Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks

This NeoGAF thread covers the recent discovery of a new flag on Steam games called "AllowCrossRegionTradingAndGifting," which from the name appears to allow region-locking for Steam trades and gifts. Word is this is present in the just-released METAL GEAR RISING: REVENGEANCE where the flag is set to "no." According to the thread, this seems to currently only apply to South America and Eastern Europe and that it does not affect retail game keys. Thanks PCGamesN.
View : : :
23 Replies. 2 pages. Viewing page 1.
Newer [  1  2  ] Older
23.
 
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks
Dec 21, 2013, 11:35
23.
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks Dec 21, 2013, 11:35
Dec 21, 2013, 11:35
 
El Pit wrote on Dec 21, 2013, 01:44:
jacobvandy wrote on Dec 20, 2013, 19:34:
You are so misguided in your anger, it's bordering on comical. You don't think Steam wants your money? This isn't their decision, it's the publisher calling the shots in deciding how their product is distributed. Cross-region second-hand markets that exploit price differences are highly offensive to the people who own the properties, and should probably be illegal outright. This is just them closing that loophole. And did you ever think it might even be the politicians in your country pressuring Valve and/or the publishers to not allow the indirect sale of outlawed media? Maybe you should find a new place to live, if you're not allowed to buy what you want there... You're all about free trade, so why the hell are you living in a place that doesn't allow it? Take some time to think about what you're saying before you say it.

So, I'm misguided and then you repeat what I wrote?
Oh, and "find a new place to live, if you'r enot allowed to buy what you" want to play the games. I find this comical.
Again (maybe you can read and comprehend it now): Steam and most of the publishers are in the US. Why do they bow to OZ and Germany? Show them the finger and sell the games internationally, even at the higher prices. What are they afraid of? OZ and Germany invading the US?
"You're all about free trade, so why the hell are you living in a place that doesn't allow it?" They got "free trade" here. For the companies. Not for the people. Same in the US, obviously.
"Take some time to think about what you're saying before you say it."
That is like seeing the mote in one's brother's eye without noticing the beam in one's own. Troll on!

No, I'm pretty sure the majority will be against you in this one. Is your argument really that the US is bigger than Germany and Australia, so Valve should sell whatever it wants into those countries regardless of local laws? If that's how it worked, companies would be selling guns and drugs, not video games. Valve could lobby the government to pressure Germany into changing its laws, but it's not going to carry on like the days of the banana republics.
22.
 
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks
Dec 21, 2013, 01:44
El Pit
 
22.
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks Dec 21, 2013, 01:44
Dec 21, 2013, 01:44
 El Pit
 
jacobvandy wrote on Dec 20, 2013, 19:34:
You are so misguided in your anger, it's bordering on comical. You don't think Steam wants your money? This isn't their decision, it's the publisher calling the shots in deciding how their product is distributed. Cross-region second-hand markets that exploit price differences are highly offensive to the people who own the properties, and should probably be illegal outright. This is just them closing that loophole. And did you ever think it might even be the politicians in your country pressuring Valve and/or the publishers to not allow the indirect sale of outlawed media? Maybe you should find a new place to live, if you're not allowed to buy what you want there... You're all about free trade, so why the hell are you living in a place that doesn't allow it? Take some time to think about what you're saying before you say it.

So, I'm misguided and then you repeat what I wrote?
Oh, and "find a new place to live, if you'r enot allowed to buy what you" want to play the games. I find this comical.
Again (maybe you can read and comprehend it now): Steam and most of the publishers are in the US. Why do they bow to OZ and Germany? Show them the finger and sell the games internationally, even at the higher prices. What are they afraid of? OZ and Germany invading the US?
"You're all about free trade, so why the hell are you living in a place that doesn't allow it?" They got "free trade" here. For the companies. Not for the people. Same in the US, obviously.
"Take some time to think about what you're saying before you say it."
That is like seeing the mote in one's brother's eye without noticing the beam in one's own. Troll on!
"There is no right life in the wrong one." (Theodor W. Adorno, philosopher)
"Only a Sith deals in absolutes." (Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi)
Founder, president, and only member of the official "Grumpy Old Gamers Club". Please do not apply.
21.
 
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks
Dec 20, 2013, 20:16
21.
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks Dec 20, 2013, 20:16
Dec 20, 2013, 20:16
 
Orogogus wrote on Dec 20, 2013, 19:46:
I think Brazilians pay a lot for video games for some reason, possibly extremely high import taxes.

Part is import duties, and part is that they are subject to a tax on "luxury goods", which is basically the Brazilian government's way of extracting money from anybody that actually has money.
20.
 
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks
Dec 20, 2013, 19:46
20.
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks Dec 20, 2013, 19:46
Dec 20, 2013, 19:46
 
Beamer wrote on Dec 20, 2013, 16:46:
Julio wrote on Dec 20, 2013, 16:29:
Beamer wrote on Dec 20, 2013, 15:27:
The solution is to region-lock, and charge according to what people can afford. Everyone wins.

Except consumers in countries that are getting gouged with artificially high prices. The corporations can export jobs to low cost countries, but won't let the people take advantage of importing from low cost countries.

But it isn't artificially high anywhere. Ok, I guess Australia.


Anywhere else? The Western nations are the ones the price is being set for. The other nations get artificially low pricing.

I think Brazilians pay a lot for video games for some reason, possibly extremely high import taxes.

Also, I believe the video game industry exports a lower proportion of jobs compared to most other sectors. So logically you'd want to reward that, yes?
19.
 
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks
Dec 20, 2013, 19:34
19.
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks Dec 20, 2013, 19:34
Dec 20, 2013, 19:34
 
El Pit wrote on Dec 20, 2013, 14:37:
Free trade, people, free trade! But of course not for the pariahs, the regular consumers. They can go and suck it!

Dear publisher, developers, Valve: If you do this, then this means that you actively refuse to allow me access to a game. You won't sell it to me, and now I can't even get it gifted. I have hundreds of games on Steam, but if you do this, than it is YOU who forces me into warez. Yes, YOU! You're sitting in the US and could tell OZ, German, and other governments to go and fxxk themselves, but instead you bow to those self-procalimed godfathers of morale and tell the consumers, YOUR consumers to pxxs off. And you know what? You do this, and I will do it and pxxs off. With my money. That you don't want. It's up to you, it's your choice. At least give me the chance to ask some people here and elsewhere to gift me games that you refuse to sell to me directly, but if you even refuse to do this, if you dare to stick a yellow star or whatever on me, then I'll be gone. And I WILL play those games, but without paying you, the developers, the publishers. Because you don't want to sell. Your mistake, not mine. I can solve this problem by taking all of you out of the equation. Decided wisely.

Sorry for the drama, but this pixxes me off HUGE TIME!

You are so misguided in your anger, it's bordering on comical. You don't think Steam wants your money? This isn't their decision, it's the publisher calling the shots in deciding how their product is distributed. Cross-region second-hand markets that exploit price differences are highly offensive to the people who own the properties, and should probably be illegal outright. This is just them closing that loophole. And did you ever think it might even be the politicians in your country pressuring Valve and/or the publishers to not allow the indirect sale of outlawed media? Maybe you should find a new place to live, if you're not allowed to buy what you want there... You're all about free trade, so why the hell are you living in a place that doesn't allow it? Take some time to think about what you're saying before you say it.
18.
 
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks
Dec 20, 2013, 18:02
18.
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks Dec 20, 2013, 18:02
Dec 20, 2013, 18:02
 
PHJF wrote on Dec 20, 2013, 15:49:
The solution is to region-lock, and charge according to what people can afford. Everyone wins.

Except Australians.

Australian per-capita GDP is about 40% higher than the US. All things being equal, it means that prices could easily be 40% higher, and possibly more considering that games are, to some extent, a luxury good.

In terms of international trade, a lot of foreign goods will cost more in Australia because, while the Australian dollar is somewhat strong in terms of exchange, it's very weak compared to even the Euro and the Pound Sterling, much less the US or Canadian dollars, when it comes to purchasing power. (In other words, if you're doing business in Australia, you're likely best off not having offices there and just immediately convert your money to euros or dollars and get the hell out.)
17.
 
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks
Dec 20, 2013, 16:46
17.
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks Dec 20, 2013, 16:46
Dec 20, 2013, 16:46
 
Julio wrote on Dec 20, 2013, 16:29:
Beamer wrote on Dec 20, 2013, 15:27:
The solution is to region-lock, and charge according to what people can afford. Everyone wins.

Except consumers in countries that are getting gouged with artificially high prices. The corporations can export jobs to low cost countries, but won't let the people take advantage of importing from low cost countries.

But it isn't artificially high anywhere. Ok, I guess Australia.


Anywhere else? The Western nations are the ones the price is being set for. The other nations get artificially low pricing.
16.
 
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks
Dec 20, 2013, 16:29
16.
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks Dec 20, 2013, 16:29
Dec 20, 2013, 16:29
 
Beamer wrote on Dec 20, 2013, 15:27:
The solution is to region-lock, and charge according to what people can afford. Everyone wins.

Except consumers in countries that are getting gouged with artificially high prices. The corporations can export jobs to low cost countries, but won't let the people take advantage of importing from low cost countries.
15.
 
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks
Dec 20, 2013, 15:52
El Pit
 
15.
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks Dec 20, 2013, 15:52
Dec 20, 2013, 15:52
 El Pit
 
PHJF wrote on Dec 20, 2013, 15:49:
The solution is to region-lock, and charge according to what people can afford. Everyone wins.

Except Australians.

And Germans. They can afford the games, but the censorship in their country makes Valve and the publishers not sell the game to Germans.
"There is no right life in the wrong one." (Theodor W. Adorno, philosopher)
"Only a Sith deals in absolutes." (Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi)
Founder, president, and only member of the official "Grumpy Old Gamers Club". Please do not apply.
14.
 
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks
Dec 20, 2013, 15:49
PHJF
 
14.
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks Dec 20, 2013, 15:49
Dec 20, 2013, 15:49
 PHJF
 
The solution is to region-lock, and charge according to what people can afford. Everyone wins.

Except Australians.
Steam + PSN: PHJF
Avatar 17251
13.
 
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks
Dec 20, 2013, 15:28
13.
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks Dec 20, 2013, 15:28
Dec 20, 2013, 15:28
 
I think it's publishers pushing for this more than Steam suddenly mandating it. I can see why it sucks if you've been using it, but as is typical of gamers everywhere, someone finds something cool that can save you a few bucks, and suddenly people are abusing it 20000 times a day. Surprise surprise that publishers/Steam do something about it, even if the justification is solely "We're protecting the margin in markets where we blatantly overcharge for shit."
Avatar 15604
12.
 
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks
Dec 20, 2013, 15:27
12.
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks Dec 20, 2013, 15:27
Dec 20, 2013, 15:27
 
InBlack wrote on Dec 20, 2013, 09:55:
nin wrote on Dec 20, 2013, 09:51:
InBlack wrote on Dec 20, 2013, 09:42:
What? Im trying to make sense of the blurb but keep failing. So cross region gifting is NOT allowed?? Bummer...

Sounds like it. Surprised they've not done this sooner. But I guess it's better than logging into your account one day and finding games missing, or your account banned.


Huh? How does that help with that? What Im seeing as motivation here is pure greed. Its the same reason why they have different regions in the first place. So they can skim the exchange rate rates.

It's not exchange rate skimming, it's income level skimming.

In many parts of the world people make significantly less than they do in other parts. They can't charge the same in those regions, because no one can afford it. They can't charge what they charge in those regions in the wealthier regions, because then they earn no money.

The solution is to region-lock, and charge according to what people can afford. Everyone wins.


It's the same with pharmaceuticals. Incidentally, I have a friend whose family owns a drug distribution company in one wealthy European country. They have a license from the government to import pharmaceuticals from a neighboring, less wealthy country, relabel them and sell them. They can only do X pills per day, but they are one of the only companies with this license. Basically, his family used their connections, power and influence to get a license to print free money at the expense of drug companies. I don't think the drugs are much cheaper, if any cheaper, when they get into patients' hands. Without getting into whether drug companies are simply paying costly R&D or money-making evil entities, that whole setup just seems wrong and unfair to everyone, except my friend's family, who only distributes drugs in this manner and makes a very large amount of money doing so. And, I'd wager, it's more than fair to the politicians that protect the laws protecting this business. My friend and I agreed to never discuss this business, as he sees it as legitimate and I see it as the wealthy finding ways to get wealthier at everyone's expense.
11.
 
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks
Dec 20, 2013, 15:20
El Pit
 
11.
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks Dec 20, 2013, 15:20
Dec 20, 2013, 15:20
 El Pit
 
Going for cheaper prices is one thing (although: isn't this one of the pros of free trade?!), but cutting off people in some countries with ridiculous censorship from ways to legally own the games is another thing. I got the money, I usually pay the higher euro prices, but I'm not allowed to buy games like Dead Island with my IP. So I ask people to gift it to me, problem solved. But if this becomes impossible, there's of course another way to play those games. Not the way I like it, but if Valve and all the others involved decide to region block even gifts, then it's their loss, not mine.
"There is no right life in the wrong one." (Theodor W. Adorno, philosopher)
"Only a Sith deals in absolutes." (Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi)
Founder, president, and only member of the official "Grumpy Old Gamers Club". Please do not apply.
10.
 
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks
Dec 20, 2013, 15:09
10.
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks Dec 20, 2013, 15:09
Dec 20, 2013, 15:09
 
It's kinda hard to blame them from trying to protect their products. But this is one game that has been tagged, let's not freak out over it. Region blocking is nothing new to Steam. The fact that people were able to work around it for many years now, was a bonus.

Using the Chrome Steam Extension, everyone can see that Russian prices are generally 50% less than the US price (despite idiots here blindly posting otherwise and quickly correcting themselves). Some people take advantage of that, ruining it for others.

Take a visit to the Steam Trading forums...there are MANY users that have hundreds/thousands of games in their inventories they are re-selling.


9.
 
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks
Dec 20, 2013, 14:57
9.
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks Dec 20, 2013, 14:57
Dec 20, 2013, 14:57
 
suck - we were doing this with people here - saving them loads of money....damn....

/South America is generally cheaper. US is cheaper than CAN, etc. This sucks....
8.
 
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks
Dec 20, 2013, 14:37
El Pit
 
8.
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks Dec 20, 2013, 14:37
Dec 20, 2013, 14:37
 El Pit
 
Free trade, people, free trade! But of course not for the pariahs, the regular consumers. They can go and suck it!

Dear publisher, developers, Valve: If you do this, then this means that you actively refuse to allow me access to a game. You won't sell it to me, and now I can't even get it gifted. I have hundreds of games on Steam, but if you do this, than it is YOU who forces me into warez. Yes, YOU! You're sitting in the US and could tell OZ, German, and other governments to go and fxxk themselves, but instead you bow to those self-procalimed godfathers of morale and tell the consumers, YOUR consumers to pxxs off. And you know what? You do this, and I will do it and pxxs off. With my money. That you don't want. It's up to you, it's your choice. At least give me the chance to ask some people here and elsewhere to gift me games that you refuse to sell to me directly, but if you even refuse to do this, if you dare to stick a yellow star or whatever on me, then I'll be gone. And I WILL play those games, but without paying you, the developers, the publishers. Because you don't want to sell. Your mistake, not mine. I can solve this problem by taking all of you out of the equation. Decided wisely.

Sorry for the drama, but this pixxes me off HUGE TIME!
"There is no right life in the wrong one." (Theodor W. Adorno, philosopher)
"Only a Sith deals in absolutes." (Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi)
Founder, president, and only member of the official "Grumpy Old Gamers Club". Please do not apply.
7.
 
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks
Dec 20, 2013, 11:29
7.
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks Dec 20, 2013, 11:29
Dec 20, 2013, 11:29
 
There really shouldn't be artificial barriers to cross region trading/gifting. Just sheer greed on the part of Steam.
6.
 
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks
Dec 20, 2013, 10:04
6.
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks Dec 20, 2013, 10:04
Dec 20, 2013, 10:04
 
Here is one example: http://www.intkeys.com/
Russia was just an example but many other places like Israel etc have games a lot cheaper then NA.
I do not know if my example of creating Russian steam account would work but my point that Steam must be region locking the games for a reason.
I know some games are a lot cheaper in US $ then their counter part in EU on the Steam store. Also some games are not available in certain EU countries so gifting is the only solution.
Steam: SpectralMeat
Avatar 14225
5.
 
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks
Dec 20, 2013, 09:56
5.
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks Dec 20, 2013, 09:56
Dec 20, 2013, 09:56
 
SpectralMeat wrote on Dec 20, 2013, 09:44:
Maybe they've finally figured out that games are a lot cheaper in Russia than they are in North America?
1. create fake account in Russia
2. buy games cheap
3. gift them to main account
4. profit?

Games are not cheaper in russia. Where did you hear that?

NVM just googled it, indeed certain games are much cheaper in Russia.
I have a nifty blue line!
Avatar 46994
4.
 
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks
Dec 20, 2013, 09:55
4.
Re: Steam Gifting/Trading Region Locks Dec 20, 2013, 09:55
Dec 20, 2013, 09:55
 
nin wrote on Dec 20, 2013, 09:51:
InBlack wrote on Dec 20, 2013, 09:42:
What? Im trying to make sense of the blurb but keep failing. So cross region gifting is NOT allowed?? Bummer...

Sounds like it. Surprised they've not done this sooner. But I guess it's better than logging into your account one day and finding games missing, or your account banned.


Huh? How does that help with that? What Im seeing as motivation here is pure greed. Its the same reason why they have different regions in the first place. So they can skim the exchange rate rates.
I have a nifty blue line!
Avatar 46994
23 Replies. 2 pages. Viewing page 1.
Newer [  1  2  ] Older