Wii FreeLoader emerges

By Tom Bramwell Published 29 February, 2008

Region-free kit on sale now.

Datel has launched the Wii FreeLoader, which allows you to play Wii games from any region on your PAL Wii.

There's also a version for US Wii owners.

The disc is the follow-up to the GameCube version, which did the same for Cube discs - and indeed the Wii FreeLoader will continue to perform that function, all without system modification.

It costs GBP 9.99 here and USD 19.99 across the pond.

"Wii FreeLoader is really easy to use. Simply insert your FreeLoader disc and load it in the usual way," says the website description.

"When the drive stops, eject the Wii FreeLoader disc and insert the game, which then loads and plays just like it would on its own region of Wii. It's as simple as that!"

The disc appears to be available right now (update: we now understand it may not be delivered until mid-March), which is good news for those of you with speedy couriers who can't be bothered to wait for Super Smash Bros. Brawl - due out in the US in just over a week (update: and, er, now isn't!).

No idea what the boys and girls at Nintendo makes of it. They probably can't hear us from behind all their piles of money.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (46) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • DB2k #1 4 years ago

    vaporware

  • oerhoert #2 4 years ago

    <em>DB2k said:
    "vaporware"</em>

    How so? Seems legit to me.

    Also, FINALLY. Will watch this one to see if it works for people, and if it does, it's absolutely essential for me.

  • jack_klugman #3 4 years ago

    I'd need some guarentee that this will survive firmware updates.

  • penhalion #4 4 years ago

    Patcharoonie!

    It is seriously time for console manufaturers to realise that (in a global market) there shouldn't be any region locks on games or films. I think anyone from china or india could make a solid case for discrimination simply by pointing out that they are unable to get games for their language when they live in the USA or Europe. Pointing the finger squarely at the region lockouts while they do it.

  • penhalion #5 4 years ago

    @WOPR

    As someone who owns the original Gamecube version, I can say that it's always been called a freeloader, regardless of what console it was for.

  • Daikon #6 4 years ago

    Goodie. Any word on a version for Japanese systems?

  • DonnieDarko333 #7 4 years ago

    Greats news for European Wii owners. Problem is, Nintendo probably already know about this and a new firmware will stop it from working!

  • erp #8 4 years ago

    Aces!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Being able to play all-region Cube games is an awesome bonus too, meaning I can finally, with a slightly heavy heart, pack my beloved switchable NTSC Cube away.

    Anyone know of any neat, quirky Japanese-only Wii games then?

  • spekkeh #9 4 years ago

    Awesome!!

    Still pondering if I'm going to order it instantly or wait till the first firmware upgrade to see if Nintendo's going to [censored] us over.

  • Rush2112 #10 4 years ago

    While a new Freeloader is indeed welcome (and very tempting), a cheeky Wii update will render the disc useless. Nintendo did it with the Gamecube Freelaoder and I see no reason why they wouldn't do the same here. Pity, as I'm thinking of all the US and Japanese games that either don't see the light of day over here, or take fucking months to appear in PAL regions.

  • seasidebaz #11 4 years ago

    i seem to remember a while ago nintendo said that if a freeloader came out they wouldn't bother patching to stop it, as it's still a minority of users that import. (no sources cos i can't remember if i heard it correctly...)

    and why would nintendo patch it anyway? they had to sign the code for the disc in the first place, and supply a devkit to datel, so they know it exists!

  • Beano #12 4 years ago

    "Greats news for European Wii owners. Problem is, Nintendo probably already know about this and a new firmware will stop it from working! "

    I agree... Nintendo could easily block this from working/booting thru a firmware update.

  • gingerlink #13 4 years ago

    brawl saver!

  • Mr_Bogus #14 4 years ago

    NO MORE HEROES BLOODY NO MORE HEROES!!!!!

  • erp #15 4 years ago

    £9.99 makes the firmware risk irrelevant, in my opinion. (At least for playing the NTSC Cube games I already own - actually buying new NTSC Wii games is for it is another issue though...)

    Here's hoping the firrmware updates leave it alone.

    @seasidebaz
    I wouldn't be so sure that Nintendo supplied Datel with devkits. Those Datel guys are pretty damn smart and a lot of their stuff in the past has been reverse engineered without any official dev hardware. The fact that the website lists this new freeloader as "100% unofficial" suggests they've done the same again. (Heroes!)
    Edited by 1 at 29/02/08 @ 09:55

  • spekkeh #16 4 years ago

    "I agree... Nintendo could easily block this from working/booting thru a firmware update."

    Not necessarily, seeing as how Nintendo blocked the previous freeloader from working, and how it took Codejunkies over a year to come up with something new, it could be that they came up with something very nifty that's difficult for Nintendo to trace and block. Then again, Nintendo could just perform an upgrade where they stop the exact signature of the Freeloader from starting up in the first place.

  • Lemming81 #17 4 years ago

    Time to buy the 'real' No More Heroes then, I think.

  • Shrub #18 4 years ago

    Remember the Galoob lawsuit that Nintendo lost? I wonder if Datel could sue Nintendo if it were blocked?

  • Beano #19 4 years ago

    "Then again, Nintendo could just perform an upgrade where they stop the exact signature of the Freeloader from starting up in the first place. "

    That was actually my thought also :)

    I'm not saying Nintendo WILL block it, but it's propably technically easy to do if they want to.

  • Lemming81 #20 4 years ago

    Thing is, is it in their interest to lock it? This affectively doubles their game sales doesn't it? Well maybe not double, but you know what I mean.

    If I buy No More Heroes region 1, that's one more game than I was going to buy.

  • Lemming81 #21 4 years ago

    @lavalant:

    You can refuse firmware updates, sure but some of Nintendo's first party games comes with an update on the disc. Whether this is something specific to the game or it's actually a way of getting firmware updates to people without wireless internet connections I don't know. All I know is Metroid 3 and Mario Galaxy both updated my firmware in addition to the usual updates.

  • Rpt81 #22 4 years ago

    It's very tempting, especially as it'll mean my US Cube games will stop being useless again, but I just can't help but feel that Nintendo WILL patch it again, and that'll be another tenner down the drain, just like it was only a short time after I bought a second Cube Freeloader, only for them to patch it out of operation.

  • bionutz #23 4 years ago

    Could anyone recommed some reliable e-shops in US to buy the games with our strong Euro? That would come at the end pretty cheap for me :).

  • HyperShadow #24 4 years ago

    Thing is, if Nintendo didn't take forever to release games in Europe, the need for this type of disc wouldn't be as high.

    I mean, you'd still buy one to play the games that would never be released over here, but you wouldn't need it to play SSBB.

  • monkie_king #25 4 years ago

    phew, can break out the NTSC 'Cube games again.

    edit: kinda weird that they persist with regioning when their experiences with the non-regioned handsets presumably tell them that it does no commercial harm.
    Edited by 1 at 29/02/08 @ 11:55

  • Artemus #26 4 years ago

    Yes If only Nintendo made the bloody Wii region free in the first place! Is there any good reason why it is?

  • mr_pink #27 4 years ago

    The problem with this is that while NOA will make more money, NOE will be out of pocket and push to get the freeloader zapped by an update. Who'd pay 40 quid for a game delayed by months instead of 40 bucks for the latest releases hot off the US shelves? Admittedly, most of Nintendo's customer base will be clueless about things like regions and importing; but you can bet a significant number of savvy people would take the import route given the choice.

  • grandmaster Verified Director, Digital Foundry #28 4 years ago

    and why would nintendo patch it anyway? they had to sign the code for the disc in the first place, and supply a devkit to datel, so they know it exists!

    You are joking right? Datel reverse engineers code and protection systems - it's what they do. Nintendo will see it the same time you do.

  • twh104 #29 4 years ago

    The GC freeloader (2006 pressings) works fine on 3.1E, i've found. Just works.

  • Muddtallica #30 4 years ago

    Awesome! This might be actually worth buying just for use with Smash Bros...if only I wasn't scared that Nintendo would just kill it with firmware again, leaving me with TWO useless discs. Hmmm...maybe it'd be worth the risk anyway...

  • Landmaster #31 4 years ago

    It wouldn't be a waste of just a tenner though would it?

    You'd also lose out on what games you've bought (Brawl, NMH etc.)

    Then the fun begins with online refunds and the like :D

    x x x

  • Lemming81 #32 4 years ago

    Well, I've order NMH region 1 in anticipation anyway. And it may be the only instance I ever use the freeloader, but it's worth it. (without tax and the dollar as it is, I've got the game for about £25 anyway).

    I'd only use it as a means to get games that have been altered for Europe audiences in a negative way. I'm not really bothered about release dates, as such.

  • Rpt81 #33 4 years ago

    The GC freeloader (2006 pressings) works fine on 3.1E, i've found. Just works.

    What's that now? Well, that could well be a tenner saved for me. Doubt I'd import any Wii games, but if I can get my US Cube stuff going again, that'll be quite enough. Why, with that information, you've become a veritible French Polisher.

  • jambii267 #34 4 years ago

    I preordered mine from gameseek, will be picking up US copies of NMH and Harvey Birdman.

    Best Wii news all year.

  • twh104 #35 4 years ago

    Rpt81:

    Yeah, it does, my freeloader disc (bought it last week before this was announced for my US GC Twilight Princess) which has the latest packaging, with the numbers '07110701' on the reverse side, works on my PAL Wii with 3.1E. I don't know if it works with 3.2E, and i don't really want to check either!

  • smelly #36 4 years ago

    >I'd need some guarentee that this will survive firmware updates.

    Apparently the firmware update teh other night killed it

  • Landmaster #37 4 years ago

    PC World say this -

    *No word yet on whether the FreeLoader comes with its own inbuilt firmware blocking or workaround mechanisms. And no, this won't let PAL (phase alternating line) players run NTSC (national television system committee) games or vice versa, though it is possible to buy TVs that handle both signals.*

    Anyone wanna clear that up, far as i'mk concerned they reckon it hasn't been confirmed if it works...

    x x

  • smelly #38 4 years ago

    They're just saying it wont make ntsc games work on 50hz pal tvs

    which makes perfect sense.

  • erp #39 4 years ago

    Anyone else entirely unable to access the CodeJunkies site tonight? :(

  • Landmaster #40 4 years ago

    Thanks Smelly :)

    x x x

    Who's gonna take the risk an buy one then?

  • scouserfuller9 #41 4 years ago

    With the massive wait we've got for SSBB brawl I think £10 is worth the risk.

  • erp #42 4 years ago

    @jambii267, thanks for the Gameseek tip. The CodeJunkies site completely failed to respond for me since last night, so I ordered from there instead. Worked out cheaper too.

    I've never ordered from there before though... I hope they're OK!

  • Landmaster #43 4 years ago

    Just ordered the freeloader from GameSeek - said it's be whacked out my way on the seventh of march for £12.
    Also ordered No More Heroes (US) from Play-Asia - said fuck all, probably rape all of the 20 pounds stirling i should have left :(

    Well, we'll see eh?

    x x x

  • Rpt81 #44 4 years ago

    Seems the most recent firmware uodate did kill the Cube Freeloader again, because I tried mine and it just came up with an error. Never mind. I'll just have to wait and see what happens with the Wii one before I even consider purchasing it.

  • brof #45 4 years ago

    hm. why do you guys permanently update your Wii? considering you already use a freeloader?

    cheers,
    brof

  • Les #46 4 years ago

    "Could anyone recommed some reliable e-shops in US to buy the games with our strong Euro? That would come at the end pretty cheap for me :)."

    http://www.tronixweb.com is a very good store. They have ridiculously low FedEx express service: $15 for up to three games. You'll receive your stuff within three business days (as long as someone is at home when they deliver). I had some trouble with the postal services in the past when ordering through movietyme (not their fault though, same thing happened with an order from a UK eBay store) so I prefer the guaranteed and fast delivery of FedEx.

    FedEx will make your package go through customs though and send you an additional invoice if the amount of your order is above the local threshold. Tronix will decrease the price on the invoice a bit, I had to pay €20 VAT on a €200 order (local value would have been €300) and I didn't have to pay anything at all on a €100 order.