PS3 to be region free • Gaming • PS3 • Eurogamer.net

Monsta 23 Mar 2006 17:28:31 1,276 posts
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Prepare for me to be olded.

According to IGN Phil Harrison has said that the PS3 will be region free.

Linky

This could bump the PS3 to the top of my list.

On another note, is the x360 like the original Xbox in that the region coding is included in the game disk as opposed to the hardware and optional depending on developer. If so, then surely developers could just stop using region setting on x360 games

Edited by Monsta at 17:33:24 23-03-2006

Monsta 23 Mar 2006 17:44:16 1,276 posts
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Truk wrote:
O_o

Surely the PS3 going region free (even though it was expected is worth more than that!

Or has everyone got me on ignore.

gizmo 23 Mar 2006 17:50:02 2,100 posts
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They said this about 360 though. Then it turned out the MACHINE was region free, but the publishers still insisted on including region locking in the software. IIRC.

ElephantMonkey 23 Mar 2006 18:01:34 104 posts
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gizmo wrote:
They said this about 360 though. Then it turned out the MACHINE was region free, but the publishers still insisted on including region locking in the software. IIRC.

How can you include region lock in software if the hardware/OS doesn't have any support for it. Xbox360 does have hardware/OS support for region locking games and the developers can choose wether to use it or not.
As far as the PS3 it looks like the hardware/OS won't have any region locking feature for developers to turn on or off.

RabidMonkey 23 Mar 2006 19:22:02 691 posts
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Monsta wrote:
On another note, is the x360 like the original Xbox in that the region coding is included in the game disk as opposed to the hardware and optional depending on developer. If so, then surely developers could just stop using region setting on x360 games

Yeah, it's up to the publishers whether they want their game region encoded or not. Most do purely to control who gets what at any specific time, while others don't to allow their game to reach the largest audience possible. Ubisoft and Microsoft titles usually don't have region encoding, while EA titles usually do.

York 23 Mar 2006 19:22:05 8,667 posts
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Truk wrote:
Sorry dude, but you're old

Here's the main info thread for PS3, started this morning. There's also a PS3 GDC thread that mentions it.

Nah, this deserves its own thread

Hope the region free applies to PS2 and PSone games. That would be aces.

RabidMonkey 23 Mar 2006 19:25:51 691 posts
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Considering how badly Sony treated importers when the PSP launched, I think it's highly unlikely that the PS3 will be region free - it's just not financially viable.

Monsta 23 Mar 2006 19:30:46 1,276 posts
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Wasn;t it just sony Uk that went made over PSP imports. SCEJ and SCEE didn;t care as they were selling loads of PSP's.

Also it was only hardware that was causing issues. there didn;t seem to be as many complaints about software imports.

I think sony will be just as protective abotu where you buy your machine from as Blue-rays are going to be region protected.

Stormflood_UK 23 Mar 2006 19:47:44 150 posts
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From Team Xbox of all places:
Following its keynote, Harrison revealed in a Q&A session with our PS3 channel that the PlayStation 3 will be region free for gaming. Due to the restrictions imposed by the AACS LA, movie playback will still be region locked like current DVDs but that won't apply to PS3 titles.

York 23 Mar 2006 20:16:35 8,667 posts
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Furthermore, IGN speculate that publishers will eventually do e-distributed worldwide launches, with language patches available (either at game launch or, more likely, later down the line when they get round to translating.)

I wouldn't mind buying Japanese games on impulse if I knew there was a chance that I could eventually download a translation.

York 23 Mar 2006 20:16:41 8,667 posts
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Post deleted

RabidMonkey 23 Mar 2006 20:20:29 691 posts
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Monsta wrote:
Wasn't it just Sony UK that went made over PSP imports. SCEJ and SCEE didn't care as they were selling loads of PSP's.

I don't know, but I do know that Play-Asia still doesn't ship PSP merchandise to the EU...

RabidMonkey 23 Mar 2006 20:29:56 691 posts
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I'm just saying that if Play-Asia won't ship PSP stuff to Britain so long after the console launched here, then it must be more than just Sony Europes doing.

Deleted user 23 March 2006 20:32:17

RabidMonkey wrote:

Monsta wrote:
Wasn't it just Sony UK that went made over PSP imports. SCEJ and SCEE didn't care as they were selling loads of PSP's.
I don't know, but I do know that Play-Asia still doesn't ship PSP merchandise to the EU...

This is exactly the point though - the PSP is region free but that didn't stop SCEE trying to stop everyone in Europe buying one before it came out here. So what's going to be the difference if the PS3 is region free? Yes you could import one, and yes you could import the games, but SCEE will try it's darndest to stop you doing so.

Still, good news if it happens. They'll never stop imports entirely, the onyl danger is that they manage to restrict them to the degree that it pushes prices up. Hopefully they'll just realise how entirely futile such action is and let us import as we like!

Machetazo 23 Mar 2006 23:16:55 6,373 posts
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nekotcha wrote:
Hopefully they'll just realise how entirely futile such action is and let us import as we like!

They should do that anyway.
This archaic nonsense should be halted (nothing stops me from clicking over to a Jap or US media site, if I wanted, why should gaming be any different? If you want to harp on about a 24 hour society and the importance of communicating worldwide, then you must also acknowledge that US/Japan/Europe are no longer nearly as distant as they used to be.) So hopefully with Phil Harrison's response today to IGN, we can soon have a real reason to celebrate the legitimate arrival of a new-gen, even if only on one system, for now.
(Although, in the past, it has only taken one to be successful for them all to think about changing tack.

)

Edited by Machetazo at 23:17:42 23-03-2006

Deleted user 23 March 2006 23:17:49

Region-Free FTW IMHO!

BartonFink 23 Mar 2006 23:22:07 35,268 posts
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Machetazo wrote:

nekotcha wrote:
Hopefully they'll just realise how entirely futile such action is and let us import as we like!
They should do that anyway.
This archaic nonsense should be halted (nothing stops me from clicking over to a Jap or US media site, if I wanted, why should gaming be any different? If you want to harp on about a 24 hour society and the importance of communicating worldwide, then you must also acknowledge that US/Japan/Europe are no longer nearly as distant as they used to be.) So hopefully with Phil Harrison's response today to IGN, we can soon have a real reason to celebrate the legitimate arrival of a new-gen, even if only on one system, for now.
(Although, in the past, it has only taken one to be successful for them all to think about changing tack. )

I was with you right up till

we can soon have a real reason to celebrate the legitimate arrival of a new-gen

that just spoiled the whole post.

/groan

OnlyMe 23 Mar 2006 23:34:53 3,135 posts
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The bad news about this is we may see less titles coming to europe because they just don't see a need for it - we could just import the US version anyway.

The good news however, it may actually put some pressure on developers to do more worldwide releases in order not to lose any money in either territory. Who needs to import if the game comes out here anyway, and at the same time?

In other words, it could change a lot of things, good and bad.

Machetazo 24 Mar 2006 12:36:53 6,373 posts
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Game Informer here has some clarification on this matter:
[QUOTE] When asked about region coding for game software, Harrison stated that PlayStation 3 software will not be region coded. Region coding will be up to the developer and publisher, much like software for the PSP. PlayStation 3 will be the first major home console that will not have strict region codes on game software.[/QUOTE]
According to what some in this thread have said though, the 360's not region locked either...I'm confused.

Why don't Sony just use Region 0 disc drives as standard? That would stop any squirming from scared publishers, i'd imagine...What's the problem, are they afraid that with an introduction of worldwide choice, that they will lose out...
If so, then the answer is surely for them to up their game (pun unintentional) till they are more widely competitive.

(Think retail. Though you can buy the most exotic spices, herbs, foods and drinks from many parts of the world at the supermarket, the percentage of people who reg. include these items amongst their weekly groceries purchases, I would assume is low.

Thus, their inclusion becomes a way to liven up and refresh the palate, as opposed to a dominating force of any kind.)

If, merely as an example, EA think that what they're doing is good enough, then why are they worried about the arrival of more competition?
This looks more to me increasingly about companies releasing games of a certain type and style because they are fully aware that they have a largely captive audience.

I imagine that many things would change, along with attitudes in some cases, were the markets to be opened up.

Only me wrote: Who needs to import if the game comes out here anyway, and at the same time?

Exactly. Who then needs to chip their machine, as well. There go the fears about piracy also. (I'm sure that Sony have worked hard on a system to prevent PS3 booting any illegitimate software, already.

)

In opening the market, you also open up Western games more to foreign audiences, too. With a wider pool of influences featuring across the world of gaming, that could have a profound impact on game developers, and result in richer content, with fresher themes incorporated (think cooking. Combined correctly, the extra ingredients don't overpower the existing recipe, merely enhance it.)

Edited by Machetazo at 12:47:20 24-03-2006

Freek 24 Mar 2006 12:40:56 7,682 posts
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And considering most publishers will still lock thier products to "protect the market", screw over Europe with extremly late releases, nothing will change.

gizmo 24 Mar 2006 12:40:59 2,100 posts
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I bet you a pound to a pinch of shit that games do end up being region locked. The hardware DOES support region identification therefor publishers can take advantage of this.

Blerk Moderator 24 Mar 2006 13:34:20 48,222 posts
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Region identification for movies is completely different to region identification for games - just because it can enforce movie regions doesn't mean you can use that system for games. Look at the PS2 - it's relatively easy to bypass the movie region locking, but far more difficult to get around the game regions.

I suspect Sony are thinking purely of themselves here. If you don't region lock games, the only 'legitimate' argument for fitting a mod-chip immediately vanishes, creating an 'automatic win' in court for Sony.

As for whether games ultimately end up being region locked or not, we'll have to wait and see. If the hardware doesn't provide the service for games then chances are they won't, just like on the PSP. I live in hope.

Teeth 24 Mar 2006 13:40:00 7,987 posts
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I'm with gizmo, I'll believe it when I see it.

Machetazo 24 Mar 2006 15:06:32 6,373 posts
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Blerk wrote:
I suspect Sony are thinking purely of themselves here. If you don't region lock games, the only 'legitimate' argument for fitting a mod-chip immediately vanishes, creating an 'automatic win' in court for Sony.

As for whether games ultimately end up being region locked or not, we'll have to wait and see.

Is it likely that Sony will have taken a pro-active stance to this, by (similar to Microsoft with its rules that every Xbox 360 title must conform to) asking all developers to ensure that their titles aren't region locked?

Blerk Moderator 24 Mar 2006 15:10:02 48,222 posts
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Well it depends, doesn't it? If they provide the region-locking stuff in the PS3's OS and say "it's up to you" then obviously people will use it. If they don't provide it, people will have little choice in the matter.

Machetazo 25 Mar 2006 16:39:51 6,373 posts
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Blu-ray is a "huge win for developers." Worldwide disc with all the languages present.

So that's their plan. The disc must be large enough for them to be able to do that, then...Having all the localisations on the one disc, which you can then sell anywhere...Excellent idea.

That's taken from the summary of the Sony GDC Keynote, by Joystiq.com here.
I've seen that suggestion thrown about in other sites online too, but this quote appears to be direct from Sony, during the keynote.

EGBartonFink 25 Mar 2006 16:52:43 914 posts
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Enforcing a single disc with all localisation and internationalisation on it would be absolutely brilliant for gamers. No more need for grey imports and no more mod chips everybody wins. No more waiting for months on end for games to arrive.

Don't honestly think it's going to happen though.

EGBartonFink 25 Mar 2006 16:56:13 914 posts
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Yup. But at least if it is region free we will be able to pick up the US version I suppose.

ilmaestro 25 Mar 2006 18:49:02 32,932 posts
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wasp wrote:
Can't really see Japanese devs sitting on games waiting for localisation teams to finish. Same goes in any language direction really.

Yeah, this would do nobody any favors. If you're going to have to wait/choose to wait for a localization anyway, then there's pretty much little problem with the system now. It'll just mean people being able to buy American games from day 1, as Barton said.

Machetazo 25 Mar 2006 20:17:41 6,373 posts
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A game only exists once a developer/publisher chooses to make information available about it. If for example, a Japanese announcement of a titles release is seen elsewhere and the game resonates well, then at some point the "patience clock" in other regions starts ticking. But, if you just have the one disc/launch, then, in theory, all the time that's needed can be put into the localisation, because no-one would be any the wiser about the title's existence till it's chosen to be made public.

Edited by Machetazo at 20:22:18 25-03-2006