Steam is region-locking PC games to thwart low currency value exploits
Apple isn't the only one making changes to how it deals with the Russian ruble. Valve is taking measures to protect PC game publishers on its Steam platform too, as spotted by NeoGAF's ever-vigilant eyes. The online storefront is region-locking games in an effort to prevent users from exploiting low currency values. For example, you could buy a Russian game on Steam for a few bucks as opposed to, say, $40 to $60 when purchased through the US storefront. Now, that's a little harder to do and it's causing a bit of an uproar because PC games have typically not been subject to region locks the way console games, on the other hand, have. The move has an impact on areas outside of Putin's backyard too, with reports that Brazil, Indonesia and their neighboring areas are affected too.
Unless you have a legitimate reason for buying games outside of your region though, you likely won't notice any changes -- this, like the tweaks Steam recently made to how game gifting works, is a measure to quell the amount of people taking advantage of its system for personal gain. We've reached out to Valve for additional information and will update this post should we hear back.
All games purchased on Steam in Russia and CIS are now region locked. All of them. Yes, your game too. RT. pic.twitter.com/N5urUgOeEq
- Tomáš Duda (@tomasduda) December 17, 2014
ETS2 didn't have any region lock... Well, until now, I guess.
- Tomáš Duda (@tomasduda) December 17, 2014
The same region lock applies to Indonesia and close regions, and Brazil and close regions.
- Tomáš Duda (@tomasduda) December 17, 2014