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Region Locking.. WTF?!

Myoclonic Jerk

Myoclonic Jerk

Member
In this day and and age.. I mean seriously!???

Kudos to Sony..

I'm a huge Nintendo fan but I've been away from the gaming scene for good 3-4 years. First it started by buying only AAA games and ending up by not finishing them, then buying them and not even opening them then eventually realising that I'm not a hardcore gamer anymore..

Wii U and 3DS are the first Nintendo consoles since the SNES that I didn't buy at launch, but I'm very intrigued to get the PS4 because I won't have to bother which region to get. btw a lot, A LOT, of gamers who come from the middle east and far east like myself, have the luxury (or not) to choose which region their console is. Which puts us in a very complicated position where sometimes we end up with two regions consoles and a lot of us end up hacking our devices for the same reason.


Why do companies restrict their devices? Initially I though it was rules that were imposed on the companies to do so for screening and censoring issues? but Sony did it! Why don't Nintendo and Microsoft follow suit?


I rarely create a thread here so I'll hijack my own thread by asking. Which Wii U region should I get? My Wii was NTSC.. Pikmin 3 Came out in Europe first and it was the only game I was waiting for since the Wii!
 
C

Cheddahz

Banned
Region locking is one of the worst things ever. There are usually games a gamer wants and they'll never get to play it because it isn't in their country
 
S

Sendou

Member
It doesn't matter a lot what region your Wii U is. European or American both work well. Although it seems like Europe has been getting games earlier lately than NA for some reason.

I don't really understand region locking. What's the benefit? There was a good thing going on with that campaign on Miiverse and such but no sensible answer from Nintendo ever came.
 
cj_iwakura

cj_iwakura

Member
Region locking has sadly been more of an exception than the rule. I had to buy an import adapter in 1996 to play Sailor Moon Super S on the Sega Saturn. I hate Nintendo's policies as much as the next importer, but Sony are largely an outlier here(which is great, and deserves everyone's support).
 
Tizoc

Tizoc

Member
One reason for Region Locking, far as I can understand, is to ensure an equal and proper sales of a product/game for each region.
 
B

BocoDragon

or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
I think the OP makes a good point - that in 2013, a world where globalization has already happened - we really need to review this region-dividing policy.

My girl is from another 3DS region and we have been talking about Animal Crossing for months. Because we can't play together (and she needs a 3DS from Japan to read the game in her language), guess what we bought? Nothing.
 
L

LAA

Member
Nintendo seem just pretty shitty towards their customers really.

Not even a response regarding the region lock campaign from Nintendo, I wasnt expecting one tbh, but just shows how much better Sony, even MS are, towards their customers, and thats saying something.

The sad thing is even if they do/did respond, it'd likely be a BS response, but I'd rather a BS response than getting simply ignored any day.
 
L

luokyl

Member
Tizoc said:
One reason for Region Locking, far as I can understand, is to ensure an equal and proper sales of a product/game for each region.
Click to expand...

If 3DS was region free, I would buy zero ATLUS games from my region (Aus/PAL). It also would mean I'd be playing Etrian Odyssey 4 and SMT 4 by now.
 
S

Silky

Banned
TechnicPuppet said:
I thought XB1 was region free?
Click to expand...

It is
but no one really cares.

Kandrick said:
360 is region free.
Click to expand...

Is it now? I only tried importing one game for 360 (Anarchy Reigns) and that worked, but I heard from others that only certain games allow imports...

LAA said:
Nintendo seem just pretty shitty towards their customers really..
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say that, actually. I honestly think that the import scene is relatively small. :s
 
N

NIN90

Member
Europe gets some games earlier (Pikmin 3, W101, Bravely Default) while others don't even have a release date yet (SMT4 for example), though it's mostly the former or both regions get the games more or less on the same day.
 
cj_iwakura

cj_iwakura

Member
LAA said:
Nintendo seem just pretty shitty towards their customers really.

Not even a response regarding the region lock campaign from Nintendo, I wasnt expecting one tbh, but just shows how much better Sony, even MS are, towards their customers, and thats saying something.

The sad thing is even if they do/did respond, it'd likely be a BS response, but I'd rather a BS response than getting simply ignored any day.
Click to expand...

People who care about regions are a minority. With Atlus and P4A, it was directly affecting their core fans, so they had to respond. To Nintendo, we're a drop in the ocean.
 
cj_iwakura

cj_iwakura

Member
Kandrick said:
On a per game basis, just like the ps3. So both are region free.



Actually, lots of them are region free. Most if not all first party games are region free too.
Click to expand...

There's one region locked PS3 game.

There's a few thousand region locked 360 games.


Just saw the edit. Didn't know that, but most JP exclusives are region locked. Cave's are the exception.
 
L

LAA

Member
cj_iwakura said:
People who care about regions are a minority. With Atlus and P4A, it was directly affecting their core fans, so they had to respond. To Nintendo, we're a drop in the ocean.
Click to expand...

Thats not the point though.
If they believe that, than say it.
The point is, they simply IGNORED the point, like no-one was talking about it, and I find that kinda offensive honestly.
 
B

BocoDragon

or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
Kandrick said:
On a per game basis, just like the ps3. So both are region free.
Click to expand...

Technically yes.

But PS3 was opt-in to a region lock (I believe the first major region locked game was Persona 4 Arena in 2012)

and Xbox 360 was opt-out of region lock (most games were locked to regions, but certain special region-free exceptions were like a gift to fans - ie some Cave games).
 
D

Durante

Member
Kandrick said:
On a per game basis, just like the ps3. So both are region free.
Click to expand...
That's a reductionist statement which masks the MASSIVE difference between the systems for importers.

If I want to import a random PS3 game, I have a 99.8% chance of success. With 360, my chance is probably 50/50 at best.
 
D

Deraj

Member
If you could buy from another country you might choose to buy from one where they don't
try to screw you over
have a robust tax system.
 
cj_iwakura

cj_iwakura

Member
LAA said:
Thats not the point though.
If they believe that, than say it.
The point is, they simply IGNORED the point, like no-one was talking about it, and I find that kinda offensive honestly.
Click to expand...

Why validate a niche group's complaints when it's easier just to ignore them and hope they'll go away?
 
J

Jackpot

Banned
I remember when Major Nelson said 360 owners shouldn't try and work around region restrictions because they "owe" MS for the console price being so low.
 
A

areal

Member
I'd probably own a Wii U and a 3DS if they were region free. Too bad.

A big plus for Sony consoles in my opinion.
 
A

Augemitbutter

Member
i still hate nintendo for region locking the 3DS. i have to own at leasts 2 systems to take advantage of local sales and play all the games i want.

to region lock a mobile device is an extra sin.

Jackpot said:
I remember when Major Nelson said 360 owners shouldn't try and work around region restrictions because they "owe" MS for the console price being so low.
Click to expand...

wow. whoever that guy is, he's terrible.
 
P

Pancakes R Us

Member
Augemitbutter said:
i still hate nintendo for region locking the 3DS. i have to own at leasts 2 systems to take advantage of local sales and play all the games i want.

to region lock a mobile device is an extra sin.
Click to expand...
Yep. I can just about handle their console locking because it's always been the case, but fuck you Nintendo for now region-locking handhelds.
 
E

EXPotemkin

Member
I notice, especially with Nintendo, they overcharge the crap out of Japanese consumers since the prices are sky high on a lot of their games compared to the America versions.

They write it off as "stopping hackers" (What?) but it's really so they can price gouge Japan.
 
L

LAA

Member
cj_iwakura said:
Why validate a niche group's complaints when it's easier just to ignore them and hope they'll go away?
Click to expand...

Bad excuse either way.

Simply put, theres no reason why we should just accept this, therefore what we want is unreasonable.

All the times in history where the minorities views were accepted...
Its just bad to ignore them.

Seriously, I'd accept a BS excuse, (Though probably criticise it to hell), but no response at all is simply unacceptable in this day and age.
 
G

gngf123

Member
LAA said:
Seriously, I'd accept a BS excuse, (Though probably criticise it to hell), but no response at all is simply unacceptable in this day and age.
Click to expand...

Nintendo? We got a BS excuse from them. It was before the campaign really took off, but we did get an excuse.

"From some people's perspective, it might seem like a kind of restriction. However, we hope people can appreciate the fact that we're selling our products worldwide. There are many different regions around the world, and each region has its own cultural acceptance and legal restrictions, as well as different age ratings. There are always things that we're required to do in each different region, which may go counter to the idea that players around the world want the freedom to play whatever they want."
Click to expand...

not_so_special said:
a lot of nintendo fans defend this here..i dont know why..but alas there is people for everything
Click to expand...

Not really, no. On the whole, they are some of the people most against this. One or two crazy people aside.

Anyway, here is the Nintendo region free thread: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=585936
 
L

Law Abiding Stranger

Banned
Region locking is mostly due to help domestic sales in Japan, Nintendo is especially hellbent on it due to the amount of software they sell there.

Most of the time it would be CHEAPER for japanese gamer to import a game from overseas than going to nearest shop and just buying it.
 
K

Kandrick

GAF's Ed McMahon
Law Abiding Stranger said:
Region locking is mostly due to help domestic sales in Japan, Nintendo is especially hellbent on it due to the amount of software they sell there.

Most of the time it would be CHEAPER for japanese gamer to import a game from overseas than going to nearest shop and just buying it.
Click to expand...

Just like it's cheaper for people here to import from the US than buy from a store in most cases. Not to mention that a lot of games come out faster/only in the US to begin with.

Europe is still waiting on EO4, Soul Hackers, and SMTIV for example. If it was region free, i would have bought all three already, for less than it would cost me to buy them here when they come out.
 
D

Doctor Ninja

Sphincter Speaker
Yeah, it is saddening indeed that region locking exists. I know a friend who cannot buy anything published by Rockstar from Steam because of it :(
 
H

halfbeast

Banned
region-locking is the stupidest thing this industry invented. I'm boycotting nintendo products because of that. there's seriously NO excuse to have your device region-locked and nobody should support it.

I was actually surprised (or even shocked) sony made their console region-free, especially since they are the ones who shut down lik-sang.

the same goes for videos on youtube and co.

edit: oh and I forgot, I once wanted to buy the Muscle March OST on iTunes - LOL it's us only! (fuck you namco for that)
 
T

toddhunter

Member
not_so_special said:
a lot of nintendo fans defend this here..i dont know why..but alas there is people for everything
Click to expand...

The common argument is that we should embrace region locking because it protects small publishers and their profits.

Of course this argument only makes sense from regions that actually get those games. For the rest of us, the threat of not getting more games instead of not getting games is somewhat empty.
 
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