Xbox One will be region locked

Dude, almost every single console starting from NES has been region locked in some way. Ds, vita and (perhaps? I dont remember) ps3 has been rare exceptions. Question is how tight is the locking? Is it country/continent specific or just loose ntsc vs pal thing?
 
Bluray and HD resolutions don't have regeons. The only reason M$ will be regeon locking is to squeeze that extra dollar out of countries like Australia who pay the equivalent to $120 USD for a new game... It makes sure they can't import games and reduce their profit margin.
 
KazeoHin said:
Bluray and HD resolutions don't have regeons. The only reason M$ will be regeon locking is to squeeze that extra dollar out of countries like Australia who pay the equivalent to $120 USD for a new game... It makes sure they can't import games and reduce their profit margin.
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This.
 
KazeoHin said:
Bluray and HD resolutions don't have regeons. The only reason M$ will be regeon locking is to squeeze that extra dollar out of countries like Australia who pay the equivalent to $120 USD for a new game... It makes sure they can't import games and reduce their profit margin.
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Don't forget, MSRP for games is cheaper in Russia, China and Thailand too. Why do they charge US customers more than the Chinese? Because they will just pirate it and we can "afford" it.
 
KazeoHin said:
Bluray and HD resolutions don't have regeons. The only reason M$ will be regeon locking is to squeeze that extra dollar out of countries like Australia who pay the equivalent to $120 USD for a new game... It makes sure they can't import games and reduce their profit margin.
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Yes they do, Blue-Ray and HD-DVD can be region locked
 
KazeoHin said:
Bluray and HD resolutions don't have regeons. The only reason M$ will be regeon locking is to squeeze that extra dollar out of countries like Australia who pay the equivalent to $120 USD for a new game... It makes sure they can't import games and reduce their profit margin.
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The minimum wage in Australia is also $15/hour. It's not about profit, it's about "that's the way it's always been done". There's just a MASSIVE "M$ is so evil guiz" circlejerk going on right now.'

A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed to the publication that region-specific encoding will be put in place to comply with legal requirements for selling the hardware across various global markets.

“Similar to the movie and music industry, games must meet country-specific regulatory guidelines before they are cleared for sale," said the rep. "We will continue to work with our partners to follow these guidelines with Xbox One.”
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People upset at this should direct it at their local laws rather than Microsoft, they're just doing what the law says.
 
Yeah the format can definitely be region locked, Blu Ray movies on the PS3 are locked by region for example.

Games however are completely region free on the PS3 and I hope PS4 will continue to do the same if MS aren't willing to do so. MS's reasoning trying to make it something that's not in their hands is bullshit, the same publishers that released games that were region locked on the 360 were region free on the PS3.

Region locks just over complicates things, specially for people who are interested in importing games that their own region doesn't even offer, it's stupid to buy a whole new console just to try out that Japanese imported game you just ordered.
 
KazeoHin said:
Bluray and HD resolutions don't have regeons. The only reason M$ will be regeon locking is to squeeze that extra dollar out of countries like Australia who pay the equivalent to $120 USD for a new game... It makes sure they can't import games and reduce their profit margin.
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sushiwarrior said:
People upset at this should direct it at their local laws rather than Microsoft, they're just doing what the law says.
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To what laws are they referring, specifically? Is the PS3 region-locked in the Australian market? If not, how is Sony able to sell it in Australia?
 
Yes a lot of Americans do work at minimum wage or close enough to it, or they may work above minimum wage but can't get enough hours to be considered full-time. Think of all the service jobs (fast food, low level retail, etc).
 
PS3 was not region locked, game devs were free to lock their games but AFAIK only one or two ever did. I see no reason why PS4 will be region locked. Sony has always cared more about the global market than MS.
 
MaZa said:
Dude, almost every single console starting from NES has been region locked in some way.
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Well, it's always been a bad idea and very anti-consumer. Just because it's been around a long time doesn't mean it's ok.

And of course region locking is done for economical reasons, not technical. It's done in order to be able to forcefully extract 'what the market can bear'. You see, companies enjoy globalization when it means they can have children in Bangladesh stiching up shoes, but when it comes time to sell those goods they are vehemently against any sort of 'free market' nonsense and will use laws (obtained through lobbying, aka bribing politicians) and technology against us, denying us the ability to buy from the global market they themselves enjoy.

I hope that helps!

PS. We're in the 2010s now, PAL vs NTSC are as relevant as minidisc vs 5.25" floppies.
 
KazeoHin said:
Bluray and HD resolutions don't have regeons. The only reason M$ will be regeon locking is to squeeze that extra dollar out of countries like Australia who pay the equivalent to $120 USD for a new game... It makes sure they can't import games and reduce their profit margin.
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BluRay movies have regions. Some distributors don't include them, but the majority do.

Console games have had regions for as long as they've been around. PS4 will have regions.

This isn't new and it's certainly not restricted to the Xbox One.
 
The Donut said:
BluRay movies have regions. Some distributors don't include them, but the majority do.

Console games have had regions for as long as they've been around. PS4 will have regions.

This isn't new and it's certainly not restricted to the Xbox One.
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It's games that people are worrying about, not region locking movies, PS3 games were region free, there's no talk yet if PS4 will region lock games or not, they probably won't but it's possible.
 
sushiwarrior said:
People upset at this should direct it at their local laws rather than Microsoft, they're just doing what the law says.
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If that were true, why is the PS3 and Vita/PSP immune from these international laws? Surely some government would have called Sony out on their blatant abuses, unless Microsoft is talking about some region the PS3 is not sold in?
 
sharknice said:
It is mostly just kids working part time jobs that make minimum wage. They don't have to pay for living expenses because they live with their parents and just spend all their money on games. So the parent's post may have some relevance.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Median_income
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In that case our minimum wage is lower than $15.96. That's an adults minimum here. I work with people who get $8.50.
Nearly 14hrs work for GTA... better be worth it.
 
sushiwarrior said:
People upset at this should direct it at their local laws rather than Microsoft, they're just doing what the law says.
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You're either a MS sockpuppet or you're of weak intelligence.

I guess both is possibility.

Feel free to quote law and chapter, and explain how that force the pricing structure.
 
eloj said:
You're either a MS sockpuppet or you're of weak intelligence.

I guess both is possibility.

Feel free to quote law and chapter, and explain how that force the pricing structure.
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No I'm just looking at this from a logical viewpoint unlike some people :eek:

Yes, because I would love to go read EU import laws and become a master of that in order to satisfy your curiosity. Why don't YOU go read the laws and tell me why or why not. Given that almost every past console except the PS3 has region locking, it just isn't a surprise to me. And it certainly doesn't make me mad.
 
sushiwarrior said:
Yes, because I would love to go read EU import laws and become a master of that in order to satisfy your curiosity.
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You're essentially admitting you don't know what the hell you're talking about. Not only that, but by acknowledging that the PS3 was not region locked, you are directly contradicting yourself!

The reason I don't have to provide evidence for your assertions is that I'm not the one making outrageous claims. You claim something, you get to present the evidence. You're free not to, of curse, but then your claims carries no weight.
 
eloj said:
You were saying?
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Keyword there is "Major studios". Most the Blus people buy from say over seas usually are not from a major studio. Thus the region locking is an issue. That is why more expensive players like from Oppo are desirable.
 
eloj said:
You're essentially admitting you don't know what the hell you're talking about. Not only that, but by acknowledging that the PS3 was not region locked, you are directly contradicting yourself!

The reason I don't have to provide evidence for your assertions is that I'm not the one making outrageous claims. You claim something, you get to present the evidence. You're free not to, of curse, but then your claims carries no weight.
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I am following the claims of a company which has a legal department which has, presumably, read all kinds of import laws and thinks it is best to use region locking lest something bad happen for the console. Now, if you can provide ANY kind of evidence why there are NO POSSIBLE laws that can cause trouble for Microsoft if they didn't region lock it, then go ahead and inform me.

Again, my evidence is based on what Microsoft said and what manufacturers have followed in the past.

Sony may have been taking a gamble with the PS3, I don't know to be honest. It seems unusual considering the PS2 was region locked, and the PS1 as well. Which follows the trend... almost every console EXCEPT for the PS3 is region locked, so it is the exception rather than the rule.
 
sushiwarrior said:
I am following the claims of a company which has a legal department which has, presumably, read all kinds of import laws and thinks it is best to use region locking lest something bad happen for the console. Now, if you can provide ANY kind of evidence why there are NO POSSIBLE laws that can cause trouble for Microsoft if they didn't region lock it, then go ahead and inform me.

Again, my evidence is based on what Microsoft said and what manufacturers have followed in the past.

Sony may have been taking a gamble with the PS3, I don't know to be honest. It seems unusual considering the PS2 was region locked, and the PS1 as well. Which follows the trend... almost every console EXCEPT for the PS3 is region locked, so it is the exception rather than the rule.
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It's so that they can control where the money goes.
Example: Australia (no, for the last time the high prices aren't high tax)

What are the benefits for governments with region locking?

At least that argument has a backing. Yours is more "God exists because you can't prove that he doesn't" style argument.
Which I think is stupid.
 
wonderfield said:
No one can answer any of these questions?
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There are no laws around the necessity of region-locking. Consoles before this generation were mostly region-locked until Sony sued a PS2 owner over modding. The person in question had modded his PS2 to play imported games. The judge threw the case out, stating the only reason Sony had for region-locking was to gouge each region for as much money as possible. After this, the PS3 and Xbox 360 were, for the most part, not region-locked.

A recent amended trade agreement between Australia and the US, however, has allowed region-locking to be legally-enforceable again. This is probably what MS is referring to...laws that allow it to actively gouge the region for whatever prices it determines.
 
sushiwarrior said:
Given that almost every past console except the PS3 has region locking, it just isn't a surprise to me. And it certainly doesn't make me mad.
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There was more reason for it with the PS2 era consoles. PAL and NTSC or NTSC-J don't work well together due to PALs higher resolution/lower frame rate (well NTSC/-J works on PAL, but usually in monotone) so you'd need multiple versions. With HD, stuff has become more standardized and interoperable, so the only reason left is sustaining price differences.
 
sharknice said:
It is mostly just kids working part time jobs that make minimum wage. They don't have to pay for living expenses because they live with their parents and just spend all their money on games. So the parent's post may have some relevance.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Median_income
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YeuEmMaiMai said:
wait what?

min wage here is $7.XX

Min wage in AU is $15.xx


You do the math.....
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Huh? how hard is this for you to understand?

Not everybody earns minimum wage.
 
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