Blocked in Germany

[RonjaLin]

There is no law that requires imports to be blocked from running in Germany! So stop that already!


EDIT, 15 October 2014: The region lock is looked into and will most likely be removed. See page 5 of this thread!
EDIT, 16 October 2014: Maybe not. See the following pages.
EDIT, 17 October 2014: It seems Square Enix does not yet want to remove the lock, but German press writes about it (see page 14 and 15).

[jello ツ]

Someone from SquEnix should probably tell the GreenManGaming guys that this game is region-locked for Germany, so they wouldn’t sell it to unsuspecting customers. -_-

Well, let’s see whether I can get my money back. Otherwise I’ll have to wait ’til SquEnix pull their head out of their behind and unlock this game like they should’ve months ago.

[Sivy]

I was locked as well and then contacted the people I purchased it from and received a new serial code.

[PorcusGrunzus]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Sivy:

I was locked as well and then contacted the people I purchased it from and received a new serial code.

What? I doubt this.

[jello ツ]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Sivy:

I was locked as well and then contacted the people I purchased it from and received a new serial code.

A functioning one? Are you from/in Germany? And -- if “yes” to both -- most importantly, where did you buy it? ;o)

[Sivy]

I am not from Germany but I had the same issue where I tried to use a serial code then it told me that 'I can not play this game in my Region' I purchased it from gamersgate not from steam so that helped, then I got a new code that does work

[PorcusGrunzus]

...
So your post makes no sense here because we are talking about the German Region Lock...
Using another key wont change it since all versions of the games are IP locked for Germany.

[Skidrow]

Hmmm... was the Region Lock liftet parially?
You still can't buy it from Steam Store with german IP... but now at least I can play it without VPN...

[PorcusGrunzus]

DE Region lock is still present in SteamDB for Sleeping Dogs Definitive.
Even if the region lock is removed, we still wont see Sleeping Dogs Definitive in the DE Steam store.

Can other people verify if they can run the game with German IP now?
Or maybe even activate a key from a ROW version for example?

[Shrapnel]

Man, its always these Germans and Australians crying on steam about problems in their country. Steam is not a member of your government, nor do they write your highly oppressive game laws.
You want change, do it at the next council meeting.
This is the equivalent of complaining to the airlines cause your country is blocking the flights over its airspace - why are you bothering the middle man?

[diabLo-Designz]

Big talk for a person without knowledge...like that our law doesnt say they need to geolock this games.

[Noctum]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Shrapnel:

Man, its always these Germans and Australians crying on steam about problems in their country. Steam is not a member of your government, nor do they write your highly oppressive game laws.
You want change, do it at the next council meeting.
This is the equivalent of complaining to the airlines cause your country is blocking the flights over its airspace - why are you bothering the middle man?

A great example of somebody posting without reading any further than the title of a thread!

But let me assume that you actually did and that you really mean what you wrote. In that case you believe that our government is forcing Valve Software to prevent a special edition of a Square Enix game from being activated and played from German IP-addresses, while other games that aren't sold through Steam to German customers can be activated and played from Germany after being obtained elsewhere without any legal troubles? You think their special edition is so special it deserves such never before seen treatment? You might want to re-think your statement on that topic.

[PorcusGrunzus]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Shrapnel:

Man, its always these Germans and Australians crying on steam about problems in their country. Steam is not a member of your government, nor do they write your highly oppressive game laws.
You want change, do it at the next council meeting.
This is the equivalent of complaining to the airlines cause your country is blocking the flights over its airspace - why are you bothering the middle man?

What was the sense of your comment?
Yeah, right nothing. Just your own selfish opinion.
Life in such a country and say this again.
Believe me, you wont.

The main problem was that several Publishers doesnt simply understand German Law. There is no need for such a horendous regionlock. They simply doesnt care and cant afford professional people... And saying that Steam is not member of your government is the most idiotic thing I have read in the last while. If they want to sell their products they should inform theirself probably. Council meeting wont change much since the government doesnt care and describes our rating and youth protection system as good. If you ask the people on the streets or gamers, movie lovers they wont say much good about it. If there would be at least a way to get the games Uncut for 18+ persons which usually there is. Not in this case though since the publisher is ignorant and doesnt care.

[funkynutz]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Noctum:

A great example of somebody posting without reading any further than the title of a thread! :rfacepalm:

But let me assume that you actually did and that you really mean what you wrote. In that case you believe that our government is forcing Valve Software to prevent a special edition of a Square Enix game from being activated and played from German IP-addresses, while other games that aren't sold through Steam to German customers can be activated and played from Germany after being obtained elsewhere without any legal troubles? You think their special edition is so special it deserves such never before seen treatment? You might want to re-think your statement on that topic.

Never before seen treatment? Yeah right, because the krauts don't ban games... Oh wait there's a big list of games that aren't allowed to feature full cotent in Germany, too violent, nazi imagery, too cruel etc... .

Violence in video games is a controversial subject in Germany, and German localisations of violent games are often heavily cut by the publishers to permit a public release. Usually this entails a simple removal or reduction of depictions of blood and gore, but sometimes extends to cuts in the content or plot of the game, as was the case in games such as Counter-Strike and Grand Theft Auto.

All games that are released to the public are required to carry a certificate given by the USK (Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle - Voluntary Monitoring Organisation of Entertainment Software). If the USK refuses certification of a title, it may be, and often is, placed upon the index. The compulsory nature of the USK label was a consequence of the 2003 modification of the Jugendschutzgesetz.

The 2003 changes to the Jugendschutzgesetz also announced an intent to extend the restrictions on the depiction of violence in video gaming, leaving open the possibility of banning any depiction of violence in video gaming, which was met by widespread outcry from the video gaming community in Germany. The then in power CDU/SPD coalition government announced an intention to enact this in 2005, but in November 2006 it was announced that such restrictions would not be enacted at this time.

As it's obviously down to the USK which games get restricted, maybe YOU should rethink your statement... It's not valve or square at fault... It's the USK. The only thing you can blame publishers/developers for, it not wanting to waste their time ripping chunks out of their finished product to be allowed under Germany's draconian censorship rules.

[PorcusGrunzus]

No, the USK doesnt restrict any games to the unplayability and forbids import and usage for Adults. The USK is a youth protection system which rates games and sometimes may censor games to make them sellable in the public. Sometimes games dont get sold here at all and "banned". Banned in the way of not being in Store officialy. Importing the product and using it is totally legit...

Why do you even comment as Britain because you obviously know a ♥♥♥♥...

[diabLo-Designz]

Eww, you guys dont get it or? There is no need to GEOLOCK this games JUST for PC USERS. Get it? Console gamers can play such games(Wolfenstein, Sleeping Dogs) without a problem. Publishers are just idiots, nothing more.