Whenever you purchase anything, whether you are buying online or in-store, your region plays a big role. It is only natural to assume the same may work for PlayStation games. However, the real question is, is the PS4 locked by region?
The PlayStation 4 is not region locked. The same applies to physical games and digital games. That being said, the best course is to choose a game in your region to assist you when making payments and getting a smoother service. Buying content in your region will result in a better experience.
There is a lot to learn when it comes to the region settings on the PlayStation 4, so keep reading as we dive into the topic! We will discuss region settings on the PlayStation, and how they can impact your access to games. Also, we’ll be going over what you need to do if you want to change your location settings!
Is There A Region Lock When I Play Games On The PlayStation 4?
The PlayStation 4 does not have any region locks for any of the consoles, physical games, or digital titles. With that being said, Sony, the manufacturer of the PlayStation 4 (Amazon link), recommends that you make purchases based on your own region.
The reasoning behind this is simple. The idea is to be able to get products with the best possible chance of excellence in performance. This is why, as you may have noticed, the digital content available is typically connected to the region you list in your PlayStation ID account.
While you can still access content from other regions if you try hard enough, there is a chance performance may be affected. You may not be able to get the adequate support or servicing you need for different PlayStation products as well.
Therefore, especially when it comes to the content that you can download from the official Sony site, you will have the best results when you download in your own region. There are features that are specific to regions, however.
You may see drawbacks when you use services or products that do not belong to your region. For example, consider the situation where you wish to play a game that is not available in your region but is available in another one.
You can download the game, and in most cases, you will be able to play it. However, at the same time, you may run into software bugs, or in some cases, you will not be able to get access to support for the game on the basis of your region.
The way that many users of the PlayStation 4 describe the console is that it is not region-locked, but at the same time, it is not exactly region-free. Your region plays a role in what you can access, but it is not as restrictive as a lot of other services.
Can I Change The Region Settings On My PlayStation 4?
Earlier, we discussed whether or not the PlayStation 4 is locked by region, because there is no such lock, you can easily change the region on your PlayStation account. However, you have to remember that this requires that you set up a new account.
When you are setting up the account, you can then make the decision and choose the country you want to add. If you are not currently there, you can use a VPN to appear to be in that location.
The VPN works by providing you with an IP address that is attached to a certain region or location. This may help you access far more content, particularly online. However, this can come with drawbacks as well.
Consider that you are living outside the United States. If you add the US as your region, you might be able to access more content. However, the overall cost of this content may also go up, as other regions may have other rates that go up exponentially when compared to the United States Dollar.
If you have discs that you got from other parts of the world, you can usually load them to your PlayStation and play the games. The only limitation in this case to worry about is if you want to access additional content or updates for the game.
How To Change Your Region On The PlayStation 4
Now that you know you can, it is time that you learn what you need to do to change your region on the PlayStation 4. Here are the steps that you need to follow to make that happen with a new PlayStation online account:
- On the official Sony website, click the Start button. This will enable you to create a new account.
- On the next page, add your email address and password. If you have an account, use a new email address.
- In the following setup questions, enter your personal information.
- Add your region/country of choice. You may have to use a VPN to get this step done.
- Login to your account again and choose your new ID.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do you have questions about region locking on the PlayStation 4? We have already answered some common questions in this section:
Q1. Can I play a European game if my PS4 is in the US?
Yes, you can absolutely play games from Europe or any other region if your PlayStation 4 is registered in the United States. There are no region specific locks that restrict access to content from around the world.
Q2. How do you unlock a region-locked game?
Although the methodology can depend on the game and console, in most cases you can do this using a high-quality VPN. This will allow you to use an IP address from another region without worry.
Final Thoughts
With the PlayStation 4, efforts were made to make the process of playing games more universal. This is the primary reason why this console no longer features region-locked games.
Sources
- https://whatsabyte.com/are-ps4-games-region-locked#Can_You_Change_PSN_Region
- https://gizbuyerguide.com/are-playstation-4-consoles-and-games-region-locked/
- https://www.androidcentral.com/are-playstation-4-digital-games-region-locked
