it's a fairly recent piece of legislation that they probably didn't anticipate coming into effect in time for the Wii U launch, but they should seek to do something to rectify the situation for those of us outside of Germany. Edit: Actually, scrap that last idea. Australia is even more restrictive for games than Germany is! Just run it from NOA's servers or from somewhere else. Edited December 10, 2012 by Dcubed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 10, 2012 Then they need to find a work around, this is a huge issue for nintendo! They are trying to develop their online credentials and set up a console to appeal to the "hardcore" market, and this sort of dick move is not going down well and sends out completely the wrong message. They can or could IP lock content, like everyone else, they could outsource the eshop, they could host the european one on in NOA, but to blindely roll over and say oh no we can't do anything is utterly mad and completely against Mr Iwata's plan of regaining markets, its pushing them away will it encourage developers to release games on WiiU, especially if they have DLC? so currently you could buy Mass Effect, COd, Assassins creed or other PEGI 18+ games, but we can't download the DLC for them until after 11pm? will that encourage developers? will that make them actually consider not releasing the DLC or worse not bothering with the WiiU? You can argue they are abiding by the German Law, but they are providing an international service and they need to provide a comparative one to other companies, that is good business, not rolling over and playing dead Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 10, 2012 I agree that they need to sort it out, but it will be very tricky to do Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 10, 2012 Thanks for the information Serebii, i may not like it but if they are choosing to run our eshop from Germany i guess we are stuck with it. It would be nice if Nintendo showed that they understood that the laws of Germany are not the laws of Europe, i agree with what the others have said in that we should have a seperate Nintendo HQ for everyone that isnt German, i know its selfish but i want to be able to buy games when i feel like playing them. There has to be another way for this to be handled but then..thats kind of on Nintendo to do that and prove they have the needs of core gamers at heart. If they leave this as it is a lot of people (not me) are going to get annoyed and move on, Nintendo need the sales and they need to be able to prove to third parties that any game can sell on their machine which sadly just wont happen right now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 10, 2012 They could invest some servers in the Nintendo UK HQ and run the eShop from there. Wouldn't that get round the legal bloo-blah? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 10, 2012 (edited) They could invest some servers in the Nintendo UK HQ and run the eShop from there. Wouldn't that get round the legal bloo-blah? yeah this would seem the most obvious thing to do outside of simply checking the region of the people connecting to the servers. There's an interesting post on Neogaf that says the laws were created for televised content, not video game content. Any German users here that can confirm or deny this? Edited December 10, 2012 by Helmsly Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 10, 2012 yeah this would seem the most obvious thing to do outside of simply checking the region of the people connecting to the servers. There's an interesting post on Neogaf that says the laws were created for televised content, not video game content. Any German users here that can confirm or deny this? Thats a pretty comprehensive post and certainly something nintendo need to come out an address if its true, if the law does only aply to TV content, and even so if it also has the clause that it doesn't apply if a technological restriction is in place (aka pin protection/age verification) then Nintendo are spouting absolute horse shit, and as such need to be berated at every stage until this changes Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 10, 2012 I think this was Hitler's plan all along. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 10, 2012 Stupid Germans and their laws. Just because the servers are in that country doesn't mean non-germans have to comply. It sounds like they've got a new "Berlin" wall which only allows visitors at a certain time. Idiots!!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 11, 2012 Not that I own the console but this kind of thing is crap for silly bastards like me who work night shifts. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 11, 2012 ...sigh... they should move to the netherland or belgium.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 11, 2012 ...sigh... they should move to the netherland or belgium.. Good idea in theory but it's not financially or logistically viable Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 11, 2012 At first I thought access was locked between 23:00 and 03:00 and wondered why the heck you guys were complaing about such a litte time frame. Just a minute ago I learned that was the time the content was accessible. I don't have a Wii U, but that is ridicilous. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 11, 2012 Wait...so does that mean the likes of Netflix and Lovefilm will also be restricted? I only briefly tested Netflix the other day but does that mean i wont be able to watch horror or action movies outwith these house because that really would frustrate the hell out of me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 11, 2012 Wait...so does that mean the likes of Netflix and Lovefilm will also be restricted? I only briefly tested Netflix the other day but does that mean i wont be able to watch horror or action movies outwith these house because that really would frustrate the hell out of me. I don't think so as those services are not based in Germany Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 11, 2012 (edited) So I'm confused here. Is there a reason why Nintendo can't filter out IP address's and check the region someone is from when they use the eshop, and simply make it so non-german users can download content at anytime? Or Is this law so strict that anyone from any region has to abide by German law when the content is on a German server even if that person isn't in Germany...? And if that's the case, why can't they move the location of the eshop servers and its content to a different region to stop this problem? Edited December 11, 2012 by Helmsly Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
