135w ago - According to French site PS3Gen.fr (linked above), Sony may be planning to region-restrict upcoming PS3 video games using the new 3.50 SDK.
To quote, roughly translated: "While Sony had surprised everyone by not only zoned games on PS3, unlike the PS2 or the PS1, it seems that this idea can be challenged in the near future.
Since the advent of the SDK 3.50, it is possible for official developers restrict their PlayStation 3 games at a specific region.
For information, be aware that verification of the region of the disc was in fact quietly implemented since the 3.30 firmware but was not yet usable by the studios.
Here are screenshots from a PlayStation 3 when trying to launch a drive to a "bad area"... following an audit of this same disc into console development.
If any games yet so far does this "feature", however it is likely that it will be in the coming months."
DrEB states: "Some people said that the region restriction is old and already used with some demos, but it's wrong! This feature was added in 3.30 SDK and cannot be used with previous software versions. The very few demos using that kind of region lock in old firmwares had nothing to do with that new feature.
You can just verify it checking the PARAM.SFO, when the region restriction is active you will find a "REGION_DENY" in it. But like a picture worth 1000 words,
this is a "Check" did on an app with the Region Restriction activated. Cya!"
No.
Are you sad?...
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Then there is the censoring. What if the rest of the world realised how pervy the japanese programmers are? Better make those miniskirts longer or draw some stocking too. Also, what if little Timmy noticed that the end-boss is smoking, we all know how weak non-japanese children are and they will all start smoking too. Better get rid of that too or we will get into troubles, lol.
Of cause cant really use those 2 excuses anymore. Region lock only seem to ensure that europeans pay the full $120-140 a game.
Wanted to buy the US Version but didn't work on my EU PS3.