Wierd e-mail - Wii firmware update 3.1e

[fallenangle]

I've just received a strange e-mail from a gaming retailer (Gameworld Direct) I've used a few times warning that updating the Wii to firmware version 3.1e or from Wii Sports, Legend of Zelda or Super Mario Galaxy will cause the console to crash permanently.

I don't own a Wii and even if I did I wouldn't have it online as I don't have BB. I don't understand it full stop, so why I was sent this info I have no idea.

Does anybody here know anything about this? Is this old news or some sort of odd hoax or what?

[toythatkills]

If it's a chipped US or Japanese Wii, then yes, upgrading the firmware to 3.1E could kill it. They're probably just making sure no-one upgrades the firmware using Mario Galaxy PAL.

Just a bulk email to everyone that's bought from them to be safe, I'd have thought.

[fallenangle]

If it's a chipped US or Japanese Wii, then yes, upgrading the firmware to 3.1E could kill it. They're probably just making sure no-one upgrades the firmware using Mario Galaxy PAL.

Just a bulk email to everyone that's bought from them to be safe, I'd have thought.

That makes sense bearing in mind the service/products Gameworld Direct offer but, if you're correct, it would have been helpful (to say the least) if they had mentioned it only applied to chipped (or all NTSC?) Wiis. Any PAL Wii owner who received an e-mail like this might get a bit worried - I know I would have been.

I might e-mail them to get them to use more precise wording in the future.

[John Beaulieu]

It tells you when you are upgrading the firmware that it could stop modified Wii's from playing games ...

[sj33]

That makes sense bearing in mind the service/products Gameworld Direct offer but, if you're correct, it would have been helpful (to say the least) if they had mentioned it only applied to chipped (or all NTSC?) Wiis. Any PAL Wii owner who received an e-mail like this might get a bit worried - I know I would have been.

I might e-mail them to get them to use more precise wording in the future.

It's because it's Firmware 3.1E (as opposed to the US equivelent 3.1U), the E specifically means a European firmware that you can only get from a European disc, which you couldn't run on an NTSC machine anyway without modding.
But your right that it's wierd they didn't specify NTSC.

I seem to recall a similar warning when Super Paper Mario came out.