next gen region coding...

[Mefisutoferesu]

As someone who imports pretty evenly with domestic purchases... it's kind a PITA dealing with 2 PS2s not to mention my other consoles... especially since I've only got a single A/V input on my TV. I'm hoping the craziness will end next gen, and considering the PSP has region coding for games off by default (though it's still possible to screw the gamers over -- no, I'm not biased, really), maybe it's an actual possability. So I was wondering if anyone knows anything about it... I sure haven't heard anything.

EDIT:: Oh, thought of something else! Anyone know where I can buy a good modded PS2 to replace my Jp and US versions? Make my life a lot easier... or do you perhaps think the PS3's BC might (assuming the PS3 has region coding off) also be region free??

 

[Titanio]

I doubt publishers won't region lock their home console games. The PSP is simply bowing to portable convention - the idea being that since it's portable, you may bring it on your travels anywhere in the world, and should be able to play any games you buy around the world on it.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Region encoding - one of life's great mysteries. Why? :?

 

[Mefisutoferesu]

<Sigh> Must you make such a good point? Looks like I might end up being screwed out of even MORE money next gen... I wonder how long before we see modded PS3s and Xbox 360s?? Truely frustrating....


EDIT::

Region encoding - one of life's great mysteries. Why? Confused

Answer: Money

 

[Farid]

Region encoding - one of life's great mysteries. Why? :?

Better control over the global distribution.

 

[Mefisutoferesu]

Yes, because people are flocking to buy games and movies in languages they can't understand. Distribution issues only hold for actual hardware intitial releases afterwords there's little benefit, well, money aside.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Which doesn't help any. Look at DVDs. Those launched in US are bought over here even before the films hit the cinema. Launch everything everywhere at the same time and remove a large contigent of grey imports while providing a beter service for happier customers.

 

[NavNucST3]

Which doesn't help any. Look at DVDs. Those launched in US are bought over here even before the films hit the cinema. Launch everything everywhere at the same time and remove a large contigent of grey imports while providing a beter service for happier customers.

But its still about the money, it is not inexpensive to send out film to every country for a worldwide release. Which is why, a movie may debut in the States, then once it has gone from first-run, they can gather cans from the theaters here then and ship them overseas, if they so choose. There are cases where the region coding scheme does work, for releases that are generally coming here, e.g. Hong Kong movies or movies like 28 Days Later, while those movies may have been out seemingly forever on DVD in Europe and East Asia, people here in the states will still flock to see them in theaters here. Follow the money trail...

Not everyone knows about the import market or for that matter things like newsgroups.

 

[phat]

Region encoding - one of life's great mysteries. Why? :?

So that games can be priced not according to cost, but what a market can sustain. After the fixed development cost, games are next to nothing to produce. All pricing is based on how much money you want to make after license fees, and on how much the market can tolerate. Different markets will be willing to pay different prices for games. I know Europeans pay a lot more for games than I do in Canada, and the Chinese probably pay a lot less (for legal games).

 

[Mefisutoferesu]

I disagree, there's already a plenty strong language barrier keeping most regions seperate. I know plenty of game fantatics that simply can't wait to get there hands on such and such games, but refurse to import... their reasoning "I don't want to play a game I can't understand". In reality most who import already understand the language they're importing from.

Basically, aside from initial console launch I don't see imports rising with the end of region coding. Besides the cost of international shipping alone pretty much kills any money you might save from importing, so there's no real gain there... you import because you WANT it regardless, so region coding holds little hinderance. Also, last I checked games are pretty equally priced across the world... anyone know if I'm wrong?

 

[ERP]

The issue is actually pretty complex.

Games are often distributed by other companies in other regions in order for these companies to be assured that they are the sole distributor for the region (not being undercut by grey market imports) we have the wonder that is region lockout.

 

[PARANOiA]

I disagree, there's already a plenty strong language barrier keeping most regions seperate. I know plenty of game fantatics that simply can't wait to get there hands on such and such games, but refurse to import... their reasoning "I don't want to play a game I can't understand". In reality most who import already understand the language they're importing from.

That only really makes sense when considering a US release. I live in Australia and I have to wait sometimes six months to a year for a US -> Australia release of some games. Don't think it'd take that long to put a "u" in colour

Money is the biggest factor.

 

[phat]

I disagree, there's already a plenty strong language barrier keeping most regions seperate.

Many games are already multi-lingual at launch. Plus, if a game is in English or French or Spanish, it can be imported into many economically varied regions of the world. The language barrier alone is not enough to protect profits for publishers.

 

[a688]

I disagree, there's already a plenty strong language barrier keeping most regions seperate.

Many games are already multi-lingual at launch. Plus, if a game is in English or French or Spanish, it can be imported into many economically varied regions of the world. The language barrier alone is not enough to protect profits for publishers.

There are also different technologies in use in the world. English/French/Spanish text in a game in NA wouldn't necessarily be easily sent to europe since they have a different video standard NTSC vs PAL.

 

[Mefisutoferesu]

@phat... while that is a good point for Europe (since outside of the EU launch 99.999% of games only support a single audio/text) if companies were seperating products by COUNTRIES. However, as I understand it ALL of Europe is the same region, so the point is moot.

Also, people, I think we're confusing the question Shifty brought up... it's not a question about keeping regions seperate being important -- we already know the corporations would sell our souls if it was profitable. The question is more this: is it EFFECTIVE?

Personally, looking around, I'd say no. Region coding adds little to the pre-existing barriers for importing. Honestly, people have modded, hacked, and prodded their way through all the region coding and even security features all in the name of importing (obviously the security is for illegal gaames, but that's another issue). People, who import WILL import, period. Region coding doesn't change that. Most average gamers don't import, not because of region coding, but because they don't know about it, or it's too much of a hassle, or they're sketchy about buying overseas.

EDIT:: I suck at typing... that should make it readable.

 

[Leeco]

How about current gen XBOXtitles?

I understand that XBOX has region code on the disks, that is OPTIONAL. Am I correct? (Don't own an XBOX)
How many titles are actually "region free" on the current XBOX?
Btw, I live in Japan, and about 99% of the XBOX games are NOT sold here (for example: Burnout series, Doom 3, Prince of Persia, etc).

 

[DemoCoder]

Region coding exists to allow price discrimination, just like prescription drug import bans. The marginal cost of producing a new copy of a game is next to to zero, just as it is for an additional pill.

In order to recoup development costs, developers want to maximize the amount of revenue they can get in each market. In Western countries, people can afford to pay $30-50 per game. In developing countries, that may be a months salary for some people, so therefore, price discrimination allows developers to sell many more copies to people who otherwise, could not afford to buy.

If import blocks didn't exist, there are two things that might happen. One, Chinese wouldn't get cheap games anymore, and thus revenue from that market would likely go way down (as Chinese pirate at even higher rates) , Two, we'd probably pay more to make up for the bottom line.

HIV/African activists used to complain and protest that Africans couldn't afford $10,000 per year AIDS drugs. So import bans were introduced to allow price discrimination. Now people are protesting that they can't buy drugs for the same prices that Africans can.

Of course, region codes exist for other reasons. For example, in movies, companies like to manage DVD and Theater releases, and they don't want movies that arrive in overseas theaters months later to already be available on DVD for that market. They obviously maximize their revenues if you wait and go see the theatrical version, then wait 3 months, and buy the DVD for your region.

 

[Mefisutoferesu]

Again, I'll say this, I'm sure almost anyone here can see the importance of region coding in maximizing profits for the publishers, but that's not the point being argued.

The question IS, does region coding have any REAL tangible effect to curbing importing? I say no, people who import WILL import regardless. Can someone show how this not the case? It probably isn't, as much as I hate to admit it, but I'd like to be told so, rather than having the potential benefits of Region Coding explained over and over different people.


<Sigh> I'm probably just desperately grabbing at straws in hope that I won't have to deal with this garbage next gen... import gaming is expensive and annoyingly troublesome... and I'm tired of it. Well, this time around I'll be smart enough to buy a modded system...

 

[DemoCoder]

Well, if it wasn't such a hassle to play imported games, and if it was legal, you'd see online stores pop up in China that quickly put EBGAMES/GAMESTOP out of business selling games for 1/10th the cost. So yes, it is working.

If you could buy DVDs direct from China *legally* without fear they'd be seized by customs, than import/export shops would crop up overnight and put Best Buy, Walmart, and others out of the DVD business.

Don't assume that a law or technology has to be perfect in order to have an effect. Laws and digital rights management/copy protection, exists to stop the casual user, not the experts.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

Basically, aside from initial console launch I don't see imports rising with the end of region coding. Besides the cost of international shipping alone pretty much kills any money you might save from importing, so there's no real gain there... you import because you WANT it regardless, so region coding holds little hinderance. Also, last I checked games are pretty equally priced across the world... anyone know if I'm wrong?

Yes the international shipping is quite expensive like about 0$... for many places for example dvdboxoffice, games are also cheaper in North-America than in Europe by fair margin. But I agree that importing wouldn't be a big issue even if region codes didn't excist, so basically they are pointless.

I have Us-versions of my consoles PS2 and Xbox and I will continue to do so, censorship is the only reason I need, two of my favourite games this gen has been sensored in Europe (Ninja Gaiden and God of War) and that is something I will never tolerate. Censorship is extremely bad in Germany, and I thank the god I wasn't born there.