Why do game companies region code games?

[jpolz]

I never understood this practice. I can't imagine any negatives for a game company by allowing games to be played in any region. It doesn't mean they have to sell it in every region, but why lock it down through hardware?

[llabnip]

I never understood this practice. I can't imagine any negatives for a game company by allowing games to be played in any region. It doesn't mean they have to sell it in every region, but why lock it down through hardware?

The reason that I was told (by more than one reputable source) was to protect the distributers of games. That is... if a game is released in Japan, someone gets the Japanese/Asian rights to distribute it. If it is released in the USA - someone else can get those rights. If for some reason the Yen is greatly supressed over the US dollar, it may be worthwhile for storefronts to bypass the US distributer and just buy from the japanese distributer - cutting out sales and hurting the company that has the rights to distribute in the USA. It works the other way as well...

I can somewhat understand this practice though I hate the difficulty it imposes on me as an import gamer... and it's nice that a machine like the Sega Saturn seperates out region protection from copy protection - so an action-replay type cart will allow imports but not allow CDRs.

[Turrican]

This thread hits at the right time, as I really wanted to ask:

Don't you think it would be lovely if PS3 could be able to read Psone games from any region? It's two generations ago, It wouldn't hurt anyone...

[jpolz]

This thread hits at the right time, as I really wanted to ask:

Don't you think it would be lovely if PS3 could be able to read Psone games from any region? It's two generations ago, It wouldn't hurt anyone...

My feeling is there is a good chance of that happeneing, as they did just that with the PSP.

[FatalError]

My understanding was that region coding is also a means of control. By preventing games from working in all regions, a videogame publisher can control what games come into what countries, and thus maximize sales and filter out games that may be unsuitable/unprofitable for specific markets.

[Nei First]

I wouldn't care so much if the PS3 has boot discs as "reliable" as the Dreamcast boot discs, but I can't see this happening although I'm hoping.

[FatCobra]

Region lockout is an evil conspiracy made by Sony and Microsoft to prevent people from playing shmups and to keep buying more crap like the GTA games and Halo. Nintendo is pretty lax about region protection. Sure it's there, but all you have to do is break off some sort of plastic tab and then your's system's ready for imports! Or in the Gameboy's case, it's already import-friendly!

Here's to hoping the next gen systems will be region-free, but I severly doubt it.

[Vexorg]

Not really. At least once in Europe, Nintendo has taken legal action against the sale of import games in that region. I don't know of any other manufacturer that's done that, and I've not heard of it happening recently (the incident I recall was back around the N64 timeframe.)

[sethsez]

Region lockout is an evil conspiracy made by Sony and Microsoft to prevent people from playing shmups and to keep buying more crap like the GTA games and Halo.

That must be it.

[FatCobra]

Region lockout is an evil conspiracy made by Sony and Microsoft to prevent people from playing shmups and to keep buying more crap like the GTA games and Halo.

That must be it.

Do I smell sarcasim?

[sethsez]

No, but maybe a touch of sarcasm.

Seriously, I've met people who actually believed that without a hint of irony (mostly on GameFAQs, of course). It's amazing how people will turn any kind of business practice into some sort of conspiracy theory.

[TWITCHDOCTOR]

I never understood this practice. I can't imagine any negatives for a game company by allowing games to be played in any region. It doesn't mean they have to sell it in every region, but why lock it down through hardware?

The reason that I was told (by more than one reputable source) was to protect the distributers of games. That is... if a game is released in Japan, someone gets the Japanese/Asian rights to distribute it. If it is released in the USA - someone else can get those rights. If for some reason the Yen is greatly supressed over the US dollar, it may be worthwhile for storefronts to bypass the US distributer and just buy from the japanese distributer - cutting out sales and hurting the company that has the rights to distribute in the USA. It works the other way as well...

I can somewhat understand this practice though I hate the difficulty it imposes on me as an import gamer... and it's nice that a machine like the Sega Saturn seperates out region protection from copy protection - so an action-replay type cart will allow imports but not allow CDRs.

Dave, that makes a lot of sense...really!
Did you by any chance stay at a Holiday Inn last night?

[Ganelon]

There's also the danger of conflicting licenses. Pepsiman being in Fighting Vipers wouldn't have worked well for Coke and its relationship with Sega of America back then.

[gameoverDude]

Hopefully the PSP situation will show that Sony has given up on region lockouts for games, considering they did lock out UMD Movies. If that's not so, then I'll probably save up a little extra money and spring for the Japanese PS3 when it's time.

[neorichieb1971]

PSP is a handheld system and is therefore considered a mobile unit, where region lockout faces more impracticalities than that of a home console.

Region lockout is used for the following -

Price fixing
Language/early releases
Control of product
Ratings standards/censorships
Licenses
Compatibility assurances


Price fixing - This is commonplace in European parts of the world. It is usually more expensive to purchase the official item than it is to import from the USA or Japan where it is cheaper and released first.


Language/Early releases - In France, Germany, Holland, Spain for example, hardly any games get released in those languages so not understanding English is just as bad as not understanding Japanese. Therefore alot of European countries will import from US and Japan where the product is available sooner.

Control of product - If your shooting Nazi's for example, it might not be a good idea to sell that game in Germany. Quite a few kids out there who's grandfathers are still alive. Sometimes Japanese games have weird names like Eggman in sonic, who was changed to Dr Robotnik during localization to Western territories.

Ratings - Some games get censored in different markets. Twisted metal black has no cinemas in the PAL market, Resident evil has the severed hand missing from the intro etc.

Licenses - As said earlier, its commonplace to find a licensed character in one version of a game and not in another, depending on the rights.

Compatibility - TV systems, voltage system, standards, cables, software, peripherals, DVD playback and other compatibilities are assured by buying the official product. Region lockout insures the consumer will buy product from the correct specified region.



And lastly, to some extent piracy. It is actually piracy which spawns anti region underground project development.


My only problem with region lockout is the predefined release schedule for most games. If UK/Euros get most of the stuff last, it means the success of a product in another region determines the likelyhood of the product reaching their own shores. Its like someone else making up your mind what you should and should not see. For example the Turbo Grafix/PC engine and Virtual boy were not released in Europe.

Did you know animal crossing never got released in Europe because Nintendo could not be bothered to translate the title?

[Ghegs]

For example the Turbo Grafix/PC engine (snip) were not released in Europe.

It did, but nobody noticed.

[neorichieb1971]

I am 33 years old and I knew at least 10 people that imported a PCE or Turbo Grafix in the day.

Even SNK and 3DO got some momentum with hardware sales. I don't think it was the fault of the consumer, more likely NEC's lack of marketting that sunk that ship.

[raiden]

If your shooting Nazi's for example, it might not be a good idea to sell that game in Germany. Quite a few kids out there who's grandfathers are still alive.

actually, those games are pretty successful in Germany. The reason they become an issue for regional lockout is the superficial one of them containing swastikas, because almost all media containing that symbol are automatically prohibited to sell in Germany. There is the double standard of films on that time being allowed as long as they are of a documentary, not propagandistic nature. But games are not even granted this distinguishing view and immediately considered propaganda, even if the content is completely focussed on killing Nazis.
So what developers do is replace the swastika textures by similarly looking symbols and sometimes changing the story to a "fictional" setting for a localized version.

[Specineff]

While I understand the German government is trying to avoid the resurgence of such an infernal movement or "atone" in front of the world, I don't think that censoring media so as to pretend it never happened is just silly. Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. But don't mind me. It's 2 Am here and I'm half asleep.

[neorichieb1971]

Was there a PC game made in Iraq where the idea was to shoot American soldiers? I swear I saw that on the news about a year or 2 ago, never heard about it afterwards though.

I mean, its not like Tie fighter where you fighting for the dark side. This is why I think gaming should not be historically accurate or factual in anyway. Even GTA:SA is better in that respect.

Nextgen consoles and PC's are going to push realism to a new height, if there were no control on content can you imagine what might slip through?

[sethsez]

Nextgen consoles and PC's are going to push realism to a new height, if there were no control on content can you imagine what might slip through?

Such as?

PCs can already push some pretty amazing graphics, and there's no content control whatsoever. Yes, neo-nazis, the KKK and what have you have all made PC games, but that doesn't mean you can find 'em at Gamestop, and no publisher would touch it with a ten foot pole anyway.

What you're talking about is more along the lines of game authorization. DVDs have region encoding, but no overseeing controller of allowable content like Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo.

[raiden]

Was there a PC game made in Iraq where the idea was to shoot American soldiers? I swear I saw that on the news about a year or 2 ago, never heard about it afterwards though.

I don´t know whether there was one in Iraq, but there was one in Libanon.

[Naiera]

My feeling is there is a good chance of that happeneing, as they did just that with the PSP.

I'm afraid these things have nothing to do with each other. Handhelds have never relied on NTSC or PAL for displaying games, so there was no argument whatsoever to region code by default. Keep in mind that Sony has left it up to developers to lock games to certain regions. It's possible that it will happen with some games, and I think the PSP is the first handheld console where this is possible.

I don't see anything regarding the region coding situation changing with these new consoles. The only change I espect is that it will be harder for people like us to mod consoles to run games from all regions. Buying three consoles really isn't an option, because of either money issues or space issues. Or both. The only option for those of us who like shooters (from Japan) and RPG's (in English, from the US. Xenosaga never came it here, for example) is to mod our consoles.