SNES Classic Edition Won't Be Sold In Canadian Province Of Quebec

Wow that sucks...

Pardon my French but that is f*cked up

I didn't have a lot of hopes to get my hands on a snes classic. But when I saw the tweet from EBgames about presales, i was so hyped, droped everything and rushed to the store. I am very disappointed about this. I think It doesn't make any sense and feel left out.

@fafonio Best comment about the context. lol

So because the box is in english they are BY LAW not allowed to sell it? Wow! Go Canada!

This is like one of they bizarre laws you read about, like it being illegal in the UK to handle a salmon "in a suspicious manner", or it being illegal to impersonate a blind person in the Netherlands, but only at night. Or how about it being illegal to fish while sitting on a giraffes neck in Illinois.

It's ok, it's not really sold anywhere anyway, thanks to Nintendo yet again manufacturing such a small amount.

I'm sure France will be getting SNES mini's, but french speaking Quebec won't be getting them. That makes sense.

Nintendo players living there are lucky that Nintendo translates their games to French. If similar law was in force in Poland... we would be doomed.

Crazy in this day and age

I don't think the French language is going anywhere soon. Lighten up Quebec.
😎🇫🇷

What's the problem exactly, the product doesn't support French? Is it the box? As a Canadian I'm confused. This doesn't seem to affect France either.

@Fandabidozi
We've still got several centuries before it becomes an incomprehensible dead language.

Nintendo of Canada really upped their game at creating artificial scarcity!

@Bunkerneath I wouldn't necessarily say "way to go Canada". This is a decision solely made by Quebec. It happens with plenty of other things too, like online contests. When you look at the rules you'll most likely see "Available for US and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec)." Quebec has even tried to separate themselves from the rest of Canada and become an independent country.

I live in Quebec city. Never been that frustrated about that stupid law. Fml.

I heard it was because 2 games were not translated to french. But whatever it is, This is stupid. Like I should feel this is attacking my french integrity? F**k off.

Merde.

@Janus1986 Oui.

SNES Miniscule?

Throw this on the pile of the complete train-wreck that is the SNES Classic. I thought new products were supposed to bring joy, this mini console is doing the exact opposite.

Does anyone know the exact reason? Is it because of the packaging not being in French or the actual games? Couldn't they just sell the EU Version in Quebec?

I know that there is a law in Germany that there has to be German text on the packaging. Stores that sell imported stuff usually slap a sticker with the translated text on the box.

Quebec is worse than France with their French fascism. They even convert advertising slogans like "just do it". Lighten up!

YEp I live in the province of Quebec and this sucks. the good thing is I live at 5 min of Ottawa, Ontario so if I might get in line in one of the ebgames and buy one

lmao Quebec...some old shriveled nationalist's flippant decision no doubt

-Laughs from France-

Those games have never been translated to French for some. That's most likely the reason. And that's how a lot of French kids like myself got some of their English from.

lol wut

Sacre bleu!

The writer didn't bother doing much research here. The laws in Quebec requires that any product sold there be in french yes, but it doesn't need to be exclusively in french like this article makes it seen. Besides, Nintendo knew this and has always made business in Quebec. In fact, every Nintendo product in Canada is bilingual. Remember, the game doesn't need to be in French, just the box art. Nintendo chose to ignore Canada's second biggest market probably because they already know they won't have enough units. This article makes the province of Quebec sound like natzis while this is something Nintendo knows and has been doing for years. Sounds very weird that they would suddenly release a product in Canada in English only. Very poorly wrote article.

This is a direct result of Quebec constantly trying to separate from Canada, all started with Renee Levesque and the Parti Quebecois. But this is taking the law too far. The French language law was supposed to promote the use of French and signage on businesses had to either be all in French or have the French more visible than the English. But on a game system that is sold internationally, the law really shouldn't apply. Quebec is far too overzealous with their language police. That said, Nintendo already has a fix for this. They should just sell the European SNES Classic Mini in Quebec because the box has French on it (from what I've seen online). I am surprised though that the SNES Classic being sold in Canada doesn't have French on the box as the NES Classic box did. Oversight by Nintendo of America (who run Nintendo of Canada, Reggie himself even said he manages all of North America).

@Paddle1 Doesn't affect France because the European SNES Classic has French on the box. They also aren't trying to break up the country in France while in Canada, Quebec is constantly threatening us with their sovereignty threats in their demands for greater recognition.

I'll quote South Park: Blame Canada.

Wow, nintendolife acknowledged Canada for once regarding the SNES mini...

I live in Quebec. Although this news was disappointing for me to hear, I never expected to get one anyway.

@HalBailman It's not french facism. You have no understanding of how we need to protect our heritage from the english people surrounding our province. Even the english who invaded us back then knew the importance of this and allowed us to keep our language. Now with that said, I still think law 101 is too restrictive. The law for video games is simple : If a game is available in french elsewhere in the world, it must be made available in french if you sell it in quebec. Which Nintendo failed to do with the SNES classic because there are two games on it who are in fact available in french in europe.

@Graph I have plenty of understanding. I said to lighten up! You even agree the law is too restrictive. Canada is bilingual. The occasional English in a videogame won't unravel French as the main language. Banning it is insane.

Im in Québec, my solution is to play my SNES original. Have it since 1997 and works great by this day. Have no reason to rebuy this console.

It's okay. We can't buy it in the U.S. either.

If you are intrigued by this look up the Quebec language police. It's a real thing and fine example of stupidity.

I think its ironic something like this happens on the 40th anniversary of law 101 which is why this is happening. Its an archaic law that imo no longer has its place in a lot areas. I always understood the fundamental of the law and agree with it up to a certain point. However over the years separatists and anti anglophones have perverted the law for their own agendas.

Whats worst in situations like this is that people, like yours truly, just ordered it and had it shipped elsewhere which in turn did not encourage the business' in my province and did not give the government his tax portion on product sold.

Je ne parle pas français.

@Paddle1 yes its the box, I believe its against the law to sell an item in Quebec without French labeling

@ValhallaOutcast It's not the box. The box has french on it. It's about two games that are available in french elsewhere but not present on the console. The law says if the games are available in french somewhere in the world then they must sell that version along the english version. Nothing to do with the box.

@Graph wow that's even a goofier reason, what are the 2 games?

This is why the Nordiques moved.

@ValhallaOutcast Basicly it's because of Secret of Mana and Link to the past. There were French versions back in the day here in quebec (SoM was in France). So the OQLF signed a deal with the Canada Gaming association back in the day and Nintendo signed it concerning the "if a french version exists, it must be sold along side the english version" deal.

@pukacho Read the above comment.

Have no reason to rebuy this console.

Having fun playing StarFox 2 on your original SNES?

@Bass_X0 can I play it on emulator after someone dumps the rom?

What can i say except http://static.tumblr.com/fzqnppl/JoMm479ze/omlettedufromage.gif

Does this mean that the two units that Nintendo made for Quebec will be sold somewhere else now?

@GravyThief - I don't think I've commented before, but your avatar photo is just so darn cute!

Just had to say that...

@Lone_Beagle thanks! I can't remember where I got the picture from now, but it's just stuck for some reason.

@Janus1986 more like Tabarnak de Caliss de niaisage

Can't they just include the French versions like they usually do, or is it that some dont't have a french version

@pukacho it's actually nintendo's own decision, the spokeperson for the office de la langue française explicitly said in an interview that it wasn't them, that it was nintendo themselves that decided to not sell the SNES in Quebec.

Lol, what nonsense!