Microsoft to crackdown on improper region Xbox Live accounts

CheapyD

CheapyD

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Via Kotaku


http://gamerscoreblog.com/team/archive/2007/05/03/544632.aspx
[quote name='Gamerscore Blog']Some Xbox LIVE members may experience some changes when downloading Marketplace content, as we strengthen the territory controls on the service with the Spring Update coming next week.

So what does this mean to you? Well, if you have an account that matches the country where you are located, then you will probably notice little to no difference. However, if you have set up an account that does not match the country where you are located, you will find that these new security measures will only allow you to purchase and download content that is licensed in the country where you are located.
[/quote]
Depending on how they work the restriction, I could be SOL. If it's done by the console's region origin, then I am ok. If it is by IP address...no es bueno.
 
Yeah, that would definitely suck for users outside the US that (probably) receive far less content than we do.

For some reason, I always get excited for the updates. Not really sure why, as they usually don't add too much anyway.
 
Well kids, remember, the reason this is happening is not because Microsoft gives a shit what content you ultimately end up getting, it's happening because content providers are upset about region enforcement. They very well may be holding back content or shying away from releasing content because the system is so easily abused.

They are basically saying to Microsoft "We have decided not to give you our demo/tv show/movie/whatever because we don't want people in country X to get it yet."

So if MS is interested in growing Live Marketplace much more, they have to provide their content providers the security they want.

Yet, in predictable fashion, most people will blame MS for taking away their fun.
 
Well I hope none of this happens to the Japanese stuff. Just in case I'm getting "Senko no Rondo" avatars and theme quick. fuck you Ubisoft, you're not getting my money for them. You snooze, you lose.
 
[quote name='CheapyD']Via Kotaku


http://gamerscoreblog.com/team/archive/2007/05/03/544632.aspx

Depending on how they work the restriction, I could be SOL. If it's done by the console's region origin, then I am ok. If it is by IP address...no es bueno.[/quote]

i know little about this but it was suggested to me that i set up a proxy that makes it appear that your IP is from the USA.

im candadin, we get screwed on the video marketplace... red vs blue is all we have, no TV shows or HD movies....
 
[quote name='danked']its the little things like this, thats going to be MS downfall[/QUOTE]

It's the little things like this that MS has to do if they want to sell anything more than they are on Marketplace.
 
[quote name='nonrandomhero']i know little about this but it was suggested to me that i set up a proxy that makes it appear that your IP is from the USA.
[/quote] Yeah, I was wondering how difficult this would be to pull off.

I don't care as much if I can't download movie and TV shows anymore, but I can't get access to game content from the USA, that will blow big time.
 
[quote name='danked']its the little things like this, thats going to be MS downfall[/QUOTE]


You're kidding right? I'd suspect maybe only 10% of the marketplace users actually do the multiple accounts thing. The average subscriber probably doesn't even know the method. Of all the major problems Microsoft's had so far, this minor problem is going to bring them down. I need to remember this one.
 
[quote name='terribledeli']You're kidding right? I'd suspect maybe only 10% of the marketplace users actually do the multiple accounts thing. The average subscriber probably doesn't even know the method. Of all the major problems Microsoft's had so far, this minor problem is going to bring them down. I need to remember this one.[/quote]

What are you talking about man?
 
[quote name='mannysgoldglove']What are you talking about man?[/QUOTE]

Oi

[quote name='danked']its the little things like this, thats going to be MS downfall[/quote]

He believes things like this will cause Microsoft to lose customers and eventually their Xbox division will fall apart.

I am pointing out that this change affects a small amount of users. That it isn't going to affect anything. The guy at Wal-mart isn't going to think "Oh shit. I heard I can't set up a Japanese account anymore. Well, fuck Microsoft. I want a PS3"

That if you were trying to predict the downfall of the Xbox division, this wouldn't even register on the scale of problems.

This change will just become another pathetic tune for anti-Microsoft trumpeters to play.
 
[quote name='daroga']Is there anything worth nabbing from regions outside the US before this hammer falls?[/QUOTE]

Depends if you have foreign games. "Blue Dragon" recently had some content released, "Idolmaster" has some stuff and so does "Bullet Witch".
As in the case of "Bullet Witch" if I'm not mistaken all the Japanese extra stuff is free while Atari is charging 20 points for redone missions.
Oh! And there's some "Diario" and "Absolute" stuff which came up lately. If this ends up tracked by IP address I WILL find some way to fake it as I have a Japanese console. I don't understand why MS can't sell a universal console which they'd charge an extra $50 to importers and they could download the foreign content only if they had said import games. It seems kind of insulting the Japanese have the best end of things with being able to buy Asian versions of Western 360 games for $40 as well as the exclusive Japanese games while we get all those games for $60, the Western one's while we're lucky to get ANY Japanese 360 games outside of things from Konami, Capcom and Namco.
Oh and here's stupidity for MS and their video marketplace. I'm ready to JUMP to buy Anime in HD like "Fate/Stay Night" subtitled and uncensored or just uncensored on Japan XBLM. Also I want K-Pop music videos in HD over on the Korean XBLM which is not there and those I will pay for.
Seriously there is already some HD product I can get on XBLM and nowhere else. As it stands "Reincarnation" I specifically downloaded because it's J-Horror and in HD. I would LOVE to see Tartan offer their catalog on XBLM in HD as it stands. Lion's Gate might be better if they'd offer more Studio Toho stuff in HD like "Pyrokinesis" and "Infection".
 
[quote name='Zoglog']u would think that Microsoft would like all our fake JP XBL accounts. It boosts the appearance of membership ;)[/QUOTE]


I am sure they do enjoy it for that reason, and have so far.

But they enjoy big fluffy press releases about being the biggest direct download content provider in HD even more.
 
[quote name='terribledeli']You're kidding right? I'd suspect maybe only 10% of the marketplace users actually do the multiple accounts thing. The average subscriber probably doesn't even know the method. Of all the major problems Microsoft's had so far, this minor problem is going to bring them down. I need to remember this one.[/QUOTE]


I don't know it, but i'd be damn greatfull to find out ;)
 
I just posted this on the GamerScore Blog

I can definitely understand why region restrictions would be in-place for movies & TV shows. I may not agree with the concept of region locking, but I can understand Microsoft's and their content providers position. Personally, I think it is a bad idea as it likely promotes piracy, but I digress.

An important concern for expatriates like myself:

I have a USA 360 console and a USA XBL account and I live in Japan. If I am no longer able to purchase USA game content, I will also not be able to purchase Japanese marketplace game content as there is (currently) no way to get Japan region Microsoft Points into a USA XBL account.

Unless something changes, people in similar situations will have crippled Gold Accounts.
Click to expand...
 
[quote name='CheapyD']I just posted this on the GamerScore Blog[/QUOTE]

Cheapy, you have a unique circumstance I can see many other people having. Especially service men and women. I hope Microsoft will at least take a case by case basis and let you call them to work something out, allowing your gamertag an exception or something.
 
Cheapy I would just setup a proxy server on the 360 and say screw MSoft. Just do a google search on proxy servers and use one from the US. Do not pay for one. You would have to enter the IP in the setup connection screen.

Please note this may cause some problems when playing online as connections through proxy servers are slower than direct connections.
 
[quote name='MSUHitman']Cheapy I would just setup a proxy server on the 360 and say screw MSoft. Just do a google search on proxy servers and use one from the US. Do not pay for one. You would have to enter the IP in the setup connection screen.

Please note this may cause some problems when playing online as connections through proxy servers are slower than direct connections.[/quote]

Yeah, I was wondering if something like this would work.
I wouldn't use it for online play, but for downloading game content from the marketplace...absolutely.
 
I'm in the military living in Okinawa, Japan for the next two or so years. I am in the same situation Cheapy is in. After the recent update, I can't dl movies or tv shows from xbox marketplace (which doesn't bother me too much) and I am not sure if I can even get DLC for games.

I called xbox support and they told me that I would have access to the marketplace for the country that I live in. I didn't have a lot of time to check out what was available to me because I also got the red rings of broken xbox. Before it died, I tried to download the transformers trailer and got the message "not available in your locale" or something like that. I would check it out again, but my console is in the mail to get fixed.

anyone know how to trick msoft with a US ip address? A lot of people in the military play xbox 360 and it would really suck to be blocked from downloading content while we are out of the country.
 
Apparently, DLC for games is still available, but all of video marketplace stuff is off limits to anyone without a USA IP address.
 
Jacobmarsh, there's probably a way to use a proxy server (that's in the US), but you'll have to ask someone else about that.
 
[quote name='Friend of Sonic']Why do the fuck do they care so much? It's not like everyone does this to the point of killing a region's server.[/quote]It has nothing to do with server load. It's the licensing agreement between MS and the content providers being region specific.
 
[quote name='SteveMcQ']It has nothing to do with server load. It's the licensing agreement between MS and the content providers being region specific.[/quote]

I have only downloaded one HD movie to see what it was like on my new tv so I don't mind too much that I don't have access to video marketplace now.

I'm pretty sure the content providers didn't give a thought to US people with US xboxes living in countries other than the US. If there is a way to download HD movies for a subsription fee in Japan, I don't know about it, but even if I did, I probably wouldn't use it because I can't understand Japanese.

Thanks for he update on DLC Cheapy, I called xbox customer service and they didn't sound too convincing.
 
[quote name='jacobmarsh']I'm pretty sure the content providers didn't give a thought to US people with US xboxes living in countries other than the US. If there is a way to download HD movies for a subsription fee in Japan, I don't know about it, but even if I did, I probably wouldn't use it because I can't understand Japanese.[/quote]They probably just feel those in that predicament are such a small percentage, so tough luck (unfortunately). I'm sure there's a legitimate, legal reason to why they're so picky on the region specific video content, but I don't know it. If anyone would care to enlighten me, I'd appreciate it.
 
[quote name='SteveMcQ']They probably just feel those in that predicament are such a small percentage, so tough luck (unfortunately). I'm sure there's a legitimate, legal reason to why they're so picky on the region specific video content, but I don't know it. If anyone would care to enlighten me, I'd appreciate it.[/quote]

It has something to do with the movie studios. Same reason why DVDs are region locked.
 
[quote name='Danil ACE']It has something to do with the movie studios. Same reason why DVDs are region locked.[/QUOTE]

Which wouldn't be an issue if they'd release all these big movies in a timely fashion. Far as I'm concerned if someone imports a movie from another region other then the U.S. and you're the rights holder and get angry it's your own fault because you took too long bringing it here.
I'm not going to wait 3 months or more to pick up the U.S. version of a Wuxia
Fantasy movie. I especially won't buy your version if you overcharge like Dreamworks did with "Ringu". I don't care if they remastered it, $25 for a trailer and MAYBE commentary otherwise being a barebones DVD is a ripoff especially being an import.
 
[quote name='jacobmarsh']I'm in the military living in Okinawa, Japan for the next two or so years. I am in the same situation Cheapy is in. After the recent update, I can't dl movies or tv shows from xbox marketplace (which doesn't bother me too much) and I am not sure if I can even get DLC for games.

I called xbox support and they told me that I would have access to the marketplace for the country that I live in. I didn't have a lot of time to check out what was available to me because I also got the red rings of broken xbox. Before it died, I tried to download the transformers trailer and got the message "not available in your locale" or something like that. I would check it out again, but my console is in the mail to get fixed.

anyone know how to trick msoft with a US ip address? A lot of people in the military play xbox 360 and it would really suck to be blocked from downloading content while we are out of the country.[/quote]

Yeah man Im in the same boat as you. Cant wait to get back to the states (2 more years). I dont think theres much we can do about the Video marketplace. Sucks too because when I first got to Okinawa I was d/l alot of shows and movies. I guess MS are really the ones missing out though. I couldnt even download and play the Bioshock demo. It wasnt available here. Ofcourse I found out after it took me hours to d/l it.
 
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