Atlus Brings Region-Lockout to PS3 - What YOU Should Do

[Damnyouall]

As you may know, all PS3 games released in all regions during the past six years, ever since PS3 was launched, were region-free.

Publishers always had a way to region-lock their games, but none ever did. Until now, you could buy or pre-order PS3 games from all over the world and never had to worry about them not being compatible with your local game system. This freedom helped to bring Demon's Souls to the west: PS3 users imported it from Asia and thereby demonstrated to publishers that there was enough interest to bring it to other regions. What's disconcerting is that the very company who benefited from this by publishing Demon's Souls in the USA is now taking away our freedom: Atlus

Persona 4 Arena will be region-locked. After the initial outcry, Atlus was quick to issue a press release. If you read said release, you'll notice that they neither reverse their decision, apologise nor promise to never do it again, and that their reason for region locking the game is pure greed, because they are afraid of Japanese conumers importing the cheaper American version. And while they say they they aren't setting a precedent, that is EXACTLY what they are doing.

With this anti-consumer decision, Atlus is opening the floodgates of hell. Publishers of niche titles that don't see releases elswhere in the world may follow suit, and from now on you can never again be sure that a PS3 game won't be region-locked.

In case you are American you may be of the opinion that this doesn't affect you because Atlus USA is releasing the game in question at nearly the same time as in Japan, and you get to benefit from the cheapest prices in the world. That's an incredibly selfish stance to take, and a short sighted one. Region-locking may very well affect you too eventually, once that obscure Japanese PS3 title you'd like to play turns out to be locked, or in case that RPG you'd like to play is brought only to Europe and locks you out.

Atlus has neglected Europe for years. They don't even have a European branch to publish their titles, leaving their games to other small publishers in this region. The result:

Persona 3 US: August 14th 2007
Persona 3 EU: February 29th 2008

Persona 3 FES US: April 22nd 2008
Persona 3 FES EU: October 17th 2008

Persona 3 Portable US: July 2010
Persona 3 Portable EU: April 28th 2011

Persona 4 US: December 9th 2008
Persona 4 EU: March 13th 2009

Persona 4 Golden US: October 23rd 2012
Persona 4 Golden EU: ????

Persona 4 Arena US: August 7th 2012
Persona 4 Arena EU: ???? "2012" ????

Catherine US: July 26th 2011
Catherine EU: February 10th 2012

Devil Survivor Overclocked US: 23rd August 2011
Devil Survivor Overclocked EU: ???? "2012" ????

Devil Survivor 2 US: February 28th 2012
Devil Survivor 2 EU: ???? "2012" ????

Shin Megami Tensei - Strange Journey hasn't been brought to Europe at all.

Region-locking is anti-consumer. It's yet another example of how corporations reap the benefits of globalisation, while we, the consumers, do not. Region-lockouts should be made illegal. They are an insult to us, and go against free trade. For instance in Australia and New Sealand the region-locking of DVDs has no legal protection, and you can buy region-free players. Mod-chips that defeat region-locks in game-consoles have been legal in Australia for years for this very reason.

PS3's lack of region-locked games was a good thing. It benefited us all. Atlus is now ruining a good thing. That's why we should not let this happen without protest. But as you may have noticed, online protests and petitions hardly ever do any good. However, money speaks! That's why you need to vote with your wallet. Don't buy Persona 4 Arena, and send an email to Atlus explaining why you don't buy the game. Tell your friends not to buy the game. Show Atlus (And other publishers) that you aren't spineless. Show them what happens when they try to take away your freedom. Show solidarity and don't buy the game, no matter which region you live in and then inform Atlus of your decision.