European Wii U users attempting to purchase 18+ rated items on the online marketplace before 11PM, have noticed restrictions in place from Nintendo disallowing some transactions. The Big N recently confirmed that these restrictions are due to a German regulation, which Nintendo of Europe is obliged to follow.
“At Nintendo we always aim to provide a safe gaming experience for fans of all ages and ensure that we comply with applicable legal age restriction requirements across Europe,” a Nintendo spokesperson explained to Eurogamer.
“Legal age restriction requirements vary across a number of European countries. Since Nintendo of Europe is based in Germany, Nintendo eShop is complying with German youth protection regulation which therefore applies to all our European markets. Under German law, content rated 18+ must be made available only at night…Therefore the accessibility of 18+ content in Nintendo eShop is limited to [USK: 22:00 UTC until 4:00 UTC] [PEGI: 23:00 UTC until 3:00 UTC].”
USK is the abbreviation of Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle, the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body responsible for computer game ratings in Germany.
(Via Eurogamer)
Report filed by Rakan Stanbouly