asdasdasdbb
Member
Imagine if Steam did that. There's be a thousand page thread here by now.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
[Pure Xbox] Xbox Players Say They're Being 'Banned Indefinitely' For Using A VPN [Update: Players were banned for exploiting regional pricing]
Unknown Soldier
Member
Steam has always allowed the publisher to decide if they want region locking or not, and if region locking is enabled, Steam enforced it ruthlessly. You don't fuck around with Steam if the game is region locked
yet_another_alt
Member
This. If companies can take advantage of a global economy then why can't a consumer?
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
You can do that but you risk getting banned if you want to
I'm surprised no one I helped step by step with the turkey vpn game pass codes through the years on GAF has been banned lol.
awwr999999
Member
IIRC, Sony doesn't mind this with regards to PSN unless you're trying to pull some scam.
There always needs to be a way for anyone anywhere to get the uncensored US version of any game.
There always needs to be a way for anyone anywhere to get the uncensored US version of any game.
NeverYouMind
Member
They're abusing regional price. In certain countries certain games are super cheap. It happens on all digital marketplaces not just xbox. People also do this to abuse xbox live/psn reloads.
Say the new indy game is $20 in India. A user in usa would use a vpn and connect to a server in india.
Xbox store now thinks the user is actually in india and they can buy indy for $20.
Once purchased the user then turns off the vpn and plays it like normal. They just got a game that goes for $60 in the usa for $20.
Last edited:
Grizzled Ghost
Member
You sure about that? Your falsifying your location in order to obtain a product at a cheaper price. Sounds like textbook fraud.
Fess
Member
Isn’t this bearly standard practice among the core enthusiasts, like those who want to play games first and play the New Zealand version or whatever?
I don’t buy games so no worries here. Unless they go years back, I think I bought some US game once that wasn’t available in Euroland. Tried to buy US Ridge Racer 6 awhile back too but couldn’t do it.
I don’t buy games so no worries here. Unless they go years back, I think I bought some US game once that wasn’t available in Euroland. Tried to buy US Ridge Racer 6 awhile back too but couldn’t do it.
Mattyp
Not the YouTuber
This is why this scamming always shits me up the wall, you’ve got western people exploiting regional pricing for people who really need it to be that low to enjoy gaming at all.
And all it ends up with is the people missing out that are already struggling.
xrnzaaas
Member
It's taken MS years to react to people using VPN's just so they can spend A LOT LESS money. With that said it's surely going to shrink the overall Game Pass numbers. Paying full price or close to full price for the Ultimate sub? I can imagine that quite a lot of people with VPN subs will say no.
Cakeboxer
Member
Some countries censor or ban games.
Stafford
Member
Well, damn. There goes that. But if it's a code for my own country it's fine via those sites, right?
YeulEmeralda
Linux User
I don't think companies care if you use the store from a wealthy country.
Way back on the PS3 and 4 I had a US account to buy some JRPGs that were never released on Euro PSN. I used American gift cards to pay.
ManaByte
Member
Sony requires region-specific accounts though.
The things ppl do to not buy games at full price....
There's a joke about Game Pass in here somewhere.
Fun times.
There's a joke about Game Pass in here somewhere.
Remember how Sony didnt give a fuck about where your PSN account was created? All that changed with the outcry about PSN accounts for Helldivers 2.
Fun times.
ManaByte
Member
PSN accounts are region locked though. You can't claim a JPN game on a US account. MS accounts aren't, so people exploit it to use a VPN to buy a cheap game like in Turkey and claim it on their US account. That's now bannable and people getting caught doing it are crying that they did nothing wrong.
What's the point of being so called "region free" when buying from another region gets you/that account banned? Your account is essentially region locked.
Last edited:
I get morality arguments here, but legality of it is literally not challenged anywhere.
Ultimately its no different to buying physical media while travelling abroad.
ScHlAuChi
Member
How easily people forget:
Steam key geo-blocking infringed EU competition law, court finds
Valve infringed EU law by geo-blocking activation keys on Steam, a court has found.
www.eurogamer.net
awwr999999
Member
I hadn't even thought about that aspect of it. Seems like the best strategy for PS would be to "hard localize" any games sold for significantly less. Just make the games mono-language in terms of menus with no option for changing languages. On the flip side digital copies of American games should come with every possible localization built-in to make sure that everyone gets access to the full uncut version of any game.
