SEE GUYZ?! TOLD YOU NINTENDO IS FOR BABIEZ.

That is such a terrible solution. Could they not just implement some sort of parental control thing?

@Hailinel said:

@Levio said:

Nintendo is proving more and more that they don't deserve to be in the console race. At this point, how many people would even complain if they had to play Mario on a Playstation or Xbox instead? I sure wouldn't.

Because they don't let you buy 18+ games during daylight hours in Europe?

yep, that's the only problem with that console...

Wow that is really dumb, but R18 stuff on the eShop....like?

@Bourbon_Warrior said:

Wow that is really dumb, but R18 stuff on the eShop....like?

You can download games like Ninja Gaiden 3 and ZombiU on the eShop (both rated M). But those are games that would be PEGI 17 in Europe, I believe.

Are they talking about movie content?

@Hailinel said:

@Bourbon_Warrior said:

Wow that is really dumb, but R18 stuff on the eShop....like?

You can download games like Ninja Gaiden 3 and ZombiU on the eShop (both rated M). But those are games that would be PEGI 17 in Europe, I believe.

Are they talking about movie content?

Ah, my mistake. I wasn't sure what the actual age segments of PEGI ratings are. I guess an 18+ in Europe would be equivalent to a hard M rating here. So ZombiU and Ninja Gaiden 3 at least would be affected by this. But on the other hand, both are readily available on disc. I don't know of any games in that category that are download only.

Yea. A bunch of decisions they make especially about the internet and online has to do with "protecting the kids". It seems to handicap every decision they make. I mean this is 2012, kids are on-line all the time. How is Nintendo any different then Microsoft or Sony?

Nintendo confirms German law to blame for Europe-wide Wii U eShop 18+ content 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 the 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.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-12-10-nintendo-explains-crazy-wii-u-eshop-restrictions

@Video_Game_King said:

@Ravenlight said:

Know who else tried to censor things? The Nazis.

Boom. Godwin'd in three.

But this is Italy, so it'd make more sense just to say "the fascists".

Turns out it was ze Germans.

@Happenstance: @MB: Does this restriction apply to XBLA and PSN games in Germany also? If not, why would only the Nintendo console have this restriction?

Also feel like I should just chime in saying this is insane. I clicked the thread not believing it could be true. SO WEIRD.

@jking47: No, its because Nintendo of Europe is based in Germany so they have to abide by their more strict rules

@Happenstance said:

@jking47: No, its because Nintendo of Europe is based in Germany so they have to abide by their more strict rules

I see, thanks for the explanation. Sucks for them, or maybe they just need to get better lawyers to argue their way out of this dumb stuff.

I hope they can figure out a way to fix this, it could seriously impact digital sales of games in Europe.

@jking47: I really don't know...I can't imagine it is though, I would like to think I would have heard about such a restriction before now. One of our German users will chime in sooner or later and clear things up.

I'm positive there is a better way to do this, but Nintendo isn't exactly known for nailing this sort of thing. Just look at friend codes.

I find it incredibly hard to go up in arms about this. Pardon me while I sit here and breathe since it's a better use of my time.

@ck1nd said:

I find it incredibly hard to go up in arms about this. Pardon me while I sit here and breathe since it's a better use of my time.

But you replied to the thread...what's worse, getting up in arms about something or belittling those that want to discuss it?

Germany is like the opposite of USA. Prostitutes, brothels and scheissenporn everywhere but god forbid if there is any violence.

Anyway Nintendos solution is shit and a direct result, not of Germanys laws but of Nintendos incompetence regarding digital services.

Thus Nintendo continues to fail in its understanding of how the internet works.

@JudgeDread said:

Germany is like the opposite of USA. Prostitutes, brothels and scheissenporn everywhere but god forbid if there is any violence.

To be fair, if one were forced to pick between having to block sex or violence, I'd side with them.

I agree though- this seems to be a separate issue from the law and seems to be some idiotic company policy.