Leak: Nintendo 3DS may be region-locked
updated 03:20 pm EST, Tue January 11, 2011
Nintendo 3DS to have regional lock-outs?
The Nintendo 3DS, due to arrive in Japan first on February 26, will ship from the manufacturer with region lock-outs. Those who import consoles from Japan couldn't play games purchased in North America, for example. Region codes will be embedded into both the console and games, according to an alleged e-mail response from Nintendo to a 3DS buyer.
There are no such restrictions in the DS and DS Lite, but the DSi, DSi XL and 3DS have region codes. The lock-outs in the older devices extended only to downloadable DSiWare and DSi-Enhanced titles, however, and not the physical, mainstream cartridges.
The news is not quite official and thus isn't necessarily the case. In the US, a launch is expected sometime in March, with prices expected to fall in at $250. [via SlashGear]
