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[butter_stick]

I've explained numerous times, it's nothing to do with trying to stop you playing your otaku games, it's to stop mass importing and reselling by companies. UK company import 100 copies of Game X from US, sells it cheaper than Game X retails for in the UK. It's the same with DVDs. It's not that complicated. You keep talking about your actions like you are the target. You're not. No company gives a shit about a few nerds importing region exclusive games. The point of region locking is to control the flow of money in each region and enable companies to price games as they please.

 

[TGO]

Money, simple as
though its not as a bigger deal now.
60 dollar game will cost about 40 pounds anyway & now "Sony atleast" adjusted prices, you can't buy a console
at cheap prices, I know people hated Sony for the 599 shit but in reality it was only 100 pounds more to the UK
for example PS2 299 pounds vs 299 dollars, thats 189 pounds & how much are UK gamers paying? 470 dollars
thats why I laugh at people thinking PS4/720 are gonna be 299 dollars, probably 299 pounds
but ya looking at about 450 dollar is they're being generous, it's all about the currency.
and sadly some people's money ain worth shit.

 

[disappeared]

The same reason all locks exist, to be broken into

I like this answer.

 

[Region-FreeWii]

Region locking sucks I tells ya! SUCKS!!

 

[saunderez]

I've explained numerous times, it's nothing to do with trying to stop you playing your otaku games, it's to stop mass importing and reselling by companies. UK company import 100 copies of Game X from US, sells it cheaper than Game X retails for in the UK. It's the same with DVDs. It's not that complicated. You keep talking about your actions like you are the target. You're not. No company gives a shit about a few nerds importing region exclusive games. The point of region locking is to control the flow of money in each region and enable companies to price games as they please.

How about incentivising distributors to buy local stock instead of importing and removing consumer rights? Of course that'd be way too hard, it's much easier to punish your customers by removing their consumer right to grey import.

Answer me this butter_stick. I live in a PAL region. I import Game X from the UK. The local distributor sees no money from this. The game works on my Australian PAL console due to being the same region. How is this any different than if I imported the game from the US? It's not except for the fact the NTSC game simply won't work due to an artificial barrier. What benefit does the local distributor get from this arrangement? None at all. I still imported the game and they didn't receive a cent. In reality this is what happens. If they really wanted to protect local distributors why aren't there more zones? One for every country would be fair and would solve the "problem" once and for all.

 

[butter_stick]

How about incentivising distributors to buy local stock instead of importing and removing consumer rights? Of course that'd be way too hard, it's much easier to punish your customers by removing their consumer right to grey import.

Answer me this butter_stick. I live in a PAL region. I import Game X from the UK. The local distributor sees no money from this. How is this any different than if I imported the game from the US? What benefit does the local distributor get from this arrangement? Because in reality this is what happens.

It'd be too tedious to lock by country. They do it by region. I don't need to justify incredibly obvious things. Region locking is done for financial reasons, no other reason would make sense.

 

[saunderez]

It'd be too tedious to lock by country. They do it by region. I don't need to justify incredibly obvious things. Region locking is done for financial reasons, no other reason would make sense.

Then by your own admission, region locking doesn't even do what it's intended to do. It doesn't prevent me from importing. It only defines where I can import from. I can still skirt my local distributor by importing from another PAL region and ensure no money gets to them. Retailers can legally import stock from the same places I can (and they do). What exactly is the point of it if it doesn't actually protect local distributors at all?

 

[butter_stick]

You got me. Region locking doesn't stop Europeans importing from other European countries. My point no longer stands.

 

[R_thanatos]

I've explained numerous times, it's nothing to do with trying to stop you playing your otaku games, it's to stop mass importing and reselling by companies. UK company import 100 copies of Game X from US, sells it cheaper than Game X retails for in the UK. It's the same with DVDs. It's not that complicated. You keep talking about your actions like you are the target. You're not. No company gives a shit about a few nerds importing region exclusive games. The point of region locking is to control the flow of money in each region and enable companies to price games as they please.

Sigh**

1- I'm not the target but i suffer from their actions .. This shit need to stop

2- Steam and psn or the regular ds ( markets ) proved that the effect of this practice is null and void and doesn't change anything ..
Why importing , when you'll have to pay extra fees, and taxes ( very present in many countries ) ? This shouldn't be an advantage for someone like me if the prices were right , but that allow your precious companies to give us some bullsh*t like 50$ = 50 €.. Yeah they control money ..but only for themselves .. it's only a price bonus they don't want to let go that penalize a part of consummers that want to import for the right reasons ( me ) and EVERYONE ELSE by extension since they prevent a free market.

Again steam , psn and the ds market proved that the market is doing JUST fine without region locking so there is no reason for it to exist and you are justifying a system that only want to take more of our consummer money.

It'd be too tedious to lock by country. They do it by region. I don't need to justify incredibly obvious things. Region locking is done for financial reasons, no other reason would make sense.

It won't be tedious ..they just learned from the past ..if you lock too much then consummers pirate ... and once they start pirating they don't buy anything.

You got me. Region locking doesn't stop Europeans importing from other European countries. My point no longer stands.

It really doesn't stand .. last time i checked Australia doesn't have Euro , nor all europeans countries have it ... so the same twists on the price nor to mention the different laws on each countries doesn't change the market either...

I'll say it again ... in a system where you don't have a region lock ( PS3 ) nothing , and i mean it NOTHING happenned ... people got their games where it's cheaper for them and all the stores evolved and are doing just fine ...

Region locking has no purpose in this day and age except from satisfying some money hungry corporation that always want more money..

You're here telling us that this is something that can't be helped thinking nothing has changed in the last 8 years ? i don't believe in this fantasy

 

[saunderez]

You got me. Region locking doesn't stop Europeans importing from other European countries. My point no longer stands.

I'm an Australian and can import any game from Europe. I could even import PAL versions of games that aren't even in English and they'd still play on my Australian PAL 360. The system fails if it's goal is to protect the Australian distributors of these games because I can buy them cheaper from the UK. Retailers can do the same thing, region locking doesn't prevent them at all.

 

[Durante]

It'd be too tedious to lock by country. They do it by region. I don't need to justify incredibly obvious things. Region locking is done for financial reasons, no other reason would make sense.

So what you're saying is actually the same thing everyone is saying: region locking is exclusively designed for shameless profiteering on part of the publishers, and every gamer should be fighting for it to be abolished.

 

[butter_stick]

So what you're saying is actually the same thing everyone is saying: region locking is exclusively designed for shameless profiteering on part of the publishers, and every gamer should be fighting for it to be abolished.

I have no problem with companies making money. People have a very narrow minded, "what about me?" view to everything.

 

[AnGer]

We've got country locking already, though this is mostly the fault of different views on how a game's content should be rated.

 

[pslayer666]

DLC is region locked.

Even more reason to not buy DLC!!!

 

[encephalon]

Aside from pricing itself, it's probably important information for publishers, developers, console manufacturers, etc to know how games are doing in one region as opposed to another. When people buy game versions outside of their region they're not contributing to releases in their own versions. I would think that Japanese companies that have their games localized would be a fan of it.

I hate it though.

 

[Kyari]

I remember when Nintendo threw a hissy fit because a whole bunch of UK retailers were importing Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire since there was like an 8 month delay on europe over america. Started telling GameStation they'd ban them from direct stock from Nintendo.

I imagine it really has to do with price/stock control and PR control. It used to be cheaper for me to import most games from the US to the UK even after postage.

I imagine part of it is to do with publishers changing between regions too.

 

[Durante]

I have no problem with companies making money. People have a very narrow minded, "what about me?" view to everything.

I'm all for developers making money. But I don't give a shit about publishers or distributors.

 

[Dead Man]

Because console (and software) developers want to enjoy the benefits of globalization while denying the same benefits to consumers.

Bingo.

This is the crux of it. Globalisation is fine until customers can play too, in which case artificial barriers are erected, like region locking.

That too.

It's not region locked. I can buy and use any DLC that I want, but with a Japanese account.

It´s still silly and non practical, but at least there is the chance.

Region lock is region lock.

COD4 had dlc locked by region, only certain Bles# discs would work with each store, and for weeks that information was nowhere in the PSN store. SO people that bought a game in one region and DLC in another got fucked.

 

[Erethian]

So what you're saying is actually the same thing everyone is saying: region locking is exclusively designed for shameless profiteering on part of the publishers, and every gamer should be fighting for it to be abolished.

Not just publishers, but the local retailers who put pressure on publishers to restrict the price competition. And the local branches of publishers, or the companies that have licensed the property, who want to protect their own financial interest. Or investment in the case of licensees.

 

[mclem]

I'm all for developers making money. But I don't give a shit about publishers or distributors.

Short of everyone going Kickstarter (which I think I would adore... although my wallet wouldn't!), though, the publishers are the ones who *give* the developers money in the expectation of making money in return. Reduce the expected return and it'll have a knock-on effect.

Don't misunderstand me and think that I'm saying that region-locking is *good* - just that in the current model publisher profit is a necessary component of developer profit. I'd rather a shake-up for the model, hence my love for Kickstarter, but it's not an all-encompassing plan.

 

[NHale]

I have no problem with companies making money. People have a very narrow minded, "what about me?" view to everything.

So explain me this:

EA releases NCAA Football 13 for X360 and PS3. The game is a NTSC release only. You want to give control to publishers to decide if they want region locked games or not (just like X360). Past years have shown that EA always locks the X360 version, so if they could they would lock the PS3 version also.

I have a PAL X360 and PS3 and want to buy the game but if it's region locked I can't play it, so of course I won't buy it. How can the "company" make money if I don't spend my money to buy their NTSC game? Clearly this means I'm entitled or something, but please explain me how is this good way for a company to make money...

 

[Eusis]

Believe it or not, in the long term region locking is good for the industry. The people who need to make money, make money, and the industry gets to police its own standards.

At the moment it is only Sony defying this rule, and that is mainly because they are desperate to establish a presence with any means necessary, even if it means hurting customers in the long run. If other hardware builders were to follow suit, you would soon have greater government intervention in terms of trade tariffs and subsidies, not to mention government-controlled watchdog organisations charged with monitoring who is playing what.

I realise people are selfish though, being generally impatient and wanting to play what they want when they want. And then you also have cases of severe incompetence, as recently witnessed with NoA's steadfast refusal to bring this gen's top JRPG to North American shores. But these are things we have to learn to live with, for the long term sake of this industry we all adore.

This wasn't an issue for all their prior handhelds.

 

[R_thanatos]

I have no problem with companies making money. People have a very narrow minded, "what about me?" view to everything.

This isnt about me .this is about them keeping more money than they should just because they can

 

[Durante]

Short of everyone going Kickstarter (which I think I would adore... although my wallet wouldn't!), though, the publishers are the ones who *give* the developers money in the expectation of making money in return. Reduce the expected return and it'll have a knock-on effect.

Don't misunderstand me and think that I'm saying that region-locking is *good* - just that in the current model publisher profit is a necessary component of developer profit. I'd rather a shake-up for the model, hence my love for Kickstarter, but it's not an all-encompassing plan.

I'm aware of why publishers were required traditionally, but crowd funding and independent development is "all-encompassing" enough for me. With cheap digital distribution on PC and the power of kickstarter, I can finally say that I wouldn't much mind if all publishers went belly-up tomorrow. It's very liberating.

 

[AnGer]

I'm aware of why publishers were required traditionally, but crowd funding and independent development is "all-encompassing" enough for me. With cheap digital distribution on PC and the power of kickstarter, I can finally say that I wouldn't much mind if all publishers went belly-up tomorrow. It's very liberating.

Digital distribution is not for everyone (I personally prefer buying a hard copy if available) and I have some doubts about the seriousness of kickstarter, mostly because the service is not exactly transparent.

 

[raven777]

I really hate Region locks.

If sony is doing no region locks with PS3 and Vita, I don't see why other companies like Nintendo and Microsoft should keep region locks.

I mean the original NDS (until DSL) had no region lock, but 3DS has it now.

I just hope Sony keeps this policy and have no region lock in next playstation.

 

[AnGer]

Sony did insert some sort of region lock by not letting people import. Lik-Sang had to close because of that and us Europeans couldn't buy PSP and PS3 games on Play-Asia or any website of the sort.

 

[Zoe]

Sony did insert some sort of region lock by not letting people import. Lik-Sang had to close because of that and us Europeans couldn't buy PSP and PS3 games on Play-Asia or any website of the sort.

Already been covered, and that's no longer the case.

 

[AnGer]

Already been covered, and that's no longer the case.

Already covered? Ugh, I should pay more attention. And yes, I know the embargo no longer exists, but I just wanted to state this fact since it seemed to me that raven777 was portraying Sony as some sort of anti-region lock saint which they simply were not.

 

[Mitsurux]

I've explained numerous times, it's nothing to do with trying to stop you playing your otaku games, it's to stop mass importing and reselling by companies. UK company import 100 copies of Game X from US, sells it cheaper than Game X retails for in the UK. It's the same with DVDs. It's not that complicated. You keep talking about your actions like you are the target. You're not. No company gives a shit about a few nerds importing region exclusive games. The point of region locking is to control the flow of money in each region and enable companies to price games as they please.

I would add it also (in some cases) has to do with which companies hold the rights for specific properties in different regions, so legal issues could also be a factor.

As well as corporate deals to distribute games in other regions. (Secifically thinking of Square and EA past works)

 

[Disgaeamad]

Because console (and software) developers want to enjoy the benefits of globalization while denying the same benefits to consumers.

Beautiful post.

 

[Barrel Cannon]

Afraid of cultural barriers being an issue. Region locks on 360 games are up to the developer iirc. Virtual On Force from Japan works on my NTSC 360.

 

[R_thanatos]

I would add it also (in some cases) has to do with which companies hold the rights for specific properties in different regions, so legal issues could also be a factor.

As well as corporate deals to distribute games in other regions. (Secifically thinking of Square and EA past works)

1 - that never was an issue with the games now.. Jump Ultimate stars ( DS ) is a mess in that aspect yet the fact it was a region free game never caused any damage to any brand within every series & licenses in the game..

2 - As for the deals , all those issues are in the past ... Demon soul being region free ( and having an ASIA version massively imported ) didn't prevent a localisation by atlus in USA or namco in Europe and Atlus marketing the release as a success to the point that they extended the server activity.

The minor cases where it could be an issue doesn't justify a global region lock system and even Sony understand this ( because they did made some spécifics version of their localisations in those cases )..