Questions about Region Locks

[8BitRager]

I've already scoured the internet and came upon many many sites explaining the differences but never when really pertaining to games. Games and Movies are oddly enough quite different when it comes to this subject which I wasn't aware of.

Why the interest?
I want to buy WATCH_DOGS DSE and the Splinter Cell: BL 5th Freedom Edition(preferably Silver Ed.... DAMN YOU 'MURICA) for PC. They're both tagged as DVD-ROM which at first made me think they're compatible with my American machine. Great. But then I remembered that they're only sold in UK/EU so I then thought 'well may there IS a region lock'.

With all the formats:
1
2
DVD-ROM
Americas
Europe
PAL
NTSC

I'm a little confused if I'd be able to play both of these UK DVD-ROM Editions on my computer. Now, naturally an experienced collector would concern themselves with wiping the firmware off of their DVD-ROM Drive, but I'm speaking in the tense of native region locking. Would I be unable to play the DVD-ROMS that came in these UK/EU versions(Marked as DVD-ROM) on my American machine?

[Dreamcazman]

You're getting yourself all confused, there are different region codes for different disc formats, just because a device uses one of these formats doesn't necessarily mean they all share the same type of region lock.

For movies (DVD) there are 6 regions, Bluray (movies) there are 3 regions.

Consoles/PCs might use these disc formats, but they don't use the same region locks. Games for consoles generally have 3 regions, PAL, NTSC/U & NTSC/J which is based moreso on the analogue TV signal these regions used to use.

There is no region locking for PC games as far as I'm aware. It's a universal worldwide format, the only locking might be to do with multiplayer servers, etc, but that wouldn't stop you from playing the game.

Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Region_lock) probably explains it a little better.

[8BitRager]

Well, I mean, multiplayer is a pretty large aspect of a game to not have included for a price point like this. I'll rephrase the question; my apologies for the confusion:

Does anyone know if these 2 UK shipped products would be fully accessible and fully playable on my American machine? I've looked everywhere for answers when pertaining to WATCH_DOGS and SC:BL specifically but have reared no answers.

EDIT: You're post was very helpful by the way. That wiki explained quite a bit to me, however, CE.org has DVD-ROM has a suggested "format" in the region locking category. I'm just trying to cover all my corners with this before I make the purchase.
I've heard that PC games were universal but I've also heard otherwise.

[Dreamcazman]

In some cases, no-one has a definate answer until after release date and someone has had a chance to test it.

I figure though being a PC game you have better than normal odds it will work fine.

What I meant by the multiplayer servers was that on occasion games bought from Europe (or other region) are sometimes locked to that regions servers so if you play the same game in America, you might have a slight lag issue (because you are connected to another countries server) but other than that the game will still work fine.

[Letrico]

Well, I mean, multiplayer is a pretty large aspect of a game to not have included for a price point like this. I'll rephrase the question; my apologies for the confusion:

Does anyone know if these 2 UK shipped products would be fully accessible and fully playable on my American machine? I've looked everywhere for answers when pertaining to WATCH_DOGS and SC:BL specifically but have reared no answers.

EDIT: You're post was very helpful by the way. That wiki explained quite a bit to me, however, CE.org has DVD-ROM has a suggested "format" in the region locking category. I'm just trying to cover all my corners with this before I make the purchase.
I've heard that PC games were universal but I've also heard otherwise.

PC games depending on region.

Origin support all region game but it might not have the language pack depending on where it is purchased.

For example, some PC games from Czech might be written on the box that only contain Czech subtitles and Czech voice. There are work around for Origin and uPlay but quite troublesome. The Origin client might force download the whole game again if it detects different files. Happened to my with Crysis 3 :P. Last I heard they will implement the region locking soon.

For uPlay games, it is completely region free on PC. There are region locking DLC for consoles.

For Steam games, steam games are region lock to 3 region. RU/CZ region, Asia region and Everywhere else.

For example if you purchase a RU/CZ region game, you will not be able to activate it in another region. This applies to all purchases from the regions. The workaround is to use VPN but again it is really not worth the trouble.

Base on what you are saying, you are interested in Watch Dogs and Splinter Cell. Both of them are uPlay games and you will not have any problem as it will 100% region free including the DLC.

[8BitRager]

PC games depending on region.

Origin support all region game but it might not have the language pack depending on where it is purchased.

For example, some PC games from Czech might be written on the box that only contain Czech subtitles and Czech voice. There are work around for Origin and uPlay but quite troublesome. The Origin client might force download the whole game again if it detects different files. Happened to my with Crysis 3 :P. Last I heard they will implement the region locking soon.

For uPlay games, it is completely region free on PC. There are region locking DLC for consoles.

For Steam games, steam games are region lock to 3 region. RU/CZ region, Asia region and Everywhere else.

For example if you purchase a RU/CZ region game, you will not be able to activate it in another region. This applies to all purchases from the regions. The workaround is to use VPN but again it is really not worth the trouble.

Base on what you are saying, you are interested in Watch Dogs and Splinter Cell. Both of them are uPlay games and you will not have any problem as it will 100% region free including the DLC.

Post of the day XD Thanks! I appreciate the information.

[Letrico]

Cheers I think I had a few typo here and there was rushing the post but hope you understand what I'm trying to say :P

I've researched plenty about PC region locking :P

[8BitRager]

Cheers I think I had a few typo here and there was rushing the post but hope you understand what I'm trying to say :P

I've researched plenty about PC region locking :P

I'll keep this in mind. This has always been a question on my mind when it came to region locking. This'll help me a lot with future purchases :D

[KnightOfTruth]

Not to hijack but just for clarification, if Uplay games lock DLC on consoles, is that ALWAYS or just sometimes?

I was debating on getting Watchdogs DeadSec or just picking up our version over here (without any DLC grrrr...) and also getting the Black Chest version of AC4 both for the 360. My understanding is that I can play the games without using a UK gamertag or anything like that but that I may need a UK gamertag to redeem and access the DLC? Is that how it works?

Edit: Also, if I play the UK versions on my US 360 and CANT access the UK DLC, can I buy the US DLC and use it with the UK game? <brain explodes>

Thanks for the clarification oh wise ones! :notworthy:

[Letrico]

Not to hijack but just for clarification, if Uplay games lock DLC on consoles, is that ALWAYS or just sometimes?

I was debating on getting Watchdogs DeadSec or just picking up our version over here (without any DLC grrrr...) and also getting the Black Chest version of AC4 both for the 360. My understanding is that I can play the games without using a UK gamertag or anything like that but that I may need a UK gamertag to redeem and access the DLC? Is that how it works?

Edit: Also, if I play the UK versions on my US 360 and CANT access the UK DLC, can I buy the US DLC and use it with the UK game? <brain explodes>

Thanks for the clarification oh wise ones! :notworthy:

Based on my finding, uplay region lock is most likely the upass lock depending on your uplay account region. That is you won't be able to activate the pass on your US account with UK copy of the game.

Standard gameplay will not be locked unless they specifically said to have region lock. Slightly different with Xbox as publishers can region lock it but they seemed to have dropped the idea for few years already.

You will not be able to purchase US dlc with UK disc as the system will treat it as you don't have the base game. Most likely the problem is with the language content i am not sure. That was what happened last year but I am not sure if they lifted that but I doubt they did.

If you want I can look deeper into it and see what I can find

[KnightOfTruth]

Based on my finding, uplay region lock is most likely the upass lock depending on your uplay account region. That is you won't be able to activate the pass on your US account with UK copy of the game.

Standard gameplay will not be locked unless they specifically said to have region lock. Slightly different with Xbox as publishers can region lock it but they seemed to have dropped the idea for few years already.

You will not be able to purchase US dlc with UK disc as the system will treat it as you don't have the base game. Most likely the problem is with the language content i am not sure. That was what happened last year but I am not sure if they lifted that but I doubt they did.

If you want I can look deeper into it and see what I can find

Yeah, I'd really like to know for certain - I suppose I can always go and trade in my PAL version in and pick up a standard NTSC-U version and use that and just be out the DLC (maybe sell that on Ebay.co.uk or something?).

If I didn't have to do that though, that'd be great - but like you said, they could lock it through the uPlay, through the disc itself, through the DLC, so many different ways to annoy us. ;) If you could find out more through whatever means you may have, I'd really appreciate it, thanks!

[Dreamcazman]

As far as region locks go for DLC on consoles, there are no region locks on 360. As long as the game runs on your console, DLC can be purchased from any region and it will work. For example, I bought the US version of Borderlands 2, play it on my Aus 360 and got DLC codes from the UK - no problems.

PS3 however region lock their DLC in that you have to use the DLC from the country the game originated from. For example. I have the US version of Dark Souls and I play it on my Aus PS3. I had to create a US account in order to purchase the Artorias of the Abyss DLC otherwise the game simply wouldn't know it was there.

[KnightOfTruth]

As far as region locks go for DLC on consoles, there are no region locks on 360. As long as the game runs on your console, DLC can be purchased from any region and it will work. For example, I bought the US version of Borderlands 2, play it on my Aus 360 and got DLC codes from the UK - no problems.

PS3 however region lock their DLC in that you have to use the DLC from the country the game originated from. For example. I have the US version of Dark Souls and I play it on my Aus PS3. I had to create a US account in order to purchase the Artorias of the Abyss DLC otherwise the game simply wouldn't know it was there.

Well, that sounds great - but with DLC redeeming codes (such as I'd be getting in the Black Chest edition) I'm assuming they ONLY unlock the DLC for that particular region, right? I've attempted to use other codes before but got "invalid code" because it needed to be redeemed by a UK account for instance. Also, some regions cannot view particular DLC via their marketplaces so I imagine those are limitations too.

Maybe my best bet in that case would be to just sell the game with all the DLC codes and uPlay pass on the UK eBay and use the funds to pay for my own NTSC copy and keep all the extras? I guess I may be paying for the DLC twice (if I don't make anything back on Ebay).

Thanks for the info!

[Dreamcazman]

Well, that sounds great - but with DLC redeeming codes (such as I'd be getting in the Black Chest edition) I'm assuming they ONLY unlock the DLC for that particular region, right? I've attempted to use other codes before but got "invalid code" because it needed to be redeemed by a UK account for instance. Also, some regions cannot view particular DLC via their marketplaces so I imagine those are limitations too.

Maybe my best bet in that case would be to just sell the game with all the DLC codes and uPlay pass on the UK eBay and use the funds to pay for my own NTSC copy and keep all the extras? I guess I may be paying for the DLC twice (if I don't make anything back on Ebay).

Thanks for the info!
I'm sorry, but did you even read what I just wrote?

360 codes will work anywhere, PS3 codes won't.