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[dallow_bg]

Pretty sure the game is region free now. Midway changed their mind after ppl complained. So I guess the option to lock is in there.

Yup.

 

[gcubed]

I posted in the Netflix thread, but since I have a Japanese PS3 I got screwed by the recent Netflix update. The disc will only work for 29 more days, so I just canceled my Netflix service as I only used it on my PS3 anyway.

I gave their customer service a call after cancelling my account (Netflix doesn't have a contact email address), and the lady I spoke to was very nice and agreed with me that it is strange that the new PS3 application is the only Netflix access point that is arbitrarily region locked. She assured me that she will forward my problem to the team that developed the application. I doubt anything will come of this, but I'll be sure to keep an eye out if they ever remove this region lock so I can resume my service.

i believe netflix said they were going to fix this in a future update... which i would guess means they will turn to ip blocking instead of console region

 

[Yama]

I would, but I have no games from other regions. Unless you count the DL Siren: Blood Curse I purchased from the HK PSN store.

Lightning PS3:

(US) KZ2 - Check
(JP) Boku No Natsuyasumi 3 - Check
(Asia) TORO Let's Party! - Check
(Korea) Demon's Souls - Check

Good to go, as if I really needed to check all those. Meh.

 

[Rapstah]

Here's the picture that article uses as proof of games being allowed this in 3.5:

 

[The Faceless Master]

why are people saying that Stranglehold was region locked? it was region free at launch.

 

[gofreak]

Sony only promised that first party games would be region locked. They said that they'd leave it up to developers to make their own decision about whether or not they'd do the same. Which is basically how they are with many of the PS3 features.

Are you sure? Back in 2006 or so I vaguely recall specific interviews with Kutaragi and/or other execs were they talked about how the changes they decided to make at a licensing/platform level for PS3, among them region free games. It didn't sound like devs had an option.

I think if devs did have the option they would probably avail of it. See: 360.

Here's the picture that article uses as proof of games being allowed this in 3.5

Though my understanding is undoubtedly limited, I don't think this tells us anything about the more pertinent parts of the article's claims.

 

[jiggles]

Looks like the PS3 hackers are continuing to fuck up everything for the rest of us.

 

[Dr. Zoidberg]

I thought the reasoning of region free games was that it took away some of the incentive to hack the system. Same goes for Linux. Seemed to be working pretty well for Sony.

I don't buy this and I never have. The main reason the PS3 has been relatively secure so far has little to do with region-free/linux and everything to do with a well designed, hypervisor-based security model. They did a damn fine job and if it wasn't for the recent usb-based hack it would still be standing.

I suppose having those things might reduce the desire for a hack from a small subset of people but I'm fairly certain that 90% of hacking attempts on these consoles is fueled by the desire to play "backups".

 

[The Faceless Master]

i believe netflix said they were going to fix this in a future update... which i would guess means they will turn to ip blocking instead of console region

but they already have IP blocking!

 

[Noshino]

Pretty irresponsible of Mathieulh (if it really is him) to post something like this without even telling everyone what he tried to run. Also pretty funny how he didn't know that the feature was always in there.

a hacker being irresponsible? get out of here! that is madness! that is so unlike them!

 

[RyanDG]

Are you sure? Back in 2006 or so I vaguely recall specific interviews with Kutaragi and/or other execs were they talked about how the changes they decided to make at a licensing/platform level for PS3, among them region free games. It didn't sound like devs had an option.

I think if devs did have the option they would probably avail of it. See: 360.




Though my understanding is undoubtedly limited, I don't think this tells us anything about the more pertinent parts of the article's claims.

Like I mentioned before, it was stated that Strangehold would be region locked on the PS3. As others mentioned, they took it off because of the backlash on the title, but it is obvious that if Stranglehold had the possibility to be region locked, that tool has been available to the publishers since at least 2007.

 

[gofreak]

Looks like the PS3 hackers are continuing to fuck up everything for the rest of us.

I don't see the relationship at all between gameos security and region free games.

I think perhaps on a number of fronts people are seeing correlations and putting 2 and 2 together and getting 5. At least I hope so.

 

[xero273]

why are people saying that Stranglehold was region locked? it was region free at launch.

we already said it was region free, but seems like Midway had an option to region lock it going by old comments.

 

[The Faceless Master]

I don't see the relationship at all between gameos security and region free games.

I think perhaps on a number of fronts people are seeing correlations and putting 2 and 2 together and getting 5. At least I hope so.

that's because there is no relation. if it's just a setting in the PARAM.SFO then people who backup their games can just edit it to be region free.

 

[gcubed]

but they already have IP blocking!

well maybe they will turn off the console region blocking. I think engadget had the article that netflix stated they will address the console blocking problem in a new update next month

 

[StuBurns]

but they already have IP blocking!

They certainly have region blocking also though, if you disconnect the PS3 from the net, you still get the same region lock NetFlix message.

"This software cannot be stated due to region restrictions."

 

[The Faceless Master]

we already said it was region free, but seems like Midway had an option to region lock it going by old comments.

i remember lots of people speculating about it, but as with Bayonetta, i don't remember people from Midway or Sega/Platinum saying it was on the table.

 

[RyanDG]

i remember lots of people speculating about it, but as with Bayonetta, i don't remember people from Midway or Sega/Platinum saying it was on the table.

http://www.siliconera.com/2007/07/31/stranglehold-the-first-region-locked-playstation-3-game/

It was directly from the Midway forums that the collector's edition of Stranglehold would be hard locked to the NA region due to the addition of the Hard Boiled release.

 

[gofreak]

Like I mentioned before, it was stated that Strangehold would be region locked on the PS3. As others mentioned, they took it off because of the backlash on the title, but it is obvious that if Stranglehold had the possibility to be region locked, that tool has been available to the publishers since at least 2007.

If this is true, I'm very puzzled as to why no pub has ever used it.

Are we sure this wasn't a mix up around the dual move-game version? Maybe at the time the moderator who first talked about the PS3 version being region locked had his wires crossed. Perhaps they were planning to lock the discs with the movie on it also, which might have been possible. (Although I understand that all versions were ultimately region free).

I really find it hard to believe that if region locking has been available to pubs, Midway was the only pub to even attempt to use it in one title.

OTOH, if it was true, it means there's really nothing 'new' here - i.e. nothing to worry about.

 

[Prime crotch]

Why the fuck is Netflix region locked! I want to watch movies!
Just because I'm on an entirely different continente, not cool netflix.

 

[RyanDG]

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2007/08/stranglehold-will-not-be-region-locked-on-the-ps3.ars

And here's where they announce they are removing the region coding.

 

[jiggles]

I don't see the relationship at all between gameos security and region free games.

I think perhaps on a number of fronts people are seeing correlations and putting 2 and 2 together and getting 5. At least I hope so.

Yeah, I agree, but that's not nearly kneejerky enough.

 

[SolidSnakex]

Are you sure? Back in 2006 or so I vaguely recall specific interviews with Kutaragi and/or other execs were they talked about how the changes they decided to make at a licensing/platform level for PS3, among them region free games. It didn't sound like devs had an option.

I think if devs did have the option they would probably avail of it. See: 360.

I'm 100% sure. I've been looking for the quotes from Sony but can't find them right now. If you do a Google search for something like "PS3 region free first party" you'll find many people mentioning the same thing. But there's no sign that any dev has started to start region locking games. We definitely would've heard a lot more about it if something like that had happened.

 

[The Faceless Master]

http://www.siliconera.com/2007/07/31/stranglehold-the-first-region-locked-playstation-3-game/

It was directly from the Midway forums that the collector's edition of Stranglehold would be hard locked to the NA region due to the addition of the Hard Boiled release.

in the thread linked in that article, a forum mod says it's region locked, but Midway Support says it isn't... hrm...

 

[RyanDG]

If this is true, I'm very puzzled as to why no pub has ever used it.

Are we sure this wasn't a mix up around the dual move-game version? Maybe at the time the moderator who first talked about the PS3 version being region locked had his wires crossed. Perhaps they were planning to lock the discs with the movie on it also, which might have been possible. (Although I understand that all versions were ultimately region free).

I really find it hard to believe that if region locking has been available to pubs, Midway was the only pub to even attempt to use it in one title.

OTOH, if it was true, it means there's really nothing 'new' here - i.e. nothing to worry about.

in the thread linked in that article, a forum mod says it's region locked, but Midway Support says it isn't... hrm...

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2007/08/stranglehold-will-not-be-region-locked-on-the-ps3.ars

Take a look at the follow up post:

"Midway has decided to make both the standard version and the North American Collector's Edition (with Hard Boiled on Blu-ray) of Stranglehold region free. Please be clear that the Collector's Edition with the movie is only available in North America, so if you live elsewhere, you'll have to buy it as an import.

I guess the higher ups do listen to you guys on the forums!"

They make it clear that it was in consideration and Midway decided to make both versions region free.

 

[xero273]

i remember lots of people speculating about it, but as with Bayonetta, i don't remember people from Midway or Sega/Platinum saying it was on the table.

just looked at the article and it was from forum moderator :lol so don't know

 

[The Faceless Master]

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2007/08/stranglehold-will-not-be-region-locked-on-the-ps3.ars

And here's where they announce they are removing the region coding.

so a forum mod says it's region locked, then later says it's region free... yeah... sounds like the forum mod didn't have their facts straight.

 

[gofreak]

I'm 100% sure. I've been looking for the quotes from Sony but can't find them right now. If you do a Google search for something like "PS3 region free first party" you'll find many people mentioning the same thing. But there's no sign that any dev has started to start region locking games. We definitely would've heard a lot more about it if something like that had happened.

I found an article referring to what I'm referring to, that is GDC 06, when Phil Harrison did a q+a after his presentation.

You can see one article posted here about it:

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6146475.html

I remember seeing video of that session. I can't find the video now, but I recall him talking about how there'd be one universal type of disc - which would make it easier for pubs - with no region coding. But that it would be up to devs to decide what video formats they wanted to support (but with HD that's immaterial since the formats are the same globally).

So maybe that's where confusion arose - video format support vs actual region coding.

 

[Noshino]

If this is true, I'm very puzzled as to why no pub has ever used it.

Are we sure this wasn't a mix up around the dual move-game version? Maybe at the time the moderator who first talked about the PS3 version being region locked had his wires crossed. Perhaps they were planning to lock the discs with the movie on it also, which might have been possible. (Although I understand that all versions were ultimately region free).

I really find it hard to believe that if region locking has been available to pubs, Midway was the only pub to even attempt to use it in one title.

OTOH, if it was true, it means there's really nothing 'new' here - i.e. nothing to worry about.

well, I just don't see where the advantage is from a sales point of view

 

[RyanDG]

so a forum mod says it's region locked, then later says it's region free... yeah... sounds like the forum mod didn't have their facts straight.

My point is that with this information along with the previous link I posted, it shows that the capability to region lock titles appears to be in the publisher's hands. You can state that you think it is because the forum mod not having his facts straight, but with both bits of information there seems to be more in it than that.

The previous link I posted was here:
http://edepot.com/playstation3.html

Which also explains the region locked potential due to supported video formatting and possibility of region locking with disk codes.

 

[Callibretto]

XMB is like a web page. Some app links just appear under categories from time to time. Click it to install.

is there a way to just disable that app links? it's a bit annoying to have netflix logo in my video folder that will never ever be used since I don't live in US.

 

[Shinjitsu]

Region Locks are the stupidest shit ever.

 

[zerokoolpsx]

Region Locks are the stupidest shit ever.

This! People won't be importing games anymore if this is true. Guess they don't like money.

 

[H_Prestige]

Sony only promised that first party games would be region locked. They said that they'd leave it up to developers to make their own decision about whether or not they'd do the same. Which is basically how they are with many of the PS3 features.

So why do third parties region lock their 360 games but on their ps3 games?

 

[Man]

is there a way to just disable that app links? it's a bit annoying to have netflix logo in my video folder that will never ever be used since I don't live in US.

You don't get apps that you're region won't be able to use.

 

[SolidSnakex]

So why do third parties region lock their 360 games but on their ps3 games?

All first party PS3 titles are region free. So when a developer chooses to to go region locked there's a lot of backlash (see the Stranglehold backlash). From what I know there are some region locked MS first party games so there's obvious wiggle room for third party devs to do the same.

 

[The Faceless Master]

My point is that with this information along with the previous link I posted, it shows that the capability to region lock titles appears to be in the publisher's hands. You can state that you think it is because the forum mod not having his facts straight, but with both bits of information there seems to be more in it than that.

something more to it? really? why does it seem like there's more to it than a forum mod got their facts wrong? you're saying in under a week, they decided that they would switch from region locks to region free due to customer demand is a more reasonable explanation than the mod was just wrong?

The previous link I posted was here:
http://edepot.com/playstation3.html

Which also explains the region locked potential due to supported video formatting and possibility of region locking with disk codes.

unsupported video format is a TV issue, not a region lock.

 

[electroshockwave]

So ultimately we have no evidence of PS3 games being region locked and no evidence that anything has been changed affecting region locks?

This thread needs to be closed or given a different title (since so many people don't read the OP nevermind the rest of the thread) before this makes its way to Kotaku.

 

[The Faceless Master]

So ultimately we have no evidence of PS3 games being region locked and no evidence that anything has been changed affecting region locks?

This thread needs to be closed or given a different title (since so many people don't read the OP nevermind the rest of the thread) before this makes its way to Kotaku.

it was already given a different title.

 

[RyanDG]

something more to it? really? why does it seem like there's more to it than a forum mod got their facts wrong? you're saying in under a week, they decided that they would switch from region locks to region free due to customer demand is a more reasonable explanation than the mod was just wrong?



unsupported video format is a TV issue, not a region lock.

For the first part - hard for me to say really. But do I think that Midway would let the mod post on the forums that it was in consideration (at least one point in development) when it really wasn't especially after the fact that the mod probably caused a huge inundation with calls to customer service/support? I think that if the mod was mistaken, he would've posted he was mistaken. I don't think Midway would've let the post go up that it was something in consideration when it actually wasn't for the follow up post. Just my thoughts.

As for the second aspect - read the portion that was dealing with region locking more carefully. It specifically states that yes, the video formatting is a potential soft region lock, but more importantly disk codes have the ability to be region locked as a potential on the PS3.

 

[Metal B]

Looks like the PS3 hackers are continuing to fuck up everything for the rest of us.

Its the other way around. As soon as there will be region-look, the PS3 number of hackers and hack users will rise dramatic . I have no idea, why Sony make this decision, which basically saved them from the need of hacking. OS and regionfree are the the only nice reason to hack a console and the other option were pretty much unmorality. With this out the way, the people will look for a way to hack the PS3 and get this options back ... behind them will sail the pirates.

 

[Huevos de Oro]

This thread needs to be closed or given a different title (since so many people don't read the OP nevermind the rest of the thread) before this makes its way to Kotaku.

And thus the GAF>Internet>GAF circle will be closed once more.

 

[Burai]

Lot's of conclusions being jumped to here.

It's hardly surprising the Netflix app is region locked. The last thing they need are tons of people signing up for the service only to find out they are IP blocked and demanding refunds.

Yet somehow we are to supposed to leap to the conclusion that all games from now on are region locked because some moron who runs a forum said so?

Are we NeoKotaku now?

 

[Yeef]

And who the fuck gives a shit about you not caring? What the fuck do monkeys like you think when they make posts like this? Like in the "no more NPDs" thread. Seriously, if you don't care, don't fucking post. Other people do, if you can understand the concept of "other people who are not entirely similar to you".

This is off-topic, but the phrase "entirely similar" amuses me greatly.

I'm not sure why people are so quick to trust some no-name site with little to no details on this sort of thing. Especially considering it's in another language. If Google translate is at all accurate the article basically says "Since 3.30 developers have had the ability to region lock games, but none have so far." There doesn't appear to be any source for this information either.

 

[Corto]

I once created a similar thread because I got the same error message while trying to buy a PSN game from the USA PSN store (I'm in Europe) and it was only because the store was down on maintenance. So now I'm a little bit less paranoid when this message comes up.

 

[MANGOD]

No more the show for me then. DISAPPOINT I AM

 

[The Faceless Master]

For the first part - hard for me to say really. But do I think that Midway would let the mod post on the forums that it was in consideration (at least one point in development) when it really wasn't especially after the fact that the mod probably caused a huge inundation with calls to customer service/support? I think that if the mod was mistaken, he would've posted he was mistaken. I don't think Midway would've let the post go up that it was something in consideration when it actually wasn't for the follow up post. Just my thoughts.

it may be hard for you to say, but it was probably harder for the forum mod to admit they were wrong, so the inspiring story of "you changed our minds, we do listen!" comes about.

As for the second aspect - read the portion that was dealing with region locking more carefully. It specifically states that yes, the video formatting is a potential soft region lock, but more importantly disk codes have the ability to be region locked as a potential on the PS3.

that's just speculation based on the disk ID naming scheme.