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Square-Enix gouging JP PC players of Tomb Raider : 30$ for JP language pack

E

EvB

Member
RyougaSaotome said:
Yeah. The bigger problem, correct me if I'm wrong, is that the original western Steam version had Japanese language and subtitle options, but SE patched them out, leading to this DLC.

So yeah, if you bought the JP version on Steam, there'd be no problem. This is for Japanese people who own a western copy of the game.
Click to expand...

Region locking incoming next gen!

Grey importing is becoming a big problem for certain countries, it's half the reason the UK's game sales are so high, because all of Europe is buying their games in the UK because they are half the price after the exchange rate.
 
D

Durante

Member
All of this shit is just a result of the ridiculous game prices in Japan. Of course, this is a particularly egregious instance.

EvB said:
Grey importing is becoming a big problem for certain countries, it's half the reason the UK's game sales are so high, because all of Europe is buying their games in the UK because they are half the price after the exchange rate.
Click to expand...
Please don't call it "grey" importing, that could imply that there is anything at all wrong with it. Which there isn't. It's also not a problem for certain countries, it's a problem for certain companies.
 
ULTROS!

ULTROS!

People seem to like me because I am polite and I am rarely late. I like to eat ice cream and I really enjoy a nice pair of slacks.
RyougaSaotome said:
Yeah. The bigger problem, correct me if I'm wrong, is that the original western Steam version had Japanese language and subtitle options, but SE patched them out, leading to this DLC.

So yeah, if you bought the JP version on Steam, there'd be no problem. This is for Japanese people who own a western copy of the game.
Click to expand...

I see. So I guess if they buy the Western version (which was previously unpatched and had JP language), they'd be effectively getting it cheaper than the JP version thus SE is making a loss here? I can see why they took it out and sold it as DLC but that's pretty ballsy if you sell it as DLC.
 
R

RyougaSaotome

Member
Another correction. I don't Tomb Raider is out in any real official capacity here in Japan. The Steam version is the western version, but since it had Japanese voice/subtitle options, it was extremely import friendly. I'm a bit tired so you'll have to forgive me if I'm wrong.

So Japanese people who jumped at it are essentially getting fucked by this.
 
M

Mik2121

Member
Just went through the post and yeah, this is true and pretty damn crazy.

This company feels so out of the loop, charging crazy prices for iOS titles and now for sound/text files that any other company that offers it, does it for free...
 
M

mclem

Member
ULTROS! said:
I see. So I guess if they buy the Western version (which was previously unpatched and had JP language), they'd be effectively getting it cheaper than the JP version thus SE is making a loss here? I can see why they took it out and sold it as DLC but that's pretty ballsy if you sell it as DLC.
Click to expand...

If it is a regional pricing thing, then I kind of get the logic, but this certainly isn't the solution. That said, I'm not sure what the correct solution *is*; it's something I've been wondering about for a while.
 
R

Riddy

Member
To think, there was a point where a group of execs looked over this and said "Purposefully gimp a game via patch then charge to restore it? Yeah we can probably get away with that"
 
J

Jubern

Member
RyougaSaotome said:
Another correction. I don't Tomb Raider is out in any real official capacity here in Japan. The Steam version is the western version, but since it had Japanese voice/subtitle options, it was extremely import friendly.

So Japanese people who jumped at it are essentially getting fucked by this.
Click to expand...

But most of the people interested in the PC version would buy it on Steam. And a lot of publishers put a region lock on Steam games in Japan, so that it only unlock at x date here.

I'm not on a witch hunt but SE totally asked for this.
 
R

RyougaSaotome

Member
Jubern said:
But most of the people interested in the PC version would buy it on Steam. And a lot of publishers put a region lock on Steam games in Japan, so that it only unlock at x date here.

I'm not on a witch hunt but SE totally asked for this.
Click to expand...

Oh totally. I 100% agree with you. I was just trying to clarify which version of the game we're talking about here so people can get the full picture.

There's no way to spin this in which it's not absolutely fucking awful. They patched out options that were there are release and are now charging for them. This is gross.
 
S

Stuart444

Member
Riddy said:
To think, there was a point where a group of execs looked over this and said "Purposefully gimp a game via patch then charge to restore it? Yeah we can probably get away with that"
Click to expand...

When you say it like that... it does sound pretty unbelievable. The execs having what could be considered an evil "Find a way to screw our home country" meeting.

Imagine sitting in and listening on that meeting.
 
1

1-D_FTW

Member
antitrop said:
But JP VO was originally in the game!

They PATCHED IT OUT. That's the scandal, here.
Click to expand...

Wonder if Valve would offer refunds. Because it seems pretty illegal to sell a working game and then remove basic functionality (for 30 DLC) once you've made the sale.

If a Japanese gamer really wants it, I'd try and get a refund. Then "Will wait for Steam sale at 75% off" it.
 
K

Kyoufu

Member
Language pack DLC is going to become a trend I think. I know Soul Sacrifice also has it but in this case patching out something and selling it is disgusting.
 
A

antitrop

Member
This is at such a level of disgrace that I feel like it almost has to be some kind of communication error, translation error, or something.

There has to be a reasonable explanation for this.

If there isn't, they should burn. I'll be keeping my eye on this story, today.
 
NekoFever

NekoFever

Member
This is low on so many levels.

Even taking out the subtitles? So they couldn't play it with the original VO but with Japanese subtitles without paying $30? Fucking hell.
 
S

Slygmous

Member
That can't be right.

Nobody in their right mind would think this is a good idea. I refuse to believe a company would be this dense.
 
S

Stuart444

Member
Slygmous said:
That can't be right.

Nobody in their right mind would think this is a good idea. I refuse to believe a company would be this dense.
Click to expand...

Well... if they think there is a small enough player base that they could get away with it they might.

But it still gives me the image of a bunch of suits in a meeting talking about how to screw their home base. "I know, let's patch out their language and sell them it back at a HIGH price."

jaxword said:
Wada's still technically in power until June, yeah?
Click to expand...

Yes
 
R

rrs

Member
So what seems to have happened is:
Japanese bought western copies before it came out in Japan
SE yanked it out with an update, and charging $30 for it.

Quite scummy, but it leaves us with questions:
1. Why wasn't western copies locked out of registering from Japan?
2. How many people would be effected by this outside of Japan
3. What does this tell of the price of the local release in Japan, and when will the VO be free again elsewhere?
 
J

Jubern

Member
thecharrr said:
So what seems to have happened is:
Japanese bought western copies before it came out in Japan
SE yanked it out with an update, and charging $30 for it.

Quite scummy, but it leaves us with questions:
1. Why wasn't western copies locked out of registering from Japan?
Click to expand...

The game is legally sold on Steam and readily available for anyone in Japan, with Japanese language support originally. It's not like anybody actually imported anything.
 
1

1-D_FTW

Member
mclem said:
Could you not work around this by turning off autoupdate?
Click to expand...

No. You can turn off updates in Steam, but you can't actually launch a title until it's been updated to the latest version.

Unless, I guess, you'd already been operating in offline mode and disabled internet. But who does that?
 
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