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#4052619 - 12/18/14 02:06 PM Steam region locking games  
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 797
leaf_on_the_wind Offline
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leaf_on_the_wind  Offline
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 797
.... due to falling value of rouble

The plunging value of the Russian rouble has led game maker Valve to impose limits on its online store.

It has started putting "region-locks" on games bought via its Steam service in Russia so only people in that country can play them.

The move is an attempt to stop people outside the country buying games that are far cheaper from the Russian store.

Many games costing $40 (25) on the US Steam store cost only a few dollars in Russia.

The Steam Prices website, which logs price differences across the regional Steam game networks, reveals many games are currently up to 10 times more expensive in the US and UK than they are in Russia.

Falling oil prices and economic sanctions have conspired to cause the value of the rouble to lose more than half its value against the US dollar this year. Earlier this week one dollar was worth 79 roubles though the currency has recovered since and now $1 buys about 61 roubles.

Valve's move is the first time that region locks have been imposed on games available via the hugely popular Steam service. Valve has yet to issue a comment on its decision to lock games.

Earlier this week Apple also reacted to the economic turmoil in Russia by halting sales made via the Russian version of its online store. It said exchange rates were too volatile for it to set prices.



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#4052629 - 12/18/14 02:18 PM Re: Steam region locking games [Re: leaf_on_the_wind]  
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 121,489
PanzerMeyer Online centaurian
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PanzerMeyer  Online Centaurian
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 121,489
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Well...a cheap currency works wonders for your exports though unless of course you main export is oil.


“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4052705 - 12/18/14 03:54 PM Re: Steam region locking games [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
Joined: Mar 2008
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Meatsheild Offline
Arma3 guy!
Meatsheild  Offline
Arma3 guy!
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Peoples Republic of Yorkshire
havnt they been doing this for years?? confused


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#4052716 - 12/18/14 04:07 PM Re: Steam region locking games [Re: leaf_on_the_wind]  
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Peally Offline
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Peally  Offline
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Wisconsin, USA
Not sure. In the extremely rare case where I want a game available in the UK or something I'll just ask someone here to gift it and pay them anyway.


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#4052725 - 12/18/14 04:31 PM Re: Steam region locking games [Re: leaf_on_the_wind]  
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Para_Bellum Offline
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Para_Bellum  Offline
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Germany
Nothing new.

Steam has been region-locking games for various countries for years.


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