as long as they don't punish the use of a proxy, it will be just a annoyance.

2 things publishers despise the most in PC gaming: Pirating and the cross-region selling. Looks like valve will set the option here for the region selling while the TPP trade pact may get finalized (Nov 19-24 in Utah) that includes piracy criminalisation.

Then people like me won't be able to get some good games like Dark Souls. It won't be good for Steam because of this reason.

Seeing as how they are already doing region blocking anyway, they really need to change the keys on games so that they reflect where they are from.

If its a US/North America only key
USCA-1234-1234-1234

Russian
RUSN-1234-1234-1234

Japan
JAPN-1234-1234-1234

At least that way people would know where the keys are from at a chance and know if they would actually be able to use them.

Meh..... this thread needs more DLC's.

It'd be cool if we could select games for only only certain regions. So games that can only be redeemed in place can still be given away.

If they stop allowing me to buy uncut games I'll just stop buying games, easy as that. That wouldn't be a great accomplishment for them.

Meh.

SOON

This will effect nothing and most users won't notice.

If every game started using this, it would be a major change. But really, it just strikes me as a more effective version of the region-locking they already do. Publishers currently releasing region-restricted versions will move to this, and in theory those who aren't doing so will continue as they were. There are some fringe benefits, in that people won't have to worry about trading for a game that might be restricted and just not clearly marked, and I imagine it's easier on Steam's end if they just have to update one version of a game, rather than a different one for each region.

Still a customer-unfriendly policy, but (probably) no more so than the one that's already in place. On the other hand, if Steam starts actively pushing this, that would kind of suck.

I'd be fine with this, as long as the block doesn't apply to regions with similar pricing (eg US -> EU -> UK -> AU).

Edit: I don't mean that I like it, but I do understand why they have to do it.

I assume only AAA publishers will use that, we shall see.

I wonder if the feature will only apply to future keys. I'll be fairly irked if a number of my games on Steam suddenly stop working as a result of this.

well steam. Seriously, i doubt its gonna matter that much and it will only be on keys like people have said

Sigh. I always miss these things.

I hope this doesn't prevent me from activating keys purchased from Amazon :-/

If this was only on keys, what would it mean for bundle sites? Would they have to try and distribute different versions of the game keys based on where the purchaser lives?

Ugh, STEAM, why do you have to take one step back for every one you boldly take forward?

This may actually be for the better, unless suddenly Steam decides to push this as a default option.

Region locking is already here and it has problems. You may end up with a gift you can't use because there was region lock. The way Steam "fixes" it tends to be disabling gift purchasing altogether, which means you can't even buy the gift for someone in your own region.

This new flag, as I understand it, addressess both issues if it replaces the old system. You won't end up with a gift you can't activate, and there will be no need to disable gifting completely.

Otherwise it will functionally work the same as the old way of region locking (disallowing running/activation), so won't change a thing, and I don't see publishers who didn't demand region locking to suddenly start mandating it.

Trying to dial down on FUD xD

EDIT: another thing it fixes if it replaces old system: you moving between regions, still being able to run your games without suddenly getting a message you're out of your region

I assume it'll just be added to region-locked games, so people in the US (or any other country) can't gift games which have censors in specific countries.

(Example: Saints Row: The Third wouldn't be giftable across countries, since Germany has a censored version.)