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It looks like we receive these questions every year. And I could not find a place that has all the info neatly documented. Thus, I shall do that here. This page governs event redemptions. Before we begin, an important thing to note: Region (in terms of data on carts) were not a thing until Gen 6. As such, for any game prior to Gen 6, any kind of 'locks' were in terms of language locks, not region locks. Gen 1 via Trade JPN games can only communicate with JPN games. Non-JPN games (ENG, FRE, ITA, GER, SPA) can only communicate with non-JPN games. via Mew Machine (retail cart only) Assumed to be language locked, as it is the hardware predecessor to PCNY machines. Gen 2 via Trade JPN games can only communicate with JPN games. Non-JPN games (ENG, FRE, ITA, GER, SPA) can only communicate with non-JPN games. via Celebi Machine (retail cart only) Assumed to be language locked, as it is the hardware predecessor to PCNY machines. via PCNY Machine (retail cart only) According to someone who has looked at the code, there's a check in the code that looks for any Game ID that isn't English and then replies with 'it's incompatible'. It is assumed that such code for particular Game ID searching is from its predecessors. Intermission With the advent of Gen 3, wonder cards were introduced. For this Gen + wonder cards, when we refer to language, we are referring to the language of the content in the title and text (red arrows). Not to be confused with the preset origin language (tho it should be set to follow receiving game for the most part). Gen 3 via Mystery Event As far as we know, the scanning of the e-Reader and communication with RS game is language locked. Also, given only JPN Emerald has Mystery Event, that is also language locked. Additionally, JPN Emerald can't used e-Reader cards meant for JPN RS, meaning the usage of those cards are game locked too. via Mystery Gift Limited language locked (JPN vs Non-JPN) and Game pair locked (FRLG vs E). JPN and non-JPN (ENG, FRE, GER, ITA, SPA) Mystery Gift sizes and offset are different between the 2 sets. Mystery Gift sizes also differ between FRLG and Emerald. via Colosseum Bonus Disc Known to be language locked. via GBA multiboot + link cable (typically the distribution cartridges) The ones in public domain are known for being language locked. Good reason to believe the rest are the same. via NDS Download Play Status not known. Until any evidence suggests otherwise, it's presumed to be language locked. Similar to the multiboot method, all it does is inject the mon into the party (which is at the same location dynamic offset wise), yet that is language locked. Since this method is similar to that, there is reason to believe that this is locked too. Additionally, Poke Transfer Lab uses Download Play for Gen 4 -> Gen 5 transfers, and that is language locked too. Yet another reason to think this is locked. Intermission With the advent of Gen 4, wonder cards are now two pages. Besides certain trade events, wonder cards are the way to go for event distributions. For this Gen + wonder cards, when we refer to language, we are referring to the language of the content in the title (red arrow) and receiving text (blue arrow). NOT the delivery status (green arrow) THIS: NOT: Not to be confused with the preset origin language (tho it should be set to follow receiving game for the most part). Gen 4 via Local Wireless Based on data from people who used the distribution carts for themselves, as well as collaborations with people who received events IRL, language locked. via Nintendo Network Wireless According to collaboration with people who received the events, language locked. Folder formats for reconstructed server use also suggests that it's split by game ID, which also means it's split by game language. via Slot-2 event injection According to what has been datamined, the Slot-2 that contains Japanese events, only worked for JPN cartridges. Non-JPN (ENG, FRE, ITA, GER, SPA) games required an additional level of checks that the JPN Slot-2 cart could not provide. Anyhow, Slot-2 event injection almost never happened outside of Japan, besides WORLD events. So while possibly not language locked (beyond the JPN vs Non-JPN extent), for that event, the card language was English anyway). Intermission With the advent of Gen 5, receiving text is no longer part of the card that is viewable in the card album. For this Gen + wonder cards, when we refer to language, we are referring to the language of the content in the title (red arrow) and receiving text (blue arrow). NOT the delivery status (green arrow) THIS: NOT: Not to be confused with the preset origin language (tho it should be set to follow receiving game for the most part). Gen 5 via Local Wireless Based on data from people who used the distribution carts for themselves, as well as collaborations with people who received events IRL, language locked. Apparently, according to the data table, it is possible to distribute events with incorrect languages (in terms of card text and Pokémon set data), however there were very little entries that fit this criteria. (A.K.A very little entries abused this) 1. Any of the WORLDs entries of that period (JPN and KOR received ENG card. Regardless of whatever language'd game you used to receive the Pokémon, the receiving language on it was forced to ENG) 2. Pokémon Hills Mewtwo (The wonder card text distributed to ENG and JPN copies reflected the correct language. However the language of the OT was JPN on either copy. The ENG copy had receiving language forced to JPN, and the JPN copy had the receiving language null [tho important to note, in a legitimate situation the receiving game would have been JPN, hence the receiving language would be JPN anyway]) via Nintendo Network Wireless According to server data, as well as collaboration with people who received the events, language locked. Folder formats for reconstructed server use also suggests that it's split by game ID, which also means it's split by game language. Intermission With the advent of Gen 6, players can choose to play whichever available language, regardless of the region of the cart. People commonly confuse language with region, don't do that! As elaborated in the link provided, only certain regions + game language combo would have access to the appropriate card language. For the record, for this Gen + wonder cards, when we refer to language, we are referring to the language of the content in the title (red arrow) and receiving text (blue arrow). NOT the delivery status (green arrow) This: Not: Not to be confused with the preset origin language (tho it should be set to follow receiving game for the most part). Gen 6 via Local Wireless or Infrared Based on data from people who used the local distributors for themselves, as well as collaborations with people who received events IRL, not region locked. via Serial Code According to server data, as well as collaboration with people who received the events, mostly region locked. There are certain exceptions, spoken in more detail here. via Nintendo Network Based on server data, region locked. Gen 7 (3DS) via Local Wireless or Infrared Based on data from people who used the local distributors for themselves, as well as collaborations with people who received events IRL, not region locked. [There were certain mistakes that made people receive the wrong language'd wonder card for their game, but in any case they're still locked to that "incorrect" version card] via Serial Code According to server data, as well as collaboration with people who received the events, mostly region locked. There are certain exceptions, spoken in more detail here. via Nintendo Network Based on server data, region locked. via QR code The QR codes are region locked. Intermission With the advent of main series games being on the Switch, regions are no longer a thing. Additionally, wonder cards are no longer split between languages: a single wonder card can now hold all the various OTs for different languages. In addition, there is no hard set card title (the 'card titles' they used can change with game language) and no hard set card description (the 'card description' they use can change with game language). Gen 7 (Switch) Not language locked. Gen 8 SWSH - BDSP Not language locked. Gen 8 PLA Not language locked. Events have met dates that match server date/time rather than console date/time. Gen 9 SV Not language locked. Events have met dates that match server date/time rather than console date/time. HOME Not language locked. Events have met dates that match server date/time rather than console date/time. So that's all for now. Do post if there's any missing method or something. Do note this isn't a FAQ thread, so questions falling under that definition would be deleted and unanswered.