WHAT!? So the PSP does have region-locked games?? :: TechJapan

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Gaming: WHAT!? So the PSP does have region-locked games??
Posted on Dec 10, 2004 - 03:26 PM by zmcnulty
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Topic: Sony
Category: Gaming
Technorati: Linking Blogs

Every article I've read about the PSP so far has indicated that the PSP will not have region-locked games. But what's this? Scott (sar7501) has taken a picture from the packaging of Namco's "Ridge Racers" software for the PSP, and it clearly depicts what I believe to be a "region" icon. So does the PSP have region-locked games? one of the PSP's primary developers, Mr. Kawanishi, even indicated otherwise in an interview.

I guess we won't really know until Sony makes an official statement, or the American version of the PSP is released. The icon appears just above the barcode, and has the number "2" in white lettering with an outline of a sphere. Note that Japan's DVD region code is also 2.

See inside for the picture taken by Scott.

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Comments (must be registered to post)
]grimm[ 10.12.04, 15:50	Thanks for the news, and keep us updated. This could come as quite a shock to some import pre-buyers, if it turns out to be true.
zmcnulty 10.12.04, 15:53	No kidding....Lik-Sang, Play Asia, and plenty of others would be pissed off.
Anonymous 10.12.04, 18:06	makes me dispise(sp?) sony even more
Anonymous 11.12.04, 02:49	I just think it shows where the product has been made and for what market its intended, doesnt mean that the PSP have a regionlock on games..
Anonymous 11.12.04, 03:40	Hmm that looks a lot like a Region symbol for DVDs....... Oh wait! The PSP is region locked for UMD movies, but not UMD games! .................... (Kinda obvious.... and the info is all over the net.... b/c they did say it was region locked for movies but not games.)
Anonymous 11.12.04, 03:43	Hmm didn't read the first part..... I believe that could then be indicated for region multiplaying. Cross region multiplay is not possible according to Sony. My apologies for the previous post.
Anonymous 11.12.04, 08:39	Hummm... That is distressing. It does look a lot like the region symbol, and the info does add up to it being an indication of region locked content. BUt how to square that with Sonys' own statements that the PSP will NOT be region locked for games? Maybe it is just a region symbol, like the poster above thinks. I have my fingers crossed that he is right. But I guess I won't know until the PSP comes out here in the US. If it is locked I will be very sad...
Anonymous 11.12.04, 12:46	the region lock is only for umd movies, not games
zmcnulty 11.12.04, 12:51	Some other ideas: -The default language of the game, because the PSP does have a setting for the default language of the GUI. For example, on the Playstation 2 game "Sonic Heroes," it will detect your GUI language (whether it be English or Japanese), and the game will automatically start in the respective language. "2" could just indicate that the game is set, by default, to Japanese. -I do recall something like how it would the developer's choice to region-lock their games. This could mean Namco is one of those developers :(
zmcnulty 11.12.04, 12:53	I like how people are still saying "the region lock is only for movies," even though I've already explained why that's not necessarily true. RTFA
sar7501 11.12.04, 15:59	A couple of things: 1. There has been NO official statement from Sony on whether games will be region-locked or not. The news that the games would not be region-locked, and all we have at the momen, was a post by a Sony employee in a website forum. I'll leave it up to you to decide how reliable that info is. 2. The "region code"-like symbol and the words "FOR JAPAN ONLY" appeared on the boxes of all the launch titles I saw - Ridge Racers, Hotshots Golf, Lumines and Armored Core. So it's not just a Namco thing.
Anonymous 11.12.04, 20:50	GO SONY!!!
Anonymous 13.12.04, 02:17	Locked or Unlocked !! It will rule the portable game industry... I hope it comes to Europe so quickly...
Anonymous 13.12.04, 02:42	its just for movies for sure, the games play in all countries, i
Anonymous 13.12.04, 02:43	oh yes and the japanese next to the icon says region 2 films... dont worry guys!!!
sar7501 13.12.04, 03:43	Actually, it says "the case's outer film is made of plastic". Nice try.
Anonymous 13.12.04, 03:56	sorry your right, my girlfriend just checked it. y japanese sucks, i thought it was the katakana for film. gomen ne, watashi wa baka desu yo
sar7501 13.12.04, 04:53	Hey, no worries. I see now why you thought it was about "films" - I didn't make the connection between the katakana "firumu" and the region code icon when I first read your post. Anyway, let 's just hope we've got it wrong and the games for the PSP really will be region-free.
Anonymous 13.12.04, 04:58	FOR MOVIES ONLY GUYS !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anonymous 13.12.04, 05:57	If it is for movies only, and it's region 2, does that mean i'll be able to buy movies in the UK and play them on the japanese PSP?
Anonymous 13.12.04, 09:16	As the PSP has an upgradable bios even if it is region locked I expect 3billion elite chinese hackers are working to crack it now.
zmcnulty 13.12.04, 10:19	"FOR MOVIES ONLY GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" That's why this icon appears on Namco's Ridge Racers. The film is directed by James Cameron, and stars Nicholas Cage, Adam Sandler, and Cameron Diaz.
Anonymous 13.12.04, 14:35	anyway psp sucks...and the ds rules...sony is just trying to make more money of you guys.....
Anonymous 13.12.04, 14:40	please go to the kids site as that is where the ds players belong. i guess you love mushrooms and little cuddly characters as it makes you feel like a child. maybe you actually like children, you pervert
Anonymous 14.12.04, 07:57	sorry i think there is something that you need to get help for. i was talking about consoles, not children. there are many places you can get help for you disgusting children fetishes. you are a disgrace and should go to the vets to get yourself put down. animal ps. psp is for wankers like yourself your arse
Anonymous 14.12.04, 13:17	sony is a rip off, geez, its broken out of the box...
Anonymous 24.12.04, 20:59	Ok, Welp... I have a PSP. I set my OS language on the PSP to english and the games do not detect and replace the japaese txt for english. Pix and MP3s import fine thru USB... Movies, I haven't gotten to work just yet. But I keep trying new things and askin' different japanese shops.
Anonymous 24.12.04, 21:07	As per above, It's great to be stationed in Japan for obvious reasons above. PSP owned before so many other ppl. It's too bad I'm leaving right after new years with mine to stay stateside ;)
Anonymous 30.12.04, 18:28	Japanese and UK/European DVD's are both designated as region 2 - as the PAL vs NTSC issue wouldn't apply on a hanlheld, surely Euro/Jap PSP's will be cross compatable for movies.
Anonymous 11.02.05, 23:07	Guys --- the Japanese next to the Region2 symbol says the following "There should be some film on the outside of this case". (Basically a disclaimer to amek sure that the comsumer does not get a used version of the game when paying for a new one). All the games in Japan say "FOR JAPAN ONLY". I know that I have seen every website on the net say that it is for movies only, but try playing a Japanese game in your US PS or PS2. (It does not work very well...)
Anonymous 28.02.05, 14:37	Right so if there is a region code like the region 2 on that game, how many regions will there be, i think there will be ether two or three. Japan and USA region two and europe will be region one, I dont know if it will be sold anywhere else. I dont think there will be no PAL or NTSC, is that not for TVs with the different frequences. Cheers for all the info, Still importing one though, just sell it on Ebay if the games are region encoded, or I'll get someone to hack it.
Anonymous 01.03.05, 12:30	Isnt their a function on the PSP called region control, along with parental control? So this might sugest there are region encoded disks but any PSP can play them.
Anonymous 03.03.05, 07:13	Sony sucks