PS3's Home: Region locked

PS3's Home: Region locked

Kevin Horrocks on 17 July 2008 - 15:10 · 18 comments & 9972 views

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Sony's PlayStation 3 Home service – which has been constantly beset with delays since launch – is going to be 'region-locked' according to a Sony rep at E3.

While users will be able to visit any of their online friend's private apartment areas in Home, all the public zones in the virtual world are to be restricted by the geographical area you live 'IRL' (in real life).

It's another blow to PlayStation fans who were hoping that the service would be finally rolled out this year, which is also looking increasingly unlikely.

If you want to meet up with your pals from abroad, then you'll be able to invite them into your apartment, but warping into the game space to bowl or play chess is not possible.

This is allegedly to make sure that each region receives an 'experience most suited to their tastes' as well as, no doubt, to keep advertisers happy.

View: TechRadar

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#1 Fourjays on 17 Jul 2008 - 15:46

Wow. What possible reason is there for this? So they can charge Europe twice as much as everyone else for things in Home or something?

(1 reply) #2 Gabe3 on 17 Jul 2008 - 16:09

Home is free but there will be some extras that you can buy, like ordering movies in the theater and stuff for your apartment I think.

#2.1 KavazovAngel on 17 Jul 2008 - 16:33

Which will be more expensive in Europe than in any other place, as usual.

(2 replies) #3 +Digix on 17 Jul 2008 - 16:33

this is ideal. i would rather be restricted to region then have to put up with lag everywhere and ruined experience.

#3.1 HawkMan on 17 Jul 2008 - 19:02

It's not a game and it doesn't affect you if other people are lagging. and hell it's not like international latency is that high anymore anyway.

#3.2 whYeNQue on 18 Jul 2008 - 10:49

lag in turn based games? like pool and bowling... umm... ok, if you say so. they could have just put warnings up saying 'online play with international peeps may differ' etc.
the advertising thing makes more sense.

#4 +BeLGaRaTh on 17 Jul 2008 - 21:15

How will this effect people who bought a us/japan machine for example and live in the UK? I haven't bought a PS3 yet, but I know a lot of people who bought these machines due to the lateness of them being released here.

#5 GEIST on 17 Jul 2008 - 21:24

The again, Home is pathetic and pointless to begin with.

#6 Refuse on 17 Jul 2008 - 22:01

Haha. Wow. I have a PS3 and was looking forward to Home, but with every press release they do telling us about a new feature, I begin to dislike it more and more. I just can't understand why they would region lock this. No one I know even owns a PS3, all the people I play games with are overseas! So whatever. Epic fail for Sony...Again...

#7 brent3000 on 17 Jul 2008 - 23:28

i know this means that the Aussie home will be very empty

Sony servers just cant take the load of what they want it to do...

#8 RatherLargeBear on 18 Jul 2008 - 00:58

It really sucks to be Sony this week.

(1 reply) #9 Xerxes on 18 Jul 2008 - 01:18

It's another blow to PlayStation fans who were hoping that the service would be finally rolled out this year, which is also looking increasingly unlikely.

Wow, Home possibly been delayed again, I didn't see that one coming

EDIT: Honistly, I wish Sony just kept Home under wraps instead of been so public about it. I think it would of been so much better if they worked on Home under the radar and then when it was actually ready, just announce it. The constant delays are just killing it for me and by the time it eventually does release, there is probally a good chance I would of been so sick and tired of hearing about it, I'll just not bother with it

Last edited by Xerxes on 18 Jul 2008 - 01:23

#9.1 brent3000 on 18 Jul 2008 - 02:28

That means last years E3 they would have had nothing to talk about...

(1 reply) #10 DARKFiB3R on 18 Jul 2008 - 01:32

I'd rather not be stuck in a room with a bunch of bloody foreigners anyway :p

#10.1 NightCrawler. on 18 Jul 2008 - 23:25

(DARKFiB3R said @ #10)

I'd rather not be stuck in a room with a bunch of bloody foreigners anyway :p

Racism is never an option.

#11 InPCHell on 18 Jul 2008 - 18:44

Did they mention how much it will be to play house and dress yourself up like a Ken or Barbie doll?

#12 Bhav on 19 Jul 2008 - 18:54

This is FUD. It's not region 'locked'. There are just certain lobbies for NA, for EU, for JPN etc on top of the rest of the areas. And how can you report this but not the announcement that the EU Home Beta will release alongside the US Beta? FUD, FUD, FUD.

#13 Heather on 20 Jul 2008 - 11:38

How rubbish

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PS3's Home: Region locked

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