520°

PS4 Online Blocked for Countries Without a Store

PlayStation Plus isn't available everywhere, and neither is the PlayStation Store, and although Sony has made every effort to roll features out to every country interested, it's not always possible. Up until recently, this has been a minor inconvenience, a barrier that blocks some people from taking advantage of free games, digital purchases and cloud saves. What about for the PS4 though? It's today been confirmed that unless you have access to a PlayStation Store in your region, you won't be able to play online on Sony's next-gen console.

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gamesreviews.com
Lovable3960d ago

Well that sucks huh? At least you can play offline.

Abash3960d ago

Well they did say they were bringing the PS Store to those countries asap so they'll be getting online eventually

Lovable3960d ago

Promises are meant to be broken :p

Abash3960d ago

@Lovable

It's a bit different now since they are making a huge push for digital PS4 game sales as well as PS+ being needed for online. They'd be missing out on a lot by not bringing the PS Store to those countries

Xaphy3960d ago

you can make an account for any country you want. No big deal. I created one US account and one EU account when i lived in Lebanon where the store isnt available. No biggy.

NewMonday3960d ago

@Xaphy
well said

the PS4 is not region locked, anyone can sign-up to any PSN store from anywhere.

Salooh3960d ago

It's really sad that they ignore us who don't have a store. At least let us change the country of our accounts. Now i have to abandon my 2007 account :( . It's really stupid of them..

Blacktric3960d ago

"To clarify, the affected territories are: Bahrain, Lebanon, Romania, Oman, Slovakia, Malta, Cyprus and Iceland.”"

I'm not trying to be a dick here or anything but having 8 countries in your "non available list" is far better than having only 21 in your "available" list. Also, like Xaphy stated before, you can create a US or EU account if the service ends up not being available on launch day in your country. That's what I did (living in Turkey) to access PlayStation Store until late 2011. And buying PS wallet credit codes off of ebay or local websites are really easy, so getting a Plus subscription shouldn't be a problem.

nix3960d ago

xaphy, even i have a US and UK account.

in US, i live in 90210. in UK, i live in 12th, downing street. lol.

garos823960d ago

when I lived in Cyprus during ps3 launch I had two accounts one in uk and one in Japan.I hope they can do the same with ps4

guitarded773960d ago

QUESTION: Can't you just make an account for a different country? I have friends all around the world with US accounts, and they have no problems.

Bhai3960d ago

They are a few and far between:

from the article:
"the affected territories are: Bahrain, Lebanon, Romania, Oman, Slovakia, Malta, Cyprus and Iceland.”

BISHOP-BRASIL3960d ago (Edited 3960d ago )

@Blacktric

Actually those 8 countries are just the markets where PlaySation products are being officially distributed but lack an Store, there plenty of markets where it's not distributed and also markets with a Store that don't have Plus services (here in Brazil it's an example) where you supposedly is being cutted out of multiplayer.

That said, it's not impossible to still play multiplayer in any country if current PSN is any indication (which is very likely, considering there will be account migration from PS3 into PS4). You can just make a foreig account, buy PSN cards and use an account and Plus service of that region... People have been doing this here in Brazil throughout the almost entirety of PS3 life (even before PSN cards really, by linking a foreign account with a native credit card, this is no longer possible though as card and account need to match region/postal code).

EDIT: Should had readed your comment more carefully, basically just re-afirmed what you already said, my bad.

badz1493960d ago (Edited 3960d ago )

but due to the PS4 being region free, you can always open a foreign account in the country with PSN and buy PS+ account there! best bet is US and they always get the best stuff and US PSN card can easily be bought from eBay or some other websites

SolidStoner3960d ago (Edited 3960d ago )

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO O OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO O

I live in LATVIA... europe... I have ps3 and most of my friends have... but we dont have PS store... we buy games from fake accounts...

and this means that I could not play PS4 online???????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????? ? ????????????

I have so many problems with my ps3 already.. meaning.. I cant properly buy games.. play online with my fralg.. my time zone is wrong... everything about my profile is wrong.. and yet I live in Europe!!! same goes for my neighbor countries Lithuania and Estonia...

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

SONY FIX THIS ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The_Con-Sept3960d ago

Someone already said it. But if it costs Sony money for someone to buy something online from another region.... Then so be it. Sorry Sweeden!

+ Show (11) more repliesLast reply 3960d ago
bicfitness3960d ago

I'm pretty sure that you can still make a PSN account from ANY country with a valid (or pulled from the internet) address; even order PSN cards or codes from that country to fill an international wallet. So I don't see what the big deal is.

Lovable3960d ago

Yeah I thought of this too since I have a Japanese and European account on my PS3 even though I live in Canada. I wonder if that will actually work?

Me-Time3960d ago

@Lovable

I hope it'll work like that for people in your situation. I have a bad feeling that Sony might not let that option be available so we'll just have to wait and see.

tiffac0083960d ago

Didn't Sony also say we carry over our accounts from our PS3 to the PS4 like they did with the Vita? I mean here in the Philippines we have no PS store but I have US and HK accounts.

etebitan3960d ago

So to clarify.. Im from Costa Rica (central america) and I have a US account since I bought the ps3 back in 08.. I´ve always bought games with psn credit codes bought from amazon.. Does my US account will still work for games, online playing and so on (because I can´t access VOD for example, or buying movies from the store due to copyright issues)? Or now will all the content be locked to me, and im just gonna be able to play offline and play games by buying the retail disc and not from the psn?? thanks in advance for any answer guys.. Hope I get to use the psn with the ps4 the same way I have done for 5 years with my ps3 =s

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3960d ago
RM-TatoTiburon3960d ago

i can use my US PSN account on my PS4 just like a US XLIVE account on my XboxOne NOT PROBLEM AT ALL

NYC_Gamer3960d ago

The console still works offline though

FordGTGuy3960d ago

PS4: It can play offline but we can't promise you online!

Monkeysmarts3960d ago

As opposed to Xbox One: lol buy an Xbox 360 if you don't have internet?

HammadTheBeast3960d ago

Actually, just make an account for a country where it is available.

TXIDarkAvenger3960d ago

@Monkeysmarts

Well lets be honest here. If you own a 360, you should have internet. If you don't have internet, buy a PS3 since its a loner system

kreate3960d ago

@anime

That's kinda funny ..
Loner system :)

But I think Wii is more of a loner system due to the lack of care from pretty much everyone, Nintendo included.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3960d ago
mafiahajeri3960d ago (Edited 3960d ago )

This is BS I live in Bahrain and I know a lot of people here with pa3s pretty much all of them have NA or EU accounts. NA and EU cards PSN cards are available here too. There's no difference in having an account that's native to your country. Just pick a country that has a PS store, problem solved.

CoLD FiRE3960d ago

Yes. There's a difference. I know this is about the PS4 but N4G was up in arms when MS said the same thing about the X1 let alone the fact it's also the same as the X360 and PS3 right now.

Yes if you create a US account you'll be able to access that country's store from your country (in your case Bahrain) but it doesn't mean you'll be able to access everything from that store. For instance, you might be able to download Netflix buy will not be able to run it even if you have a valid Netflix account (Due to copyright and all that stuff).

The same can happen with games, though the PS3/PS4 are region free, some games only allow downloads based on your IP so you wouldn't be able to download said games (Of course you can work around it using a VPN.. but that's not point).

GamersRulz3960d ago

log in with a US/EU/JP account, problem solved because PS4 is region free.

FordGTGuy3960d ago

Unless the PSN Store is now the new region-lock they are using, just because the console isn't region-locked doesn't mean that the PSN store isn't.

Monkeysmarts3960d ago

PSN store isn't region locked.

NewMonday3960d ago

face palm!

you can pick any digital region in any geographical region.

Hicken3960d ago

Trying too hard there, troll.

CaptainSheep3960d ago

I hope that's true. I live in Pakistan, and there's probably no chance of the Store coming here.
I'm a huge PlayStation fanboy and I'll be really sad if I won't be able to play online. :/

Salooh3960d ago

Don't worry. Just create a new account and put the country USA or Europe then buy ps+ for it. It will work :)

But you will have to abandon your account like me T_T

Genuine-User3960d ago

When creating a PSN account, choose the cheapest region (for pakistani rupees) that supports the store.

ashade3960d ago (Edited 3960d ago )

you know, i don't worry much about that through i live in unsupport country

unlike xbone, playstation don't block IP, so i just need to creat account from support country to purchase the PS+ through prepaid card

i did it very long time with PS3 (my account is US) so i'll do this in PS4 too

oh well, i think most of the xbone fanboy will use this to creat the fuss, can't blame them because most of them live in xbone support country so they never know about thse workaround of PSN unsupport country

FordGTGuy3960d ago

Xbox One doesn't block IPs and Microsoft has never said it would.

TheEvilWithin3960d ago

Out to defend that Xbox today huh Ford. You can take it easy. No one really cares about Xbox any more so you don't have to jump in and defend it. SONY fans have a work around. END OF STORY.

Serg3960d ago

They said it's region locked, and it was confirmed that it will not work at all in unsupported countries. Only the 21 countries that are supported will be able to play games with it, until Microsoft officially releases it in other countries.

Why o why3960d ago

Sorry ford...its locked. There was a massive article on it on n4g just the other day. With ps plus as it stands you can download from other regions with no issue other than the potential language barrier.

joeorc3960d ago

Exactly, this works straight away on the PS3 even right now, in fact I even made a japanese PSN account so i could get some games from japan, and go into Japans Playstation Home! So yes indeed this does infact work!

Show all comments (89)
40°

How to recruit Lam in Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes

Lam is among the 120 characters available for recruitment in Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes. While she is one of the many straightforward recruits, a known bug may prevent players from recruiting her if certain conditions are met. Despite developers’ assurances of fixing the bug, some early access players still encounter issues with recruiting Lam despite attempting the standard method.

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infinitestart.com
270°

Tomb Raider Remastered just quietly censored one in-game detail

Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered players are ticked off by the game’s most recent patch, which censors in-game pin-up posters of Lara Croft.

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gamingbible.com
rlow18h ago

This is why gaming is screwed. When people change things to fit someone’s agenda, it’s a slippery slope downhill.

Christopher8h ago(Edited 8h ago)

Even if that agenda is of the developer? Way to remove developer rights.

***One player called it a “huge problem with modern games,” saying they can now be “ruined AFTER people buy them”.***

The level of drama. Yes, I recall sitting there for more hours than I did anything else in the game. These two pinups are the core of the game, after all!

coolbeans6h ago(Edited 6h ago)

rlow1's cringe catastrophizing aside, I do think developers *ought* to strive to maintain an original work to the best of their ability. The language of a "remaster" tacitly implies that - for good or ill - what's being resold is what fans remember but better.

Profchaos6h ago

Games can be ruined after purchasing them yeah we know this not from this but from GTA IV which had half it's radio content patched out due to licensing expirations and to me that was a huge deal.

This pin up poster is a bit of nonsense but the whole argument of modern games can be ruined post launch is Absol true.

DedicatedDark5h ago(Edited 5h ago)

It's not their work to censor. They are incharge of restoration & remastering the work, not overwriting it.

Barlos4h ago

It's not the agenda of the developer though, they're pandering and trying to increase their ESG score.

Way to support censorship...

victorMaje4h ago

It’s not the end of the world for sure, but I understand the hate towards this kind of change. I believe it’s also a matter of principle.

Imagine a Picasso painting being restored & the restorer deciding there aren’t enough strokes, or some lines aren’t straight enough or curved enough…not sure it would/should sit well with people.

Have all original devs signed off on this change? Even if it’s the case, are we saying older gamers are better mentally equipped to process what was there than current gamers, hence the change?

Enough time ago the case was made that games are an art form. We’re supposed to have won that case.
So which is it? Are games art or not?

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 4h ago
Eidolon4h ago

Hasn't this been happened for over a decade since remasters? I can't see that it's any worse now. Maybe if Sweet Baby starts getting their hands on remasters we will definitely have a problem.

Rebel_Scum7h ago

tbh I dont see something like this as censorship. Does anyone else not find it strange for someone to stick pin ups of themsleves in a locker room?

Now of it was a pin up of some half naked firefighters it might make sense as Lara might like that, and if they removed that I would cry censorship. But removing pin ups of the main character, yeah I get it.

Barlos4h ago(Edited 4h ago)

It's a game, and they were placed there for the audience. It's not real life. If it was, she wouldn't have fought a T-Rex now would she?

Yes, it's censorship but it's a bit less in your face. If they were in the original game, then they should have been in the remasters. It's bad enough that they have that ridiculous unnecessary warning at the start, but then they start removing things post launch. I don't care how small the change, they shouldn't be doing it. It's nothing but ESG pandering but in a subtle way.

Rebel_Scum3h ago

Look bro, if you have pictures of yourself naked on a bear skin rug up in your house let me tell you, its not normal.

jambola2h ago

I wasn't aware censorship was based on what made sense to you

Rebel_Scum1h ago

Likewise, what a stupid comment.

jambola1h ago

I agree
Your comment was pretty stupid

Rebel_Scum1h ago

I never said censorship is based on what I say dumbass. Just because I dont see this as censorship doesnt mean I’m saying others cant.

How about you come at me with your opinion rather than snarky comments with no thought on the matter.

SimpleDad4h ago

By the year 2030, this remaster collection will totally be changed and censored. Probably will remove Lara as a playable character. It's ridiculous. Glad that my family didn't buy this.
I still have Tomb Raider 2 PS1 as a memory.

jambola2h ago

Those shorts are a little revealing
Should probably make them snow pants

Barlos1h ago

They'll probably make her trans

CobraKai3h ago

It’s mentioned in the article, and it’s a point i 100% agree with, it’s the fact that they can censor a game after you buy it. That’s total bullshit.

Killer2020UK3h ago

Whilst it's an overreaction to say this has "ruined" the game, it's still problematic that this has happened post launch and for many, post-purchase.

I don't want someone to change a product for the worse after I've bought it. The same goes for implementing micro transactions after reviews.

I wonder why they did this? Nobody was kicking up a fuss as far as I'm aware.

maykhausonninh3h ago

Nobody was kicking up a fuss as far as I'm aware.

Show all comments (25)
100°

Final Fantasy III Pixel Remaster Review – You Are Your Job, Apparently

Gary Green said: In a time where an enhanced, 3D remake of Final Fantasy III already exists, it’s hard to argue that Final Fantasy III Pixel Remaster is the definitive version we were expecting. With Final Fantasy III already being the last in the series to be translated and make its way west, this is something of a slap in the face for the fans. Still, let’s not be disheartened. There may be many shortfalls in this edition of Final Fantasy III, however there’s no denying that this classic JRPG still holds some nostalgic value, even if it struggles to break away from its original hardware limitations.

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pslegends.com
FACTUAL evidence8h ago(Edited 8h ago)

It’s funny I’m seeing these articles about pixel remaster, and I just platinumed 1-4 within 8 days lol. I’ve been on FF5 for about a week now. Let’s just say 5 was the start of FF having content like crazy. I should have the plat within 2-3 days.