Wii update breaks Freeloader

By Robert Purchese Published 8 August, 2007

Nintendo unlikely to fix it.

Nintendo has remained quiet about whether it will fix compatibility problems with third-party software Freeloader, after yesterday's Wii firmware update rendered it unusable.

It reiterated to Eurogamer that because it isn't an official product approved by Nintendo, there was nothing it could do.

The Datel disc was originally manufactured for the GameCube, and allowed people to import titles from Japan or the US and play them on their PAL console. And up until now it had the same effect on backwards-compatible GC games played on Wii.

Let's hope then that foreign releases will take less time to appear in Europe in future.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (70) Latest comment 5 years ago

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

  • krudster #1 5 years ago

    Gah!

  • gingerlink #2 5 years ago

    Lol, that's a subtle way at getting back at importers

  • robg #3 5 years ago

    Yeah....from their point of view, why would they want to fix it?

  • myiagros #4 5 years ago

    ouch!!

    I feel sorry for those with a mixture of european and import GC tiltes.
    Does anyone know whether it is possible to avoid updating the firmware? does not updating place any restrictions on you (like the ps3 which won't allow online)?

  • knocker #5 5 years ago

    "Let's hope then that foreign releases will take less time to appear in Europe in future."

    Unfortunately removing the chance of playing imports makes this less likely. NOE would soon beef up their conversion programmes if their sales are threatened by overseas imports.

    Worse of all it's not really worth investing time and money in developing a wii freeloader if nintendo can switch it off with a firmware 'upgrade'.

  • evild_edd #6 5 years ago

    "Let's hope then that foreign releases will take less time to appear in Europe in future." - LOL! This is Nintendo we're talking about!!!

    Remember they promised it'd improve with Cube releases... then with Wii releases...

    ...still waiting (or not, as I've all but given up on their games/machines in all honesty)

  • Killerbee #7 5 years ago

    Let's hope then that foreign releases will take less time to appear in Europe in future.

    Quite.

    But equally, Nintendo have surely realised there's a benefit in having no region locking from their experiences with the DS and Gameboy? I don't see why they've persisted with it on the Cube and Wii.

    Surely if the reason was to protect the profitability of NOE, they'd have also reined in the DS too? Piracy is neither here nor there; if anything, region locking promotes piracy if it's the only way to play a particular game due to tardy localisation.

    So why?

  • SniperWolf #8 5 years ago

    So when Datel release a freeloader for Wii games, (it's in the works) Nintendo will release a patch to kill it.

    Europe can't catch a break, we're only getting Trauma center this week, Paper Mario next month and Metroid in October, plus crappy Virtual console ports with black borders.

    Nintendo hates us.

  • Razz #9 5 years ago

    LMFAO :D

    "NO GAME FOR YOU" - Mario, August 2007

  • Pooley #10 5 years ago

    This is a right pain for me tbh. My Cube is a US one, so 95% of my games are also. Wii is a UK one. Bloody annoying. Guess my Cube will have to stay under the telly for a little bit longer.

  • DaDon123456 #11 5 years ago

    Can someone tell me if this update 'bricks' a Wii that is chipped?
    And before you ask, I only use my chipped wii to play Virtual Console games that I already have on other platforms.

  • Der_tolle_Emil #12 5 years ago

    Well as long as the update is not mandatory yet. Better finish playing my US games now before the games ship with the new firmware and I cannot use my freeloader anymore.

  • Razz #13 5 years ago

    You filthy pirate. BEGONE

  • Xerx3s #14 5 years ago

    Let's hope then that foreign releases will take less time to appear in Europe in future.

    Bwhahahaha. This is ninty.

  • GingerNathan #15 5 years ago

    You don't need a freeloader to play import GC games on a Pal Wii (at least you didn't, I suppose they may/could fix it). Insert a Pal GC disc, go to the disc menu, press eject on the wii, before the Start button fades on screen select it with the Wii remote, and then quickly remove the pal disc and insert your NTSC one. Jobs a good'n.
    Edited by 1 at 08/08/07 @ 11:20

  • Xerx3s #16 5 years ago

    Can someone tell me if this update 'bricks' a Wii that is chipped?
    And before you ask, I only use my chipped wii to play Virtual Console games that I already have on other platforms.

    As if that makes them any less illegal. I'm not going to shed a tear over your piracy but at least be honest to yourself.
    Edited by 1 at 08/08/07 @ 11:20

  • menage #17 5 years ago

    Nintendo hates Europe = I'm not buying one, f_ them

  • Daryoon #18 5 years ago

    Do people conveniently forget the games that have been released here before the US?

  • dr_faulk #19 5 years ago

    don't think I'll be updating my Wii, so.

  • OldK1ngCole #20 5 years ago

    THIS IS A TOTAL PAIN IN THE ASS.

    I only have two import games, Soul Caliber 2 (JAP) which I paid £90 for 8 months before the Euro Launch & was the reason I bought a Freeloader in the first place and Tony Hawks 4 (US). I sold my Gamecube just after getting my Wii so both these titles are now useless to me.

  • GingerNathan #21 5 years ago

    "THIS IS A TOTAL PAIN IN THE ASS."

    Haven't you got any Pal GC discs? If you have then I don't see your point.
    Edited by 1 at 08/08/07 @ 11:47

  • Lost_in_Darkness #22 5 years ago

    Dunno if you guys know of this but the update adds USB Keyboard support in both Shop Channel and the Message Board. Opera doesn't work yet, but that will need an update in order to recognise the keyboard inputs, so that's expected some time soon.

    I've tested myself with my Logitech Wireless keyboard and it works a treat.

    This means devs can use keyboard support in games if they want.

  • absolutezero #23 5 years ago

    Fuck it, quite a few of my Cube games are US and seeing as theres fuck all the play of the Wii, I might get it chipped in order to play American Wii titles aswell.

    Fuck you NoE you bunch of cunts.

  • OldK1ngCole #24 5 years ago

    "Haven't you got any Pal GC discs? If you have then I don't see your point."

    "You don't need a freeloader to play import GC games on a Pal Wii (at least you didn't, I suppose they may/could fix it). Insert a Pal GC disc, go to the disc menu, press eject on the wii, before the Start button fades on screen select it with the Wii remote, and then quickly remove the pal disc and insert your NTSC one. Jobs a good'n."

    Does this fix still work with the new firmware then?

  • GingerNathan #25 5 years ago

    "Does this fix still work with the new firmware then? "

    To be honest I'm not sure, but I haven't seen any news online saying it's been patched somehow so I assume it still works. I will check tonight after work however, I don't want my Japanese copy of Winning Eleven 6:FE to be rendered useless. :/

  • sniglet #26 5 years ago

    The most important part of the news article:

    "It reiterated to Eurogamer that because it isn't an official product approved by Nintendo, there was nothing it could do."

    Using unapproved (unlicensed presumably?) software would void warranty on the Wii should it screw the hardware in some way. If Freeloader got their software approved by Nintendo then this wouldn't be a problem.

    From this, if Nintendo don't want to approve software that allows playing of games on untested hardware (e.g. US games on EU consoles) then that is their decision to take, no matter how unfortunate for it's customers that might be.

    This could all have been solved by making the Wii region free.

  • tiddles #27 5 years ago

    Nintendo gutted for Freeloader

  • Retroid #28 5 years ago

    Anyone else now investigating how much it would be to import a US Wii?

    Again?

  • huxathon #29 5 years ago

    If this update adds keyboard compatibility then it was worth the loss of a few import gamecube games that surely will still work on a gamecube that you still own. If not: but a secondhand one for 20 quid.

  • menage #30 5 years ago

    "From this, if Nintendo don't want to approve software that allows playing of games on untested hardware (e.g. US games on EU consoles) then that is their decision to take, no matter how unfortunate for it's customers that might be. "

    Problem is, it's total bull not to make it region free. The systems are the same only the output signal differs. In the past that explained the black borders (crap ports explains it even more, like square enix used to do, Europeans had to put up with a lot of shit), but in current day and age it's total bullshit.

    I'm fucking tired of every company bitch slapping Europe in a major way. Waiting 6 monhts for Nintendo games. 6 months for a PS3 and have the BC removed. I just checked out the US marketplace with a new account and it's absolutely loaded with exclusive content (Trailers, demo's, HD movies).

    Now I don't want to exaggerate, and I get that they're different markets. But screwing customers out of import possibilities like Sony did with Lik-Sang and now this. We\re not casual gamers here.So please could these coorporate assholes give the fans a bone. Jeez.
    Edited by 1 at 08/08/07 @ 12:30

  • Der_tolle_Emil #31 5 years ago

    USB Keyboard support you say? Sounds interesting. Would make the browser so much more useful when there's an update for it.

  • Mr_Bogus #32 5 years ago

    Doing the swap trick without a Freeloader doesn't necessarily give you the correct refresh rate or resolution. It sometimes ends up with the screen being too high up (less rows of pixels in NTSC), and some games i tried stayed in 50hz. Freeloader at least guarantees it will switch your TV into 60hz.

  • PeterM #33 5 years ago

    The update also breaks SD Media Launcher, which is used for legal homebrew.

    No mod chips, no legal homebrew. Fuck you Nintendo!

  • absolutezero #34 5 years ago

    My Action Replay wont work either, so its not just the Freeloader. It simply wont launch the disc.

    I could'nt get the swappy thing to work either. What a bunch of bollocks. Wii sucks balls really.

  • varsas #35 5 years ago

    Is homebrew legal?

    Why all the Nintendo hate comments? It's not like they are behaving any differently to Sony or MS.

    @Mr_Bogus: Would it be possible to use the swap trick to get Freeloader running and then loading a non-PAL game?
    Edited by 2 at 08/08/07 @ 12:50

  • sneetch #36 5 years ago

    Wow, what an enormous surprise, but I'm sure it was a complete accident.

    For the people who can't detect it, that was sarcasm.

  • Caimbeul #37 5 years ago

    Wankers!

  • absolutezero #38 5 years ago

    @ varsas

    Its like this, we have been shat on by NoE since their inception, we finally found a way round awful release dates, and games simply not being released and they closed it. They got rid of it.

    Now think about this, when it was revealed that the Freeloader would work on the Wii, alot of people sold or got rif of their Gamecubs, no longer seeing a use for it. Now that NoE have been complete cocks alot of people now have a large amount of American/Japanese Gamecube games they can't play.

  • Daikon #39 5 years ago

    What's the point? Freeloader only allowed people to play their legally imported copies of games. Money was still flowing into Ninty's coffers.
    Now folks will have to resort to installing modchips which will make it possible to play illegal copies.
    Oh yes, smart move Nintendo, way to go.

  • aabyssx #40 5 years ago

    > Let's hope then that foreign releases will take less time to appear in Europe in future.

    LOL

  • playgen #41 5 years ago

    There was no reason at all for nintendo to do this, and of course it was no mere accident. The fact that people played imported cube games that aren't even being made anymore has no effect on them at all, pathetic really, now the Wii is less useful than it was before, genius.

  • coderkind #42 5 years ago

    I've three copies of Freeloader at home (don't ask), and none of them ever worked on my Wii.

    Was there an update along the way to add support for it, as I tried when I first got my Wii, but not since...

  • absolutezero #43 5 years ago

    Importing games is'nt illegal.

  • MGG #44 5 years ago

    Importing games is not illegal.
    Importing Consoles is not illegal.
    Homebrew is not (in itself) illegal.

    Restricting customers legal uses for their purchased hardware *AND* software *is* illegal under UK law (and I guess EU law). Something that the games and music industry don't give a shit about.

    But hey, its ok for them to take every legal shortcut possible in this global free market to maximise their profits isn't it? But if you the consumer tries it, by god hope you have a good legal team......

    I will not buy a PS3, I will not buy an (EU) Wii. Simple.

  • knocker #45 5 years ago

    "The update also breaks SD Media Launcher, which is used for legal homebrew. "

    "Legal homebrew" is often used as a euphemism. Which might explain why it's been splatted. Freeloader was probably a 'by the way'.

    While sending a clear message to anyone else thinking of producing something similar.

    Again. There is no reason why ,multi-region should be avoided. If there are risks, they will be fully understood by the sort of people who buy imports.

  • sniglet #46 5 years ago

    "There was no reason at all for nintendo to do this"

    Other than the fact that it gives people the ability to run games on untested hardware. When games are licensed by Nintendo they are tested on the intended platform, not any other and certainly not on a different region console using a software hack like Freeloader.

    Again though, I'll reiterate that I don't think region coding consoles is a good thing, merely I'm trying to see it from Nintendo's perspective rather than having this thread being one long rant without "discussion." They chose not to make a region-free console so it's reasonable from their perspective (NOT MINE!) to keep the console as closed as possible.

  • knocker #47 5 years ago

    @MGG
    "I will not buy a PS3, I will not buy an (EU) Wii. Simple."

    And as soon as you find this mythical console manufacturer that doesn't try and restrict what you do with it - you'll let us know won't you.

    Unless you're still playing the GP32 ?

  • Sebo #48 5 years ago

    Isn't there spose to be someone or thing challenging the legality of region locking??

  • afghan_jones #49 5 years ago

    Ninty are actually the evillest of the three games companies. Sure, MS & Sony will bum you hard and fast, they'll pull your hair and slap you about and when theyve blown their load theyll wipe themselves off on your favourite jumper and leave without saying goodbye but Nintendo are worse.

    Nintendo will pretend to laugh at all your jokes, tell you how much they love you, even give you a blowy while you watch Deal or No Deal, and then just when you think its all going great they suggest trying something a little kinky. Before you know it you are handcuffed to the cooker and Nintendo are ringing up three burly eastern europeans to come round and violate you in the most hideous way possible with custom pointy wiimotes. When you wake up in the morning in a pool of your own tears and excrement you will realise they have also nicked your wallet and left the fridge open so the milk has gone off.

    Bastards.

  • menage #50 5 years ago

    It's not really the restricting thta's bothering people. If Nintendo would hurry up and release games on time we wouldn't have to use a device in the first place.

    That said. Rendering someones back catalogue useless isn't very customer friendly, especially if it's about Cube games.

  • varsas #51 5 years ago

    Importing games is not illegal.
    Importing Consoles is not illegal.
    Homebrew is not (in itself) illegal.

    I'm pretty sure I've read labels starting that games/consoles should not be sold outside of their region; do those statements then not have legal backing? Additionally weren't import companies threatened with legal action for importing PSPs?

    Do you not need a licence of some sort to develop titles on a console? I was pretty sure that you did...

  • Sebo #52 5 years ago

    @afgahn.

    Totally. I mean Sony will let you shag their birds in America and their birds in Japan if you've a PS3. But Nintendo will only let you do big Helga in Germany. What's the crack with that?

  • varsas #53 5 years ago

    That said. Rendering someones back catalogue useless isn't very customer friendly, especially if it's about Cube games.

    However if that someone had bought their back catalogue for the appropriate region then there wouldn't be an issue.

  • Sebo #54 5 years ago

    @menage

    Yeah, the restriction does bother me mate. Release dates aside, if I'm on holiday in America or Japan why shouldn't I be able to pick up a game that works in the UK. Ditto for DVDs and Blu-Ray. There's no justifcation for it.

    Is this going through some court right now? I 'm sure there were international trading laws which meant it could be coming to an end, but I may be wrong.

  • PearOfAnguish #55 5 years ago

    "Why all the Nintendo hate comments? It's not like they are behaving any differently to Sony or MS."

    So because Sony and MS do it that means Nintendo get a free pass?

    I'll have to remember that one, perhaps I could get away with robbing a bank because other people do it too.

  • afghan_jones #56 5 years ago

    "Totally. I mean Sony will let you shag their birds in America and their birds in Japan if you've a PS3. But Nintendo will only let you do big Helga in Germany. What's the crack with that?"

    To be fair, Ninty will let you have a crack at their japanese birds but you have to wait at least 7 months for everyone in America and Japan to rag them rotten. You can then get sloppy seconds for twice the price.

    Enjoy!

  • chrisjm #57 5 years ago

    Datel could possibly release a WiiLoader which had the same game ID as a retail game, then Ninty killing it would kill the real game too.

  • aine #58 5 years ago

    Do people conveniently forget the games that have been released here before the US?

    Both of them?

  • aine #59 5 years ago

    Additionally weren't import companies threatened with legal action for importing PSPs?

    They were, yes, but only for trademark infringement - they were (somewhat unavoidably) using the PSP name to sell PSPs. Just importing the consoles is not illegal - if they'd put a sticker over the logos and called it a "portable games console" on their website, they probably would have got away with it.

  • scouserfuller9 #60 5 years ago

    @ absolutezero. Nintendo banned Action Replays back in the early 90's for the SNES however I think things ended up going to court and Nintendo ended up losing. Could end up that way again?

  • Sebo #61 5 years ago

    I think the region-locking has to be challenged. In the modern age, with the internet and cheap air travel, we live in a global marketplace and restricting the sale of their own goods is just utter nonsense.

  • knocker #62 5 years ago

    Even if the technical restriction were lifted - you'd still have companies bleating about breach of copyright (BPI/CD-WOW etc).

    Lets face it - the only thing that will make any of these c'ts alter their attitude is market forces.

  • erp #63 5 years ago

    "Let's hope then that foreign releases will take less time to appear in Europe in future."

    i appreciate the sentiment EG, i really do, but how about you actually take that point to Nintendo and report what they say? and i mean really press them about it. i'm sick of modern, cowardly journalism, which makes the vast majority of "interviews" read like PR exercises. it's time to make a difference EG.
    Edited by 1 at 08/08/07 @ 16:43

  • varsas #64 5 years ago

    I'll have to remember that one, perhaps I could get away with robbing a bank because other people do it too.

    My point was that the comments seem to indicate that people expect Nintendo to be different.

  • Sveppi #65 5 years ago

    it never worked for me:(

  • Cappy #66 5 years ago

    Any would be console chippers would do well to think twice. Firmware updates can just as easily cause problems for consoles with modchips onboard. Firmware updates can easily be put onto game discs so even staying offline is no protection when the latest Zelda game has a compulsory update on the disc.

    The only real solution is to cut NOE out of the deal totally and import a console.
    Edited by 1 at 08/08/07 @ 17:44

  • GingerNathan #67 5 years ago

    Not really sure that I understand all the hate in this comments section, the GC is pretty much dead as an active format, there aren't going to be any new games released soon that anybody will want to import, any existing games can be picked up cheaper and found easier second hand on Pal format, and the amount of people that actually have a large enough NTSC collection for it to matter that also happened to get rid of their Gamecube must be a miniscule percentage of Wii owners, and regardless of any 60htz/50htz problems (that I'm yet to experience with my small collection of Jap/US GC games) the wii can still play NTSC discs.

    Anybody that thinks this is akin to be fucked up the arse (or thinks that any of the hardware console makers actually 'hates' us) is clearly a moron, or I would concede they may just be releasing fanboy bias (which is essentially the same thing).

  • Sir_TimAlot #68 5 years ago

    My Wii friendly version of freeloader didn't work with most of my games on the Wii anyway. just went to error screens within 2 mins of boot, works fine on gamecube so not a big problem, just means i have to keep my gamecube out if i wanna play Gekitou Ninja Taisen 4. Still delays between region release still takes the piss with nintendo and even some 3rd partie stuff on other systems.

  • Daikon #69 5 years ago

    I'm pretty sure I've read labels starting that games/consoles should not be sold outside of their region; do those statements then not have legal backing?

    Actually they don't.

    Additionally weren't import companies threatened with legal action for importing PSPs?

    Yes. They were threatened with legal action. Once Sony out-lawyers you you drop what you're doing and run, regardless of what you're doing is legal or not.

    Do you not need a licence of some sort to develop titles on a console? I was pretty sure that you did...

    Let's ask Activision, shall we...

  • GingerNathan #70 5 years ago

    ""not sure I understand all the hate" obvoiusly not a gamecube owner then, "

    Actually yes, but I didn't get rid of mine after getting a Wii.

    I'm not saying it isn't annoying for those it effects, it's just that this situation is not even close to some of the things Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo have done in the past. Can't understand the fuss.

    "I'm seriously thinking of modding my Wii, screw the online service I have xbox live neway.
    "Surely it would be cheaper just to pick up a second hand GC?