All First Party Nintendo Physical Games In Southeast Asia Will Not Have A Rating On The Cover Starting From Another Code

Big news for Nintendo fans in Southeast Asia and collectors worldwide – starting from Another Code: Recollection, all first party Nintendo physical games in Southeast Asia will no longer have an ESRB age rating on the box, making games from the region the first in the world to have clean covers for first party titles.

Prior to 2024, first party games have been released with the region code MSE. MSE physical games have an ESRB rating on the front cover of the box, and on the back there is an “Middle East/Southeast Asia/Official Product” logo, and the same Nintendo of America barcode as the respective product sold in the states. Inside the packaging is a USA region Game Card.

Starting from 2024, all new first party games in Southeast Asia will not have an age rating on the box, with the exception of titles such as those from the Bayonetta series that will most likely have an IMDA 18+ age rating printed on the cover. The new ratingless versions will retain the MSE region code, “Official Product” logo, and have a unique Nintendo Co, Ltd (Japan) barcode. Inside the packaging, the USA region Game Card is expected to be replaced by a MSE region Game Card. Although the region of the Game Card is different, there are no differences to the software itself; all first party games work the same way regardless of its Game Card region.

This brings a new opportunity for those who wish to collect clean covers, aka covers with no age rating, of first party Nintendo games, which has never been possible for titles before 2024.

You can pre-order the ratingless version of Another Code: Recollection via NintendoSoup Store below, shipping January 19, 2024 (free international shipping, tracking limited in some regions):

UPDATE: Post has been amended to clarify that the MSE region code will continue to be used, along with the expectation that the USA region Game Card will be replaced by a MSE region Game Card.