Sony to region lock future games via 3.50 SDK?
 

Apparently Sony may region lock NEW PS3 game releases via the new 3.50 SDK. PS3Gen reports on the story:

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.

http://www.ps3hax.net/wp-content/upl...85-300x225.jpg

http://www.ps3hax.net/wp-content/upl...86-300x225.jpg

http://www.ps3hax.net/wp-content/upl...87-300x225.jpg [VIA]

Yet another feature gets removed...

What sucks even more is that Sony/Studios could implement this on any game they want VIA update. That means even your legit games that you imported could stop working at any time. What a PITA you are Sony.

Wait, I thought game devs could region protect since the beginning but never chose to?

If this is true then it will suck, mainly because in Europe we tend to get Jap releases months behind of the Americans (e.g. GOW:C, Disgaea 3, TOV (360), etc.).

Thats sucks now.

That is too much, seriously thinking of buying a dirty x-box...

wow, so sony goes from "It does everything" to "It doesn't really do much"?


so far they are removing all features that make modding the system pointless, I guess that's why it took so long for mods to come out for the system.

So, we're going down from:

- Region free games
- OtherOS
- PS2 Backwards Compatibility
- 4 USB Ports
- Memory Card Reader
- Chrome & Gloss finish
- Restricted system

to:

- Non-region free games
- No OtherOS
- PSX Backwards Compatibility (or PS2 with a $99 dongle?)
- 2 USB Ports
- No memory card reader
- Ugly, matte finish
- VERY restricted system
- YLODing fats.

Marvelous.

@sobanek
Thats the Point, great done written... Maybe my new Signature :aetsch:

thats horrible!!!...wow...they are really going to scare away fans of the system and the games....Sony is going to lose money if they do this...they already have technically, they have taken way too much from us. And I thought I was the only one that liked importing games. Guess I wasn't. xP and I can't even begin to believe why Sony would care if we imported or not...thats like saying "Your not allowed to buy this imported wine"