In real shocking and unexpected news today it was confirmed that the Wii U is region locked.

This of course means Japanese and American games will not work on an European/Australian console and vice versa.

The news was confirmed in the latest issue of Famitsu magazine, resident translator of all things Japanese, Cheesemiester republished the news in a post on NeoGAF today.

Here’s what the magazine had to say in Japanese and in English.

[quote]なお、Wii Uにはプレイできる地域が制限されるリージョンロック機能が搭載されており、その地域で販売されたソフト以外はプレイできない。

“What can be played on the Wii U is restricted by a region-lock feature; software not sold in the same region cannot be played.”[/quote]

Not at all surprising, this is Nintendo the company that region locks its handhelds now after all.

But all so very disappointing.