Wired reported today that Nintendo's upcoming DSi system will be region-locked. The DSi features two cameras, an SD card slot, has improved sound quality, larger screens, and is slightly thinner than the DS Lite because there's no GBA slot.
Region-locking is something that Nintendo has stayed away from in the portable handheld market. Every Game Boy and both earlier versions of the DS were global systems, which is a great thing. You could buy your system anywhere, use it anywhere, and buy games from everywhere. All those cool games that come out in Japan that may not see the light of day here? Yeah, you could import those.
To be clear, it will only be games specifically developed for the DSi that will be region locked. You could buy a regular DS game from anywhere in the world and still play it on your DSi. But eventually, perhaps, as the DS Lite is phased out, all DS games will be developed for the DSi.
Locking games and systems to a specific region has no purpose other than to generate more money for Nintendo. Nintendo's official statement is that the online features of the new system mean that it has to be region-locked for compatibility and customization reasons. But I don't believe it. I've always admired Nintendo from staying away from this pointless "feature," since it has been so embedded into the movie and game industries, but this makes me feel cheated.
Perhaps I'm overreacting. Actually I'm sure I am. This isn't that big of a deal. But it's just the principle of Nintendo changing its stance that has ticked me off.