Thread: Article: Retail copies of Deus Ex are region locked

So, deus ex is region locked now...
Games On Net :: General News: Deus Ex 3 Gets Region-Locked on PC - Import Orders Cancelled

Importers beware! With just one week to go until the launch of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, hype is escalating rapidly and pre-release impressions have been universally positive. However, it is now clear that not everyone is going to be so happy come release day. Square-Enix have confirmed that the long-awaited sequel will be region-locked on PC worldwide and online retailers have begun cancelling all overseas orders.

"The PC version of Deus Ex: Human Revolution is region-locked.
Please be sure to purchase a copy from your own region, otherwise you might not be able to register the game.

If you should not be able to register your copy due to a region conflict, please return the game to your retailer. Square Enix cannot offer assistance in replacing incompatible registration codes."

games.on.net reader stayclean wrote in to inform us of the situation and confirmed that their pre-order for the title through ozgameshop.com has been cancelled due to these very reasons. This will no doubt leave many gamers who pre-ordered the coveted Augmented Edition thoroughly disappointed.

There is a silver lining however. A later clarification confirmed the following:

"Please note this affects PC BOXED RETAIL only.

That said, if you have pre-ordered online through any digital-distribution service, you will not be affected.

So why the reason for the region lock in the first place? Quite simply, "region locking exists because they couldn't get all languages onto the DVD". Basically due to disc size limitations, "the languages had to be split onto different masters". To clear up any confusion, the region lock only applies on activation, so following successful activation you will be able to play the game worldwide without issue.

To address any language concerns, all languages will be available for the game via download.

so yeah, go digital.

ozgameshop being in england, and them dere having dat weird language dat dey speak dere.

Yeah, but that means a tiny bit of extra administration at their end, only cancelling orders to non-English speaking countries. It's easier for everyone (except the customer) to be lazy and blanket-cancel all orders.

Promoted to news page with article.

Appears they have backpedaled

We have just been informed that Deus Ex Human Revolution will NOT be region-locked and WILL indeed work in Australia. This announcement was made on Eidos’ offical forums: Region Locks(see 1st post for summary of Q&As):NEW:Official-No lock for UK/Eur/US/AUS - Eidos Forums.

After the mixed messages we’ve had this week, we understand that some of you may have ordered the game at local retailers and so it is still our intention to refund all orders made at ozgameshop.com.

If you would like us to send the game to you, please reply to this email as soon as possible stating your order number which can be found on your order confirmation email or by logging-in to the website and clicking on My Orders. Please let us know by Monday August 22nd.

If you do not reply to this email, we will assume that you do not want the game and will process your refund.

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience and confusion this may have caused.

nice

I'm not sure how they can back-pedal without looking like utter liars. They said it HAD to be done this way because the game wouldn't fit on a DVD with all languages?

probably because the backlash demonstrated to them there are more users wanting to buy from overseas, no matter what, than there are users who *might* buy the wrong language edition. (probably also realised the warez scene will sort out language issues for them)

If you bought from GMG:

"Green Man Gaming Hey guys - sorry to tell you this but we've got official confirmation from the publisher - our keys will NOT preload and will not activate on Steam until Tuesday, 23rd August - the official release date of the title. Sorry for the confusion - we've only just this second confirmed this with the publisher."

Strange, I got my key from GMG and it's preloading as I write this, it's at 34% done.

*squeeeee* preload!