Region Free?

[Akumasama]

The game comes out today, has anyone found out already if the game, much like many other X360 games, is region free and hence playable on a PAL (European) X360? :?:

[Sandor]

Hi ! I am in the same situation and my game dealer told me, that it is codefree ! But so far, nobody accept SEGA could confirm this. I have ordered a US Version and will try it.

I hope that SEGA won´t do something against us "importers" because it´s much more expansive (game for 360 for round about 85 USD, monthly fee 12 USD). My only sorrow is - beside the "unkown fact" that it might be codefree - can players from Europe buy the (already installed license purchasing on the Europe XBox live marcetplace) license here in Europe and play with the US version of the Game ? Or - are there different servers for the US and EU gamers, so that there might be technical facts which will infect the possibility to play the 360 PSU with a European Gamertag and license and a US game ?

But let me ask another question: is it for sure, that we can go on playing our "Beta-test-PSU-character" with the full/original game ? Rumours are told everywhere about PSU...and hard facts are seldom !

As a result: I hope so, because I don´t want to wait another month for the EU PSU :wink: I will see it maybe on Saturday when the Game might arrive.

P.S. funny that on the European Marcetplace, there is the possibility to buy the 9,99 Euro monthly license also via debit card OR Codecard - as far as I can remember now.

[Cecil]

It would be nice if someone from Sega could come and put us out of our misery, or even just a quiet PM to me would be fine, i won't tell anybody that you told me :wink:

[Feelmirath]

I'm no Sega official, but it has been confirmed that the XBox 360 version of PSU is region free (Lik-Sang, before they closed down earlier today, stated that the US version works on their PAL XBox 360).

[bloodflowers]

Good news if it's true. I dont think there would be server issues because US and Europe players play together. The license though - dunno, will wait to hear. I'd hope it just works - imagine if someone moves country? If anyone finds out could you post it here please or PM me? More than happy to import it.

[falc410]

So where did you order it?
I live in Germany and want to import it as well.

Usually I go to dvdboxoffice.com but it still costs around 58 Euros. Quite much if you ask me.
And I just spend 50 bucks on Dark Messiah and Anno 1701 is coming out tomorrow as well...I need more money ^^

[redarima]

If it is right that 360 ver. is region free, I'm so happy! :D

GOGOGO!!!

[Clessy]

All Sega 360 games are region free except Japanese versions. All Japanese 360 games are region locked.

[Deimos]

I have ordered the game from Video Games Plus for the 360 as it is region free but looking on PSO World i will not be able to get online with it until 24th November as there are billing issues ( have to have a US based home address and debit card ) When i get it i will try the licence on XBL to see if it goes through and gets me online, if so i will let you all know.

[Sandor]

That´s the thing ! Ok, let´s assume the US version is codefree (only concerning the 360 version). But - is it possible to buy a license on the European marketplace ? I didn´ t try it up to now. And, if there is a free period (two weeks e.g.), can you connect the server for this time without a credit card information or account/debit number ?

As you said - we will know it for sure, if we lay the disc in our 360 and try to connect the servers.

[teamdoa]

How hard is it for someone from Sega to tell us if its region free or not.

[bloodflowers]

How hard is it for someone from Sega to tell us if its region free or not.

In a way, it might be best not to force the issue. I think it's very good of them to have left region controls off so many games, but if we keep prodding them directly, they might start towing the industry line, and lock them.

Region controls are horribly outdated, I'd hoped this generation would finally ram a stake into their festering bodies. What a left down.

[iTz I Masterspy]

indeed. It would be nice if someone form sega says it is true that it is region free.

when someone got the game can he tell here if it works

[iTz I Masterspy]

If you pre-ordert the game on a site of the us, how do you need to pay then. Because we can not pay with dollars???

[Sandor]

Well, international orders will be charged with the individual currency from where you buy the item/game - your credit card company will calculate it in your currency and will charge you for this amount in e.g. Euro / British Pounds . An extra charge will be done by the cc-company for this service - depending on the turn around of your foreign spending. So, with a credit card you pay indeed with e.g. Dollars.

[iTz I Masterspy]

I've sended a pm to sega. And I hope I wil get a response soon for the fact if we can import the game or not

[super_hss]

I oredered it yesterday, don't know when it will arrive thogh.

Anywho when is the game coming out in US anyway? doesn't seem like anyway is playing? and if so can someone please try it on a PAL 360 and lets us know if it actually is region free?

Cheers :)

[Sandor]

Of course - I will post it as soon as possible. If the 360 version is out, it only depends on the shipping time from the US to Europe/my home.

I think the codefree issue is nearly cleared: codefree => yes ! BUT will it be possible to buy a license on the PAL/European marketplace AND use it with the US version (360) of PSU ?

My fear is, that SEGA won´t accept in Europe the European license (even it is much more expansive than the US one) up to the EU release date.
I donno up to now. Normally there should be no problem, because SEGA gets the money (cc or debit) for sure. But maybe they don´t want the Europeans/PAL gamers to play it so soon.

Beside - till the end of November there will be so much AAA-software coming out (e.g. GoW, CoD3), it would be also a good business for SEGA to allow those few hundreds of EU-Gamers to join ! If this will break down the servers, than it should be discussed if any monthly fee is worth to be advised. And for more - I played the US version of PSO on my US-DC for years and paid the license with my credit card and my - of course - foreign adress. Why should they now defeat those import-gamers.

I only could think about economic issues: SEGA EUROPE is a "profit center" and not banded economically to SEGA US. Therefore the US SEGA company would maybe not earn the money of the PAL/EU license payers and so they might exclude all Non-US/CA people. What a petty - I play with players from all over the world UNO including webcam - but in this case they might forbid us to play together at this time.

[Djungelfrukt]

Well, I can atleast buy a GUARDIAN license on the Marketplace, even though I'm Swedish, so I assume that you can just jump in when you get the game.

[Sandor]

Thank you Djungelfrukt ! Nice and good information - one step closer to play it online ! Now the servers should accept the us version (360) and the EU license. So far, normally PC gamers have much more luck to play import titles. This time it is a bit more vice versa. But don´t pray for the Lord untill day is over.....so I am waiting for my copy.

[ico560]

Anyone have a confirmation if PSU US work on 360 PAL EU ?

Please.

[Sandor]

My local dealer confirmed me yesterday evening, that PSU for 360 is codefree - so the game principally works on a PAL 360. As for the license and the combability I donno now - till I will have my US PSU in my hands.

[teamdoa]

How hard is it for someone from Sega to tell us if its region free or not.

In a way, it might be best not to force the issue. I think it's very good of them to have left region controls off so many games, but if we keep prodding them directly, they might start towing the industry line, and lock them.

Region controls are horribly outdated, I'd hoped this generation would finally ram a stake into their festering bodies. What a left down.

A simple Yes, or No about a week ago would have been nice then people wouldnt have to clog the forums up with the same question over and over.

[iTz I Masterspy]

PSU is region free. MS removed the GL in whole Europe because of some importers. Go see it for yourself. You will not be able to play till november 24

[Dark trav]

*starts to pound fist on the beach*

You maniacs! Damn you! Damn you all to hell!!!!!

Oh well. Time to start ticking the days off the calender.

[Sandor]

:twisted: yep its true - MS has removed the GL from the marketplace. Any discussion about what and when etc. concerning PSU US with PAL XBox 360s now become invalid. Sorry for us all ! I hope the customers in Europe will benifit this kind of behaviour. Those few people who have already bought a GL from the EU marketplace might be "sons of luck" but I guess SEGA/SONIC will reject them on another way from playing !

There is only one possibility left - which is not legal and so I will not talk about it. Furthermore I guess that SEGA has reacted because of "listening" very good to what we have written here and that we have found a hole in the anti-importers strategy to do...what ? Pay extra for joining and without being in any case illegally. I think, this acting of those who decided to take out the GL from XBox live marketplace is a slap in the face of all European customers, who normally and regullary have to pay remarkable more for joining the world of video gaming - doesn´t matter which plattform.

I tell you what SEGA/MS manager - there will be a day, when this kind of behaviour will be juged horrible by those who finance your job, your enterprises and your life - by us, the customers.

Well I am totally down and depressed. And I assume, there will not be extra servers when PSU will be out in Europe. Regarding this acting of taking away the GL from being bought, I must say that I ask now for nothing concerning the EU release. I expect lagging and server probs, maintenances and all this kind of stuff that will be financed by XXX ? ...we will see.

Btw. I own 4 Dreamcasts, nearly all stuff of SEGA for them and only original games. A fan - yes, absolutly. But from now on a formal one.

[Clessy]

Meh welp I'm not supporting Sega on this game anymore. Bought it after 4 places told me the US game was gonna be region free. All versions of PSU are region locked on 360 to help stop players from other regions from buying the game early -_- Waste of freaking $60. Hell I live in the Us and my live account is US. Meh to sega for making the only game I actually was ever excited about not region free.

[inu]

Well, now I'll just have to wait until freacking december. Just checked the marketplace, is gone in the japan area too.

Sandor, thanks for all the info.

[Atrix]

Meh welp I'm not supporting Sega on this game anymore. Bought it after 4 places told me the US game was gonna be region free. All versions of PSU are region locked on 360 to help stop players from other regions from buying the game early -_- Waste of freaking $60. Hell I live in the Us and my live account is US. Meh to sega for making the only game I actually was ever excited about not region free.

This is not strictly true. Videogamesplus.ca has tested the US game in a PAL console and it works just fine. The game IS region-free... the license required to play the game online is another matter entirely.

I always wonder if negative publicity and alienating your most hardcore supporters is rule one in the "How to run a game publishing company" manual.

[Sandor]

Yes - a couple of people have tested it: PSU for the 360 IS codefree ! But that does only mean for Non-US/CA people, that they could play offline. Online mode is not available because of the lag of buying a GL from the EU/JP/AUS marketplace. So beside all - in my opinion much to much - problems with errors, connecting problems etc. , a online gaming is NOT possible from outside the US/CA.

To say it clear for ALL importers (non US/CA gamers): without a US live account/gamertag you will NOT be able to play PSU online up to the release date of your region ! Major reason: the taking out of the GL buying possibility on the EU/JP marketplace. By the way, just have a look on your download history of your EU gamertag: you won´t find there ANY PSU beta game demo ! "They" do as if it never has existed !

Even if you manage it with your US account, you will be faced to a lot of errors, connecting, credit card problems etc. .

The US and JP customers are more used to a customer´s friendly behaviour of the game supplier (SEGA). If this problems will be not fixed soon, the magic of PSU will be overrated by these problems and the high montly fee costs. As a result, gamers from all over the world will reject playing PSU. Further more, because of the near release of other "big" titles for live playing, I can forsee big problems for the PSU sales.

In a few days/weeks outside Europe, there will be a PS3 and Wii release too. If their online concept will be just a little better than SEGA´s, people will give up playing PSU very soon. And it is no excuse, that the japanese release of the PS2 version was much more worse ! A "bad" release in the US (or EU) can not be excused by a worse release in Japan. Who is going to pay the GL for a long time ? Those Phantasy Star fans like us. A normal and casual gamer will give up soon to play PSU if there are such heavy problems and high costs per month. Let us take a look after half a year and count the people on the "universes" - with this background there will not be lags etc. because of the lack of a population of "Guardians".

I calculated roughly what SEGA got as cash for the release date of PSU: I assume it wil be nearly 800.000 USD ! Without the money for the PSU game. It is for me not clear how a stable and correct server system can not be installed with this amount in foreward! Even if I calculated wrong and I only take the half of it - beware of the beta test period, that made it easy for the stuff to precalculat the settings and needs of the server system. If they go on treading their customers like that, a legend called PSU will die soon.

[Deimos]

I have got the US version coming and am i right in thinking even if i create a US account it still wont work as the card i use is UK based and not US ?? as i have a US gamertag as well as a UK on for the downloads on XBL.

[-STE-]

I bought hl before they took away from marketplace (im in Italy).
Next week i will have the game hope i can go online without problems...

[Atrix]

I have got the US version coming and am i right in thinking even if i create a US account it still wont work as the card i use is UK based and not US ?? as i have a US gamertag as well as a UK on for the downloads on XBL.

Entropay works just fine, but the problem is that (for now at least) silver memberships cannot connect to the online game servers even if they managed to buy the GL.

[Sandor]

I am not quit sure if this is a good idea to talk about an illegal method here, even it might help to find a way to play online. As for the us account, every new gamertag has one month Gold Account automatically.

[Deimos]

I not really bothered about online all that much at the moment as none of my freinds will have it yet just want to play the offline and compleate before them and get all the achievements as they are all in the offline mode playing as ethan. Just hope XBL does'nt get funny playing the game offline but signed into XBL.

[ico560]

EU can play only offline on xbox 360 PAL ?

[Sandor]

At least - yes, EU should play offline. It´s a code free game, it runs on PAL XBoxes, offline and online mode is seperated - so no reason for not playing offline than. BUT if there is such a "GL demand" like in the PC version or if it´s made like the old XBox PSO version, it might be only possible if you have an Gold account or/and a valid GL. But I don´t think so. So far: offline mode will be available for PAL/EU/AUS players.

[Clessy]

Meh welp I'm not supporting Sega on this game anymore. Bought it after 4 places told me the US game was gonna be region free. All versions of PSU are region locked on 360 to help stop players from other regions from buying the game early -_- Waste of freaking $60. Hell I live in the Us and my live account is US. Meh to sega for making the only game I actually was ever excited about not region free.

This is not strictly true. Videogamesplus.ca has tested the US game in a PAL console and it works just fine. The game IS region-free... the license required to play the game online is another matter entirely.

I always wonder if negative publicity and alienating your most hardcore supporters is rule one in the "How to run a game publishing company" manual.Stfu your wrong. Its US region code which runs on pal console in 60htz mode. It wont boot on my Japanese 360 at all.

[redarima]

Is it not working in NTSC/J?

Oh... what the hell... orz

[Deimos]

If its region free it should work on ALL 360's

[Atrix]

Meh welp I'm not supporting Sega on this game anymore. Bought it after 4 places told me the US game was gonna be region free. All versions of PSU are region locked on 360 to help stop players from other regions from buying the game early -_- Waste of freaking $60. Hell I live in the Us and my live account is US. Meh to sega for making the only game I actually was ever excited about not region free.

This is not strictly true. Videogamesplus.ca has tested the US game in a PAL console and it works just fine. The game IS region-free... the license required to play the game online is another matter entirely.

I always wonder if negative publicity and alienating your most hardcore supporters is rule one in the "How to run a game publishing company" manual.Stfu your wrong. Its US region code which runs on pal console in 60htz mode. It wont boot on my Japanese 360 at all.

Don't tell me to STFU.

I never even mentioned the JP 360. I was mentioning region-free in so much as it works on the PAL console, nothing more, nothing less. Plus, that's exactly the way videogamesplus.ca phrased it to me - "region-free" . If it doesn't work on a JP console, I'm sorry, but simply correcting that bit without being offensive would have been appreciated. I'd have been much more willing to listen to what you had to say if you hadn't started throwing insults about.

[Sandor]

Sorry if I interrupt - if I may - but I think there should be no need to "fight" in a verbal way. Maybe it is better to clear the facts and than every kind of misunderstanding will be gone.

"Codefree" means, there is no regional code on the game disc. So in principal the game runs on EVERY XBox 360 console. As for EU and e.g. Australia and for Japan, there is normally the "2" as regional code. For e.g. US there is "1" as region code. If you put in a disc with a region code on it, that does not fit to the console region code (which is put in in the system of every non-chiped 360) than the 360 will reject the game and it won´t work on it.

"NTSC/PAL/SECAM" - these are TV/video standards, which are defined different. For the NTSC standard, it is given the fact, that the game runs with 60 Hz and a special amount of video/pixel lines (sorry if my English is not so good to express it better). Now the different: Japan for example use region code number "2" - the same than in Europe - but only NTSC standard.

That means, a japanese game will rund always on EU 360. BUT you will only be able to see anything correct (and not black/white and with a lot of black stripes in the frame) if your Television or Monitor can display NTSC mode. Every more or less modern TV can display real NTSC. Some displays/TVs are not able to do but have a so called "PAL 60" mode, which allows to display NTSC (in fact it is converted by the electronic of the display/TV) in the video standard PAL but with 60 Hz - as the original NTSC has.

To run a NTSC game with no regional code on it (in fact it has one, it is called number "0") you must have a 360 (doesn´t matter which one) and a TV or display that is able to display 60 Hz and NTSC or PAL60.
If the japanese 360 does not show PSU (remember: region code "0"), than you have to adjust your settings on your 360 to NTSC or PAL60 and to ensure, that your TV is able to show NTSC/PAL60. Most TVs outside the NTSC-country USA and Japan do that only by using the so called "RGB-input" or via YUV-cable.

So, if your japanese or European 360 does not display the US PSU, than you normally have to take a look, if you have connected the box with a RGB- or YUV-cable and if your settings in the 360 menue is adjusted to either NTSC or PAL60 and your TV/display is able to show this video standard. In addition to those "keys" the companies also proof, where the game disc comes from and so the install an additional code on it, that is also checked by the console.

But it might be, that even if everything is ok, the game won´t run because of the "lock" on the game disc. As for DVD´s e.g. this is not the case. To watch a movie from outside your country, the above mentioned is completley true.

As a result: if the region free PSU does not work on every 360 - than it is not a failure of SEGA/SONIC team or because the game is locked or something like that. If I am wrong, please let me know.

[bloodflowers]

God damn that sucks.

I wish I'd seen this thread again before ordering PSU from the states over the weekend. Sure enough, no way to buy a license now in Europe. I've sent a support request to Microsoft pointing out that the game being region free means it's ok to import - so they should make it available again. I'll post here if I get anything other than a canned reply from them.

I hope the license works with a US copy on a PAL machine, when it is finally available. From the sounds of it, I'm not missing much aside from connection trouble at the moment though. What a shambolic mess. Chromehounds II.

[Clessy]

Are all you Europians really that stupid? All you have to do is make a US hotmail account which allows you to sign up for a US live account. Then just use that when playing PSU. Tadah.

[bloodflowers]

Are all you Europians really that stupid? All you have to do is make a US hotmail account which allows you to sign up for a US live account. Then just use that when playing PSU. Tadah.

People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

You can't actually pay for the US guardians license, without a US credit card.

[Sandor]

Sorry - as far as I know - that works quit fine :wink: Doesn´t matter if your CC is US or from outside US - this circumstance is only important, if you want to play PC or PS2 version of PSU. I know at least one, who can play from Europe with an US account and European CC.

BUT - @Clessy - of course we are not :wink: I have given this "hint" before here if you can read between the lines. You should have in mind, that it is against the MS rules to create an account of another country than you belong to. So - according to the XBox live rules - it is theoreticly possible, that you can be banned (e.g. your account and maybe your CC as well) what would make it a lot (!) more difficult to play with your home country account, if you pay your XBox live account with it.

[Atrix]

I'm from the UK - I too have a GL purchased with an EU registered CC and I've met a couple of others online too.