Region Locks (see 1st post for summary of Q&As): Official - No lock for UK/EUR/US/AUS

[raz3r]

We need the attention of media like PCGamer or RockPaperShotgun, they may help us or at least gain an answer. Eidos won't change anything at this point, game is gone gold and we're closer to the release so even if they change their mind they have no time. I guess that Square Enix should contact every UK retailer and tell them to warn buyers about this problem. They deserve at least an email or something like that. They must have the time to move or cancel the preorder.

[FuuKuy]

Originally Posted by jaycw2309

Simple answer is if you bought a boxed copy you should buy from your territory stores, not import from the UK.

It is only the initial activation that is required to be in the UK for those copies mind, think Sugioh asked this..

WHAT?! It's not fair. I have the RETAIL Augmented Edition preordered on amazon.co.uk BECAUSE the Augmented Edition for PC is not distributed in my country....

We are in a global market, why cannot buy the game elsewhere?

Should I cancel my preorder?

[Naekh]

Originally Posted by FuuKuy

WHAT?! It's not fair. I have the RETAIL Augmented Edition preordered on amazon.co.uk BECAUSE the Augmented Edition for PC is not distributed in my country....

We are in a global market, why cannot buy the game elsewhere?

Should I cancel my preorder?

Amazon.co.uk says that it should be shipped on the 25/08. Let's wait a little. BUt unfortunately if you don't plan to use a proxy then I'm afraid that you'll have to do so, unless you wish to have a fancy useless box...

[guillaume.oudin]

I might be wrong but I'm quite sure that the Steam requirement made this region-locking thing possible, or at least way easier for them to implement. Because it's the first time I hear of a distinction between UK and the rest of Europe. To me that alone says why they did it : it is cheaper in UK, so people that are aware of it import it from UK.

What I find very unfair in this : most of the people who will buy the game will do so in their country and won't even be aware of this region-lock thingy. So in the end, who is penalized : the true fan that followed and supported the development from the beginning and pre-ordered the game. What a nice move.

[Charadesmith]

Correct me if i'm wrong but doesn't the use of a proxy possibly expose your steam login data?

[satan_shark]

Originally Posted by satan_shark

They do not give money back, but only a gift card with the credit to spend in the same shop. Altough I can buy the Collector's Edition only in UK.

Anyway. It will work if I run Steam in London and register the key before coming back to Italy? Or it's necessary to register the key, install (or download from steam) the game, and run from UK?

I should also ask a friend in UK to register it on my account if i shouldn't???

Please help!

[Zorvan]

Originally Posted by Charadesmith

Correct me if i'm wrong but doesn't the use of a proxy possibly expose your steam login data?

Just using the internet itself exposes your steam login. Packet sniffers, for instance.

Also, you can be banned from Steam if they discover you are using a proxy.

[Fluffis]

I'm not going to mince words about this: This is a dick move, Square Enix. There are people who have had a pre-order from the UK (I was one of them) since late 2010. Now, just days before release, you decide that we're not allowed to do that?

Trust me: you are going to get some really bad press over a stunt like this. A company that goes in and divides up countries in the EU, who have free trade? Do you have any clue what this kind of thing could lead to?

[typical]

Only sure thing is:

customers never asked for this.

[Salah-ad Din]

Originally Posted by Fluffis

I'm not going to mince words about this: This is a dick move, Square Enix. There are people who have had a pre-order from the UK (I was one of them) since late 2010. Now, just days before release, you decide that we're not allowed to do that?

Trust me: you are going to get some really bad press over a stunt like this. A company that goes in and divides up countries in the EU, who have free trade? Do you have any clue what this kind of thing could lead to?

I hope it leads to some seriously bad press and some even more serious cut in sales.

[guillaume.oudin]

Yeah well...this is a time of great innovation

Anyway, it seems that some store, especially those selling digital copies, are getting region free keys.

Like this one : http://www.intkeys.com/index.php?mai...roducts_id=299

[JakBot]

This is completely unacceptable. I live in Finland and constantly order games from the UK/Germany as especially the special editions are unavailable here. I have never heard of such thing, never met such thing on any of the games I've bought. To skip how unbelievably dickish move this is, why isn't this reported anywhere? The Amazon site mentions nothing of this, how am I as a customer supposed to know of this? Had I not stumbled upon it on another forum, I would've never known.

The game is one and a half weeks away and NOW you report of something like this? There is absolutely no way for me to get the collector's edition I had pre-ordered the very day it became available. It has been sold out everywhere and I even doubt there were any of them in my country to begin with.

This issue must be solved at once since this is quite clearly a violation of EU laws. I'm feeling so angry that I wouldn't hesitate to take this to the CJEU and be done with it. I hate it when greedy publishers make games that people have spent years to make, not worth buying.

[uberajnn]

Originally Posted by Geralt z Rivii

Is there a precedent for this type of restriction UK-rest of Europe?

Never seen it. Publishing and distribution at Square-Enix has some serious derp-factor going on. I'm going to attempt to use a proxy for activation. If it doesn't work, I've already paid for the game and will use other means *cough* to get the game on my computer. What are they hoping to accomplish?

[Dr Bob]

Originally Posted by Salah-ad Din

I hope it leads to some seriously bad press and some even more serious cut in sales.

That's not a nice thing to wish for.

[KingNL]

Just saw this posted on /v/

[typical]

Originally Posted by JakBot

This is completely unacceptable. I live in Finland and constantly order games from the UK/Germany as especially the special editions are unavailable here. I have never heard of such thing, never met such thing on any of the games I've bought. To skip how unbelievably dickish move this is, why isn't this reported anywhere? The Amazon site mentions nothing of this, how am I as a customer supposed to know of this? Had I not stumbled upon it on another forum, I would've never known.

The game is one and a half weeks away and NOW you report of something like this? There is absolutely no way for me to get the collector's edition I had pre-ordered the very day it became available. It has been sold out everywhere and I even doubt there were any of them in my country to begin with. [...]

This issue must be solved at once and since this is quite clearly a violation of EU laws. I'm feeling so angry that I wouldn't hesitate to take this to the CJEU and be done with it. I hate it when greedy publishers make games that people have spent years to make, not worth buying.

This.

Originally Posted by guillaume.oudin

Like this one : http://www.intkeys.com/index.php?mai...roducts_id=299

I don't know. It says:

All keys are scanned from new retail boxes.

so I'm not sure about it.

[KingNL]

This has been done with a lot of games before with steam, people would buy cheap cdkeys from russian websites and play them in other countries (western-europe, USA)

[Zorvan]

The main problem is Square-Enix really has no experience with the PC gaming world. They try to treat the PC as they would a console ( like the region coding thing ). It's one reason their latest mmo, FFXIV, is sitting in the virtual crapper right now, costing them money instead of making it.

[iNeedzHelp]

Russia is not EU.

Congrats on being such dicks, Square Enix, I just cancelled my preorder. Learn how to treat your customers, and perhaps you'll learn how not to lose them.

[guillaume.oudin]

I'm quoting this from here on the official Steam forums.

Basically it explains EU customers rights when purchasing abroad.

Originally Posted by Sompero@official_Steam_forums

See below: (only applys companys that are located inside EU member state)

Buying services:
http://ec.europa.eu/youreurope/citiz....htm?profile=0


"For these types of services, and others, you have the right to buy from a service provider located in another EU country without:

- having the seller refuse to sell to you simply because you live in a different EU country

- price discrimination
http://ec.europa.eu/youreurope/citiz....htm?profile=0

-- Equal prices for foreigners

As an EU national, you cannot be charged a higher price than local residents when buying products or services anywhere else in the EU, unless the price difference is justified."

---

UK probably has lowest game prices in EU and many imports games from UK or buy digital (download) games from UK stores.

I was thinking couple days ago if publisher starts using region locks inside EU because UK has low game prices and what would that mean for EU customers and is that allowed.

They might be breaking EU "rules" if they do so because they are selling product that is only being usable only in certain EU member state and same time they are forcing companys that are located inside EU member state breaking those EU "rules" if those companys sells that product.


Those who live inside EU should make complaint to European Commission if publisher starts using region locks for games inside EU and Square Enix have started to use. Make a complaint and wait for answer.


Main problem with company that is located outside of EU is they see EU as multiple different market areas and not as one big single market area.

EU customers sees EU as one big market area and company that is located inside EU "have" to see EU as one big market area and offer same product at same prices for EU customers (there are some situations that doesnt have to meet those rules).

This guy make sense.

Also :

Originally Posted by Jakbot

I hate it when greedy publishers make games that people have spent years to make, not worth buying.

Couldn't agree more. That makes me even more sad as I really think the EM team did an outstanding job with the game.

[The True Turrican]

Originally Posted by raz3r

We need the attention of media like PCGamer or RockPaperShotgun, they may help us or at least gain an answer.

Done.

[raz3r]

Originally Posted by KingNL

Just saw this posted on /v/

Link?

[Dr Bob]

While this may be against EU regulations, please stop bastardising Eidos Montreal - they are just the developers.

You should be focusing on Square Enix.

Please, just stop with all this negativity against Eidos Montreal.

[SimplexPL]

While I can sort-of understand region locking of Russian version (becasue it wil be much cheaper so they want to avoid people in the west taking advantage of that fact), it absolutely BOGGLES MY MIND why on Earth the UK version is to be region locked. It's not like it's cheaper from the others, right?
I really hope someone takes the trouble of proving that this DICK MOVE on Square Enix part is against some UE's free trade mumb-jumbo, and SUES THEIR ASSES.

[Fluffis]

Question for any of the "insiders":

Did you guys even ask the legal department to see if this is allowed?

Edit: You see; Free Trade is kind of a biggie in the EU. It's basically what the whole thing is built around.