How is this a surprise to anyone?

This is standard practice for all consoles. Nintendo allowed their handhelds to not be locked for a while because they weren't that popular. Once that changed and Nintendo add features like browsers, cameras and etc, they locked it up as well. No way would the Wii U not be locked, especially given it having access to the Nintendo TVii and other things that will no doubt be region specific.

I'd be hard-pressed to see you even play a Nintendo console. It's one thing to be actually upset about this, another to just be negative and find any opportunity to bash nintendo, which I suspect you are doing.

@Noirson. In that case (TVii), couldn't they make the lock application-specific? It can't be that hard.

its lame that the wii U is region locked. Whether i play a nintendo console or not has nothing to do with that. im not actually upset about this, but it just adds to the "reasons not to get a wii U" list.

For the record though, i own a DS Lite, 3DS and WII.......

I don't like DD, probably never will >_>

It's not THAT big of a deal, but can we agree that we'd all rather have it region-free?

Not sure what the reason but hey if they don't stop the flow of games to regions, then who cares.

I hate it!

I'm in asia region but i cant read Japanese

As someone who doesn't import, I could care less.

And since a majority of gamers don't import games, so should they not care.

Fair enough. Some people have a habit of bashing that's why I said that, and I thought you were one of them. If you just think this is a bad business move, then all the power to you, and I agree.

The baby in that picture looks pissed off about this... Stay pissed, baby!

Gotta say... region locking is always a HUGE negative to me.

Mostly because there are a lot of Japanese only releases I like and can deal without the words.