Splatoon 2's #GearForAll Social Media Movement Fights Exclusive Japanese Content

I've seen a lot of people online claiming that regional exclusive gear doesn't matter and people shouldn't care, but I can't understand this at all. One of the biggest parts of Splatoon is getting to dress up and customize your Inkling or Octoling to your liking, and preventing people from getting certain pieces of clothing for no particular reason seems bizarre to me.

Heck, most of these pieces of clothing aren't even very regional specific, like, I can get why they would have that CoroCoro contest set be exclusive to Japan, but why the business suit? Why a hoodie? Seems pretty dumb to me.

#GEARFORALL like this, people c'mon!

It will happen when there's a One World Government. Until then, the world remains divided. Send your petition to the United Nations, see if they care.

yeah, because hashtag campaigns totally get video game companies to change their minds 😒
entitlement is a heck of a drug.

@CurryPowderKeg79 I can understand region exclusive content for games like Animal Crossing, mainly because of cultural differences. For games with customizable gear, like Splatoon, giving regions exclusive content, even if every major region got the same amount of exclusive stuff, would still be pretty terrible.

You wouldn't think this game would have this kind of problem; Splatoon 1 had that Squid Girl costume, and that was released worldwide.

From the company that can’t think what to do when they have a Japanese only game for NES Online other than screwing western customers.

I don't understand regional gear, unless there is some sort of limited license involved. The assets already exist, the stats are set, and I doubt it would take much to localize a few item descriptions for other regions. Even in the case of things that might seem culturally specific. When has that ever gotten in the way of people enjoying in-game items?

All that being said, I have my doubts about whether hashtags are taken seriously by Nintendo.

@Charlie_Girl I mean, Operation Rainfall seemed to work pretty well.

Remember when they teased news that would "shock the world" and it was just more Japanese exclusive gear?

#metoo or something i dont know internets.

NintendoJP: Y'all hear sumn?

I agree with the complaint. Region specific content is kinda b.s. Fair is fair Nintendo. Be fair.

Well now these Splatoon fans feels how we feel that when certain games (mostly niche games heheh) does not come to the west.

@KayFiOS Wasn't there also CoroCoro-themed items in Splatoon 1 that were available internationally?

This is a case worth making. I can’t say I have full confidence in the internet’s ability to made it in a level-headed manner, but parity between regions should definitely be something Nintendo aim for.

Splatoon 1 received worldwide Ika Musume gear even though the international fan base is relatively slim, and... I simply can’t see much of a reason NOT to simply ensure that the gear is rolled out everywhere.

@TheDragonDAFan Maybe, I'm not sure. I just know my brother was excited over the Squid Girl gear and said he'd riot if it was Japan-exclusive.

The business suits shown were another CoroCoro promotion, the 'Spy Gear'.

But yeah region-exclusive DLC is a mess, there's even Japanese games where the west has more DLC than Japan like NIS's Coven of Dusk.

Personally while I understand why people are upset, bear in mind that CoroCoro--the producers of these gear--only have gear codes in their magazines which you have to pay for. This company has no Western branch and therefore are unable to sell these codes outside of Japan.

I get it, having some exclusive gear of our own might alleviate this, maybe. But I dislike it when things are blown out of proportion in such a way to where it looks like we're complaining about something not even major. After all, it's not as if the gear provides any special gameplay advantage. It provides the exact same ability slots that any other gear can have so it could be much worse.

In short, if you wanna be upset, direct your feelings at CoroCoro and politely hope they open up a Western branch for their company. Until then, this is just an empty hastag with zero weight or impact in the long run.

So my two cents on things I've seen, common arguments against or for the idea, proposed solutions, etc, etc.

Arguments against #gear4all
1) It's just cosmetic
Fashion is a big theme in Splatoon. It's not just about having the best abilities, it's also about having the best looking gear. Also, for completionists this is 10+ pieces of gear they can't get
2) You're whining over nothing
We're not whining, we're petitioning. Yes it is a small thing but it's important to people. It's not like we can complain about the ping rate and the p2p system the game uses and have a decent shot at getting them fixed
3) It's no big deal
See response to argument 2
4) They're just regional exclusives
And regional exclusives are pretty dumb

Arguments for #gear4all
1) They got this stuff for free
Actually, most if it they didn't. They had to pay to get the corocoro magazine with the code. I believe the only gear released for free was the octo bandana and the coat and boots that came with it. The rest were a pseudo paid dlc
2) There was corocoro stuff in splatoon 1
Yes, but I believe that corocoro owns the rights to the characters and gear designs that they come up with in the manga and allowed Nintendo to release them in Japan. Conversely the corocoro gear in s1 was developed alongside with Nintendo, if jot by Nintendo directly

Proposed solutions
1) Give the west an equal number of exclusives
So...when does #gear4all Japan edition start? We got into this mess because of regional exclusives. Adding more won't fix things
2) Give us it for free
Yeah... except then that shows favoritism to the west since Japan had to pay for 90% of it via corocoro sales

The best solution I can offer is do a gear pass. Think of it like the fighter pass for smash, but with the corocoro gear instead. Corocoro gets the money for the gear, Japan isn't unhappy with them having to pay and us not having to pay, and everyone gets the gear they want. Nintendo also releases the one free outfit as free dlc

Honestly, I like the idea of the hashtag. I really like the milky enperials and eminence jacket, as well as the spy headsets. And it's probably the best way to get their attention. People who think it's going to be free should probably get rid of that notion though. If Japan had to pay, we should have to as well. The movement is about in game equality, so that means that favoritism in any form, even if it benefits us, should not be allowed.

#Gear4All

Sorry for any spelling erros, by the way. I'm on my phone and it is extremely hard to type on it.

@Charlie_Girl Brings to mind the loss of Shaggy in Mortal Combat

#gearforall
Exclusivity is murder!

@Shads Honestly, if it's a matter of licensing. They could just release it as cheap DLC, and work out royalties with CoroCoro. Considering CoroCoro will get zero dollars from the west otherwise, I don't see how that would be a lose for them.

Edit; All this being said, I'll agree that this isn't as serious as some people make it out to be. But I think a very small number of people are getting that crazy about it either. People are just expressing annoyance in text form, which can often seem harsher than it really is.

@Charlie_Girl You never know until you try. Besides, Nintendo has listened to fan outcry before. Why do you think they showed off slopes for Mario Maker 2 the way they did? Pretty sure the Captain Toad game exists because people were clamoring for a separate Captain Toad game in Miiverse after playing his levels in Mario 3D World too.

Also, I doubt it will make too much of a difference here in Splatoon 2 either, but at least this way Nintendo will be more likely to hear our voice and maybe they won't do this in Splatoon 3 anymore. And if we're lucky, we'll still get the Splatoon 2 gear as well.

Again, you never know until you try.

I don't think anyone sounds whiny or entitled, really.

1. There's no point for region locking any of the gear, in a globally competitive game. Locking gear could be better set for live event participants or something else that fans would easily understand.

2. Everyone still playing Splatoon 2 has paid their fair share for Nintendo online. That means they also paid for the game, too. Why not give everyone what everyone's paid for.

3. Nintendo announced they were done working on content for the game, focusing only on performance tweaks (while likely preparing to work on Splatoon 3.)
For this reason alone, continuing to make gear exclusive to Japan only is absolutely unfair. If it happened only once, maybe it'd just be a small mention. But it's happened every couple of weeks since the announcement. I think it's only right for the other regions to speak up on the matter.

I don't think of it so much as being about the gear as it is about the principle. There's no good reason to alienate several regions of fans like that. And it's more of a bad decision after making the aforementioned announcement. And there's already exclusive gear tied to the amiibos and through Salmon Run. People had to pay more for gear, regarding amiibos! But at least all regions have an opportunity to grab what they can of that stuff. This region locking makes no sense.

For those people thinking this "movement" is nothing but whining, that's your opinion. Saying 'it's just gear', or 'it's not going to affect the game much', sure. Another opinion and arguably a fair point. But what I don't see is any valid argument as to why Nintendo should keep region locking gear.

I think that new gear is absolutely atrocious but #GearForAll, because we're all Splatoon fans and we're all keeping Nintendo's relatively-new IP alive and thriving.

Has it even been confirmed that this gear is exclusive to Japan?

@Abeedo that Shaggy meme died on the vine, it was never funny

The ''mecha gear'' looks absolutely awful anyway, they can keep it

"Please hack our game so uou can get all the content in the game."
"Also f u completionists. We don't want you in our game."

• Nintendo

@TheDragonDAFan
And in Animal Crossing you can trade items or visit the town of someone with a different version for events. At the very least they could let us order the gear from other players.

Can I ask what is preventing western magazines and such from doing promotions and events like Japanese magazines do?
Remember that this isn’t an initiative from Nintendo. The magazines are the ones going to Nintendo and getting permission to do it.
Are game magazines in the West trying to do the same and getting rejected by Nintendo? Or (most probably) those magazines just don’t bother trying?

@Shads Oh man... I don’t want to agree with the idea of paid downloadable costumes for Splatoon 2, but regardless, it’s a very well put together post. I mean, I know paid costumes are exactly what amiibo are disguising, and what these CoroCoro costumes were to begin with, but... for some reason paying money in return for something purely cosmetic (in the other cases you at least get a magazine and a chunk of plastic) gives me janky vibes. Maybe I associate it with the sort of ‘drip fees’ pay models prevalent in FTP games and so on.

I sort of wish they’d never got into magazine exclusive gear to begin with. One (bad) idea I had was to release the gear through a separate tie in with a Western publisher, but this doesn’t make any sense as the gear is to heavily CoroCoro themed.

I just hope at some later date, all the gear is just unceremoniously dumped in the game for everyone; Japanese players who missed it the first time, and Western players who never got the chance. Players who forked out and bought the magazine can at least enjoy some period of exclusivity, but the outfits won’t be trapped in their pages forever.

Similarly, I hope the Mystery Zones and Salmon Run gear eventually get recycled after the fresh supply of content inevitably comes to an end. It would be good if, ultimately, the games’ gear became accessible to all players.

I can only sigh and roll my eyes at those who see this as some kind of movement.

I don't think I really care so long as the stats aren't different than what I can normally buy. If it's just the looks, exclusives are kind of cool. Though, it seems like there should be exclusives for places other than Japan, or other ways to obtain them.

@JR150 Or a simple solution, make it payable DLC option for the rest of the world if it must be paid for.

@Charlie_Girl Because entitlement and equality is clearly the same thing, right? Jesus, some people are so incredibly delusional.

@CurryPowderKeg79 yes it would unless they just changed the name of the item.... there is absolutely no reason for this its all on one console......

@Dr_Corndog imagine dying on this hill 😞

@Charlie_Girl People want everything for Free....In Japan they are basically paying for that piece of clothing by buying the corocoro magazine.

I just realized you can buy the magazine and have it shipped to you, and just use the code that way (assuming it works on non-Japanese game versions). That's what I'd do if I was really wanting it.

@Abeedo I wonder why people say Combat for Mortal Kombat. (yeah that is the correct way to say the word, but the game title is Mortal KKKKKKKKombat.)

Splatoon 2 has three separate versions, Japan(AAB6A), US/Australia(AAB6B), and Europe(AAB6C)
The CoroCoro codes will be DLC for AAB6A, the Japanese version, so you'll need a Japanese game to actually use it.

@Spidey-Scrub It's exclusive to readers of that magazine. If the magazine wants to do that, and Nintendo is cool with it, rock on.

This is basically people wanting stuff that doesnt apply to them.

@Zimon I don't think completionist in Splatoon 2 is really possible, and owning everything is a bit ridiculous.

Simple fix (maybe):
Have Western exclusive equipment (Xbox ties, Western game ties, clothing designs, etc). Have region exclusive clothing for other places.
Then!
Have a new small shop, where you can buy equipment from other regions. The person will show up only at splatfests and sell randomized items and done. Gives us a reason to go to splatfests to buy new region exclusive items.

Japan gets all the best things...whelp, time to learn japanese for the love of games I guess.

Either we all get the gear or every region gets exclusive gear in my opinion. Think it be cheaper to go with option one

Good to know the NA region hasn't changed in Splatoon, where it's still used for a social media acceptance than, y'know, art.

@Charlie_Girl what exactly is entitled about this? We paid the same price for the game; we should get the same features.

If anything it's entitled of Nintendo to only provide certain content to it's home region

Reading the rest of what you're posting is hilarious considering you're the one who won't buy a game that doesn't have a female MC. I guess you do know something about entitlement. 😆

This seems like a nothingburger to me. All it is is cosmetic. I could understand if it gave players a leg up but it doesn't.

Seriously, the only get ups I can remember are that cyborg one and that mascot one, and even then, I don't care. The more important thing to me is, Can you play well? (Especially if you're on my team. Stop fragging and ink the zone.) lol

@Trajan I already acknowledged that point, I think it is perfectly fine for Nintendo to have exclusive gear for Japanese readers of CoroCoro that is related to CoroCoro. Stuff again, like the Business Suit, makes no sense and shouldn’t be tied to only Japan.

Sucks for sure but regional exclusives is far better than limited,timed or shop-based exclusives imo.

We here had always had the lower rung of game software until recent years. (Console wise anyway)

Maybe people should petition game informer to do something like this? Or Coro Coro to open an international branch? Or import the issue of coro coro? This is such a non issue. But I’ll go soak some torches to sale.

Two questions:
1) do the other regions get exclusive gear of their own?
2) Can people order the exclusive gear in-game?
If the answer is no to both then we have a problem. Splatoon is one of the few reasons Nintendo's online service is worthwhile to gamers. They should be making sure those experiences are as misery free as possible.

I don't play anymore, but #GearForAll!

@Charlie_Girl Humour is subjective. I thought you'd know after you said so much stuff that only yourself laughed at

@IceEarthGuard I blame autocorrect

GUYS, NINTENDO IS BEING RACISTS!!
I'm japanese but I can't get it... so unfair.
#GEARFORALL!!!

Ijust sent an email to nintendo jp;)

Emperor is ma BOI. I NEED to cosplay as him