Region Coding: Good or Bad
 

So, I thought I might start a discussion on region coding, though it will most likely just be everyone agreeing that it sucks. On the off chance that some actual debate will go on, I ask: What are your thoughts on region coding?

I understand that the reason for region coding is to keep people like me from buying the Japanese version of Final Fantasy XIII rather than wait the six months till the English version comes out. Basically, they're protecting their profits. However, I can't help but get frustrated when you have games that will never be released in the US, and I'd be willing to give the company money so I could play their game, but I can't unless I get a Japanese 360 or a Japanese PS3. I think that the supposed "lost profit" from gamers importing the foreign versions would be negligible, and that it really serves no purpose other than to screw the customer over.

I'm quite preferable to two separate schools of thought on this particular topic.

The first being, International release dates. So Japan has their precious game delayed. Maybe it would do them some good to work on a translation before they release it so that at least we can get within the 1-2 week range of release dates. Chrono Trigger DS, for instance, contained the full English translation from the Japanese version from day 1, and it was delayed for some time, a reasonable delay I seem to recall (A few weeks or a month or so I believe), yet this delay was not to get a translation into a cart, it was to actually REMOVE features from Japan's version of the game (The Japanese/English Toggle was one of these).

The other thought is, it's their money, and they can spend it however they want. It's all one Mother company, so they're still getting all the money in the first place. Just set silly guidelines on distribution of import funds (which, if a company can afford things like tracking how much one game gets pirated, I'm certain that they can track import/export charts)

So either get yer act together with releases or accept that people will import. Just don't be a dick with Region Locking.

Good thing the handhelds aren't region locked because it was fairly obvious Konami had no intentions of releasing Yugioh Tag Force 3 and I had to import it.

Well, another problem with region coding is that the legality of it as a business practice is somewhat questionable. For one, it allows price discrimination. UMD movies that cost $14 here could cost up to $40 in Japan, and UMD movies were region coded. Another is that it places a bit of a restriction on free trade, and while you could argue that it doesn't because you could import a foreign console, most of us don't shit money for breakfast.

I gotta say that despite the fact that I hate region locked it is a really odd subject.

Though I have to question the logic behind 'protecting their profits.' It seems more to me like they're just protecting their statistics from being screwed up, what with localization of games being a good test for future localization.

Fair enough. Region locking has been a particular pain to me lately and I could see no justification for it, and it seemed legally ambiguous at best, so I thought I'd start a discussion to maybe see if there was a side of the argument I just wasn't seeing.

Basically, they spend X amount of money on the localization, so they want to get as much return on that investment as possible.

As I'm aware the PAL vs NTSC debate kinda comes in here vaguely.

The only systems without region locking are the handhelds and that's simply because it's not cost effective.

Oh I meant no offense. Its just one of those things like "Huh." where I completely and utterly agree that I hate it but I don't know the logic even from a business perspective.

And speaking of which.
Yeah but buying the game in one spot still gets money to them, the difference is it came from one spot as opposed to another.

Plus you still have to import it, which isn't that costly but it is much moreso than just the sixty bucks and a walk/drive to your store at a later date. I mean the import market seems extremely small without region-locks, and it only gets worse on games that are exclusive.

Though that would bring about the whole 'Americans terrified of games that could DESTROY THEIR FRAGILE MINDS even though you have to import a game nobody's ever heard of' thing, but eh whatevs, I doubt that's their real reason anyway.

None taken whatsoever.

I think it's the difference from the money going to regular Nintendo instead of Nintendo of America. By getting more money statistically to that division they have more money to localize games... Or the CEO's just have more cocaine to snort. One of the two.

That makes a bit more sense, it is a bit of an odd concept to think of 'Nintendo' as two separate companies coexisting in two different regions of the world that are working together to cockblock each others income. As well as most other game console companies, for that matter.

Yeah back home in NZ region-locking is actually illegal for both this reason and that it can mislead the customer into what thier device can do.
The product can be locked out of the box but must have a code to unlock (which you normally need to look up on manufacturer's websites).

And that is my main problem with region-locking is that it can be unclear for the average consumer, especially in a place like NZ where we get both local stuff and US imports regularly. The average sales pitch doesn't mention it.