Region locking: good or bad?

[Rummy]

So, latest news is that the Wii U will, too, be region locked. I was wondering what people's thoughts on this were, and whether you think region locking still has a place in the modern console market. Iiirc, both the 360 and PS3 were not region locked; as far as I'm aware this had no negative impact on them either.

 

So why do Nintendo still insist on doing it? Do you think it still has a place in the modern marketplace? Why do you think they do it? Poor decision, or good decision? Your thoughts, hit me with them!

[S.C.G]

Bad because assuming certain games only get released in Japan/America we'll have no option but to miss out on them.

 

Of course if Nintendo managed to ensure that every major game actually gets released in every region with little delay between territories - say a week or so difference between each - then we'd have no need to worry even if it was region locked.

 

As I understand it though releases get staggered over here for a reason and that's so we get them at the time when it's likely to be most profitable for the company, which is why we only see certain games at the same time each year - or in the year that they are released - so I can still see the reasoning even if I don't completely agree with it.

[Cube]

The Xbox 360 is region locked, however the locking is on the disc and isn't required (so it's up to the publisher).

 

The PS3 is region free for games, but (extremely annoyingly) is region locked for Blu-Rays.

 

From a customer standpoint, there is nothing good about region locking.

[Fused King]

Bad

 

10char

[pratty]

From a customer standpoint, there is nothing good about region locking.

 

Exactly what I thought. Though in Europe the Wii hasn't done too badly, at least I don't feel like I've missed out on too much anyway.

[Cube]

I missed out on the sequel to my favourite Wii game (Excite Truck).

[Rummy]

Exactly my thoughts, SCG. There's some gems that get released abroad that we don't get to see(and possibly vice-versa ie rainfall) and I would have thought keeping the console region free, if anything, would BENEFIT in that people would at least buy these titles from abroad. From Nintendo's PoV, what's the advantage in Region Locking? Stopping console import/taking advantage of the market or game import?

[Dcubed]

So, latest news is that the Wii U will, too, be region locked. I was wondering what people's thoughts on this were, and whether you think region locking still has a place in the modern console market. Iiirc, both the 360 and PS3 were not region locked; as far as I'm aware this had no negative impact on them either.

 

So why do Nintendo still insist on doing it? Do you think it still has a place in the modern marketplace? Why do you think they do it? Poor decision, or good decision? Your thoughts, hit me with them!

 

It's a pile of crap and I hate it with every fibre of my being, but it's seen as a necessity because it allows publishers to retain rights control across individual regions. Many times you'll find that the same game can have its publishing rights split across different regions (The Mario & Sonic series is a good example, with Nintendo owning publishing rights in Japan and SEGA owning them in the west) and importing just happens to subvert the control that each publisher has...

 

If they're gonna enforce them, the least they could do is work to get as many games released worldwide as possible and enable importers to easily get the games that don't end up coming out in their regions. Hopefully with Nintendo moving over to an account system, they'll allow us to have different regional accounts on a single Wii U that enable us to access the different regional online stores (ALA PS360)

 

Hell, why not offer import games on the eShop that wouldn't otherwise be released at all!? Stuff like Senran Kagura or the Taiko Drum Master games! It's basically free money that they otherwise wouldn't get!

Edited September 25, 2012 by Dcubed

[RedShell]

Region locking is evil, pure and simple.

 

Almost half of my DS collection is imported, mainly because I'm/was impatient however, there are also some classics amongst those that remain unreleased in Europe, like Contra 4 and Taiko no Tatsujin DS.

 

But there are some DS games I've missed out on, because importing and trying to play them in Japanese would have been pointless, stuff like:

 

Tomodachi Collection

Tingle's Balloon Trip of Love

KORG M01 Music Workstation (probably could have imported this, but there was some doubt if it would work on a Euro DSi, so I never did. )

 

Due to the region lock on Wii I've missed out on:

 

Captain Rainbow

Excitebots: Trick Racing

Fatal Frame IV

the Taiko no Tatsujin Wii games

Mario Super Sluggers (ok, that one is probably scraping the barrel now. )

Not only that, but I had to wait aaaaaages to play Minna no Rhythm Tengoku aka Beat the Beat.

 

So yeah, I hate region locking with a passion.

I also don't get it either, surely it makes more sense to encourage people to purchase all of these region specific games. I calculate that Nintendo themselves would have obtained an additional £150 from me alone if their games from the lists above had been released over here.

 

150 quid?! What the hell is that to the company that prints money™

Indeed, but multiply that amount by the thousands of fans across Europe that also would have purchased those games and I reckon Nintendo could have been printing quite a few extra sheets.

[Debug Mode]

From Nintendo's PoV, what's the advantage in Region Locking? Stopping console import/taking advantage of the market or game import?

 

Because they can inflate the prices in certain regions despite being available much cheaper in the other, without the customer having a choice as to what to go for.

 

This is exactly why they got in trouble with the European Courts. Not some recommend retail price bullshit every one seems to assume it is, it's because they tried for a long time to infringe on one of the EU's main principles, free trade between union members. They don't actually infringe on this any more thanks to regions being set to continents, but it's still a dated practise that actually has no excuse for existing.

 

Back in the day, region locking was done for a good reason. Our TV's, our power supplies and our copyright law etc all operated by different standards. These days, it's mostly been standardised, except for the power supply (But that can be overcome with a step down converter).

 

I fucking hate that practice as it forces me to buy more of what I already have. We've established a global market that's accessible to your every day guy and gal thanks to the internet, yet publishers aren't keen on accepting it.

[are1981]

I do not like it.

[Grazza]

Entirely bad, in my opinion.

 

I've never stolen anything in my life, but why shouldn't I be able to buy things that aren't released here or get certain versions of them? In the days of the Sega Saturn, you could get a switch fitted so that you could play games from any region, and choose between 50/60Hz too - it was even encouraged in magazines. The fact we still don't have these features as standard decades later is a very disappointing aspect of the video games industry.

 

The way I see it, there are different groups in society: There are those who will wait for official European releases no matter what, and only buy what they can browse in shops - fair play to them. Then there are those who will go to whatever lengths they can to steal and obtain wholly illegal copies. The third group - the fans - will generally get products from their region, but may occasionally want to import something. What's wrong with that? It seems to me less and less games are being localised nowadays. Code of Princess, for example, was released in Japan and the US but not Europe. What harm could it possibly do to allow European 3DS owners to import it? It just seems mean-spirited to me.

[FireMeowth]

I don't mind region locks at all, really. I don't want to play a game unless I can understand it (aka unless it's in English), and US exclusive games that I want to play are few and far between - I can actually only think of one game!

 

...And even if there were more examples, I'd say it's worth it considering I can laugh at my US friends who don't get to play several of the absolutely amazing games that we get. :3

 

So yeah. Basically, to me, it's not a bad thing because it doesn't really affect me negatively.

Less focus on whining about region locks and more on getting the good games to our region, please!

[heroicjanitor]

They want to force people to buy in some regions because they give some regions shocking prices. Sony have been good about it recently, but Nintendo have always been the worst for it. Even just the time it takes to release in different regions can be years. It does no good for consumers, it just limits their ability to get a good deal.

[Londragon]

Hopefully with Nintendo moving over to an account system, they'll allow us to have different regional accounts on a single Wii U that enable us to access the different regional online stores (ALA PS360)

 

Not a chance in hell of that happening.

[Cube]

And if Nintendo wanted to be utter dicks they could have some kind of IP/DNS detection to further limit the console for importers, requiring them to spoof it (like what is required to access Hulu).

 

Which is more likely than Nintendo simply allowing you to create an account for any region.

[Hero-of-Time]

Awful thing. Simply awful.

 

In this age of the internet where we can browse and shop online and get goods from various countries, this whole region locking should not be happening anymore.

 

One if the great things about handheld gaming was that you could get a game from any region and play it on your console. Nintendo region locking the 3DS is one of my biggest annoyances, especially as I could have being playing Monster Hunter since last Christmas. I love the series to bits, but having to buy another machine just to play it is a joke. It was great on the PSP as I just imported Portable 3rd, which is just as well because it never got released over here.

 

Like many others on these forums there were a few titles on the Wii which I would have liked to played but were never released over here. Excitebots, Arc Fantasia, Phantom Brave, Mario Sluggers are just the ones off the top off my head that I missed out on.

 

Another issue is the time it takes to get games in certain regions. Getting games from Japan to the west can take time, which I can understand, but when it's taking time getting games from the US to Europe it baffles me. Sony and Microsoft and even certain 3rd parties seem to do their best to get worldwide launches for their biggest franchise, whereas Nintendo are still in this mindset of every region being treat separately.

 

The wait for Smash Bros Brawl was ridiculous and even that extra week or two for Mario Galaxy was a bit of a nightmare. These kind of games are Nintendos big hitters and should be treated as such.

[RedShell]

Code of Princess, for example, was released in Japan and the US but not Europe. What harm could it possibly do to allow European 3DS owners to import it? It just seems mean-spirited to me.

It's especially bad considering they have the ability to utilise the eShop/DD, which basically removes the majority of cost/risk involved with publishing a retail copy, and therefore (the way I see it, anyway) offers nothing but potential profit. And keeps the fans happy.

 

Less focus on whining about region locks and more on getting the good games to our region, please!

Same thing ain't it?

[Magnus]

I don't mind region locks at all, really.

Iwata/Reggie, is that you?

 

Less focus on whining about region locks and more on getting the good games to our region, please!

Kind of a faulty argument though, isn't it? We're the ones complaining about region locking, and Nintendo's the one deciding what gets released over here. :p

[The Peeps]

Region locking is an awful thing. Just like Cube, I was looking forward to the next ExciteTruck game as I loved the first one but we will probably never get the chance to play it.

[Agent Gibbs]

It is EVIL

 

I've never gotten over not being able to get Chrono Cross.....the sequel to the best rpg ever made, that alone is reason enough to stop this madness especially now when there is no reason for any region locking on anything.

 

I really hope Sony eventually release it on PSN maybe in another 10 years given their current speed of psone classic releases

[Magnus]

I've never gotten over not being able to get Chrono Cross.....the sequel to the best rpg ever made, that alone is reason enough to stop this madness especially now when there is no reason for any region locking on anything.

 

I really hope Sony eventually release it on PSN maybe in another 10 years given their current speed of psone classic releases

You could just get an American account and buy it that way.

[Dcubed]

Entirely bad, in my opinion.

 

I've never stolen anything in my life, but why shouldn't I be able to buy things that aren't released here or get certain versions of them? In the days of the Sega Saturn, you could get a switch fitted so that you could play games from any region, and choose between 50/60Hz too - it was even encouraged in magazines. The fact we still don't have these features as standard decades later is a very disappointing aspect of the video games industry.

 

The way I see it, there are different groups in society: There are those who will wait for official European releases no matter what, and only buy what they can browse in shops - fair play to them. Then there are those who will go to whatever lengths they can to steal and obtain wholly illegal copies. The third group - the fans - will generally get products from their region, but may occasionally want to import something. What's wrong with that? It seems to me less and less games are being localised nowadays. Code of Princess, for example, was released in Japan and the US but not Europe. What harm could it possibly do to allow European 3DS owners to import it? It just seems mean-spirited to me.

 

That game is getting an EU release. Currently there are no 3DS games that are either coming out or are already released in the US that aren't also coming to the EU (though the EU does currently have One Piece Unlimited Cruise SP1 & 2 as exclusives that the US doesn't have)

 

It is EVIL

 

I've never gotten over not being able to get Chrono Cross.....the sequel to the best rpg ever made, that alone is reason enough to stop this madness especially now when there is no reason for any region locking on anything.

 

I really hope Sony eventually release it on PSN maybe in another 10 years given their current speed of psone classic releases

 

The game is already available on the US PSN store. You can just make a US account and get it right now (though you will also need to buy a US PSN store card to add funds to your account)

 

For what it's worth, it's a good game in of itself, but doesn't compare to the original at all IMO. Completely criminal that we never got it though (nor the original - but thank God that they released the original SNES version on the VC over here! 16 years late, but we got there in the end! )

 

 

And if Nintendo wanted to be utter dicks they could have some kind of IP/DNS detection to further limit the console for importers, requiring them to spoof it (like what is required to access Hulu).

 

Which is more likely than Nintendo simply allowing you to create an account for any region.

 

That's the thing though, Nintendo are actually pretty good to importers on the sly. They don't do any IP locking of any kind, they have a backdoor way of using foreign credit/debit cards on foreign stores that they've never blocked (even on the 3DS and they're more than away of it being there!) and they actually even already have a dedicated Import section on the VC! They also happily highlight foreign games, console variants and region exclusive products within their own games (Smash Bros), at trade shows and in the Nintendo World store in NY as well.

 

It just seems stupid that they haven't expanded on their efforts. They already sell untranslated import games on their store, why not just expand it to include un-released retail games as well!? Everybody would win in that case!

Edited September 25, 2012 by Dcubed

[Wii]

Region locking: good or bad? Are you serious? Is this even a real question? Of course this is bad from a consumer point of view. Name me one good aspect of region locking? Nintendo might like it for commercial reasons but it's a pain in the hole for everybody else.

[jayseven]

Before you say it's awful, bear one thing in mind;

 

If the world game prices were to change, then the cheapest place to buy games would go up in price.

 

I'm currently living in australia, where new games come out at about $120 - which is about £72. This is a normal price. This reflects the fact that Australians have a higher disposable income compared to other territories. minimum wage is practically double that of the UK.

 

Right. Right?

 

Why would companies suddenly change the market overnight? If it's reasonable to charge half the price for the same game in the other half of the world.....

 

I mean c'mon! It's silly as hell but there's a logic; because it's always been this way.