[EU only?] Apparently the PS Store now lets you change your region.

[Lant_War]

So yeah, according to a post on r/PS4 you can now change your PSN region. OP said he only saw European countries, and in my region's store that isn't available so I'm guessing it's EU only?

The option should be right above the library.

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/PS4/commen...finally_change_our/?utm_source=reddit-android

 

[nib95]

That's pretty awesome. Are you able to change it multiple times? Eg switch it to buy a particular item from a specific region, then back again?

 

[Freddo]

I see it here in Sweden.

That's pretty awesome. Are you able to change it multiple times? Eg switch it to buy a particular item from a specific region, then back again?

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Wouldn't really be much of a point to do so, the prices are all the same all over Europe. It just helps you to see the prices in your own currency since a number of countries don't use the Euro.

 

[kadotsu]

Seems like all EEA/EU countries in which Sony supports PSN. Don't change your account to UK around March/April.

 

[nib95]

I see it here in Sweden.


Wouldn't really be much of a point to do so, the prices are all the same all over Europe. It just helps you to see the prices in your own currency since a number of countries don't use the Euro.

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I see, so there are never any unique sales specific to certain European countries?

 

[Mechaplum]

Probably for language or support purposes as users move countries.

 

[WorldofMiku]

I see, so there are never any unique sales specific to certain European countries?

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No.

 

[people]

At first glance it seems to me this could be (part of) Sony's reaction to a 'recent' EU Regulation (2018/302) "on addressing unjustified geo-blocking and other forms of discrimination based on customers' nationality, place of residence or place of establishment within the internal market", also refered to as "Geo-blocking Regulation" which entered into force earlier this month (FAQ #10)

The Regulation bans the blocking of access to websites and re-routing without the customer's prior consent. This increases price transparency by allowing customers to access different national websites. This provision also applies to non-audio-visual electronically supplied services, such as e-books, music, games and software.

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(FAQ #2)

Actually,

"Services linked to copyright-protected content or works in an intangible form - such as music streaming services and e-books - will be excluded from the scope of the regulation. But this will be subject to a review by the European Commission."

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At this point it's not quite obvious if or to what extend this regulation applies to 'the PSN Store', but this new feature could well be another part of Sony 'future-proofing'/overhauling their systems and services.

Although it seems arbitrary to include some non-EU memberstates (such a Norway), but not others (such as Switserland).
EDIT: Iceland and Norway are included in the list as countries that are part of EFTA but not the European Union, Switserland is likely not included, because it isn't part of EEA.

 

[Ikon]

Finally! I bought my PS4 when I lived in Norway for a couple of years, and have been stuck with that setting despite moving away from there 3 years ago.

Will it let me change payment method to a card from the new country as well?

 

[Ikon]

At first glance it seems to me this could be (part of) Sony's reaction to a 'recent' EU Regulation (2018/302) "on addressing unjustified geo-blocking and other forms of discrimination based on customers' nationality, place of residence or place of establishment within the internal market", also refered to as "Geo-blocking Regulation" which entered into force earlier this month (FAQ #10)

(FAQ #2)

Although it seems arbitrary to include some non-EU memberstates (such a Norway), but not others (such as Switserland).

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Something to do with EFTA or whatever the Norwegian trade agreement is called? Is Iceland and Luxembourg also included? (I think those are the two other EFTA countries.....)

 

[alstrike]

People are gonna go crazy buying stuff on the Turkish store.

 

[jsnepo]

I hope this happens in Asia too. Since we don't have PSN in the Philippines even though PS4 is officially launched here, I set my country as Singapore. I would like to change to Hong Kong where our local credit cards work.

 

[people]

Something to do with EFTA or whatever the Norwegian trade agreement is called? Is Iceland and Luxembourg also included? (I think those are the two other EFTA countries.....)

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Yes, Iceland and Norway are included in the list as countries that are part of EFTA but not the European Union, Switserland is likely not included, because it isn't part of EEA. (You meant Liechtenstein, not included. Luxembourg is)

People are gonna go crazy buying stuff on the Turkish store.

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The Turkish store is not an option.

 

[PLASTICA-MAN]

Wow. Is this a bug?
If not can we do it infinitely or once you change the country you can never go back to your old one? For example if someone who wants to get the extra free PS Plus games from Portuguese and Spanich stores, can eh get them by choosing those countries then he could go back to his locla country? The same if he gets PSN cards from other countries?

 

[Ikon]

Yes, Iceland and Norway are included in the list as countries that are part of EFTA but not the European Union, Switserland is likely not included, because it isn't part of EEA. (You meant Liechtenstein, not included. Luxembourg is)


The Turkish store is not an option.

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Thanks, I knew I was getting some of the details wrong :)

 

[Encephalon]

This makes a lot of sense for Europe and is great to see.

 

[FiXalaS]

I did this through the website before

 

[Omar310]

I'm only here to show my appreciation for that header image.

 

[STech]

Any cheaper option or it only includes Euro countries or countries with the same prices?

 

[Shpeshal Nick]

Even when a company takes forever to implement a basic/mandatory/obvious feature, it should still be appreciated when they finally do.

 

[Borowski]

Is this legal?

Can i really change my country on PS Store?

 

[S I C K O]

They shold allow this for USA and Canada, or Australia and New Zealand.

 

[Deleted member 16876]

This is great!

Especially because it makes people able to buy Wolfenstein and get the game uncensored and with English language instead of German.

 

[noyram23]

I hope this happens in Asia too. Since we don't have PSN in the Philippines even though PS4 is officially launched here, I set my country as Singapore. I would like to change to Hong Kong where our local credit cards work.

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Actually if you have CC it works in any store. Im from Philippines myself and my main is US but I also have HK, AUS, UK account for sales and I use my local cc on all of those account. Here's how

- add your CC via the playstation store setting on a web browser/PC
- buy your games via PS4/Vita/PS3 PSN (consoles itself and not the web browser)

 

[Daxter01]

Can I change my uk account to us one?

 

[Mendrox]

Oh my god I can finally make my Austria account my real account?! T_T This is megaton!

 

[Hamster Plugin]

Can I change my uk account to us one?

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No. You can't switch between different Playstation Stores.

 

[Terbinator]

Brexit doing bits. /s

 

[5taquitos]

Wow. Is this a bug?
If not can we do it infinitely or once you change the country you can never go back to your old one? For example if someone who wants to get the extra free PS Plus games from Portuguese and Spanich stores, can eh get them by choosing those countries then he could go back to his locla country? The same if he gets PSN cards from other countries?

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This is only for Europe and they all get the same PS+ games anyway.

 

[Kenzodielocke]

Can I use this to play games earlier?

 

[Osahi]

I think this might be the result of the ban on geoblocking that went into effect in the EU.

 

[Wollan]

Will this enable me to play PS Now in Scandinavia...

 

[Lnds500]

So what's the benefit of this?

 

[RpgN]

Where can you find the option on their website? I don't have a PS4.

 

[Borowski]

We need an official statement on this from Sony

 

[Rynam]

Sad that it's not available for Switzerland because we're not part of the EEA stuff. :(

Can I use this to play games earlier?

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I guess if you change your region to one of the eastern EEA countries before purchase. Its at most an hour or so earlier tho.

 

[edo_kid]

Psn cards are also blocked by country so this should help with that.

 

[people]

To (indirectly) answer some questions and perhaps prevent some others, here is what I found out while the forums were 503:

1. Changing your Store Region appears to be only available on PS4 at this time, i.e. the app on your PS4. I have not found or seen this option on PS3, VITA or the webstore. EDIT: The option to change Store Region has now appeared on the webstore, but it seems rudimentary and doesn't lead to any actual functionality.
2. Changing your Store Region is only relevant for the following countries:

   Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom

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   So at this time it does not apply to or involve: United States, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
3. Changing your Store Region does not change your Account Region/Country, i.e. it doesn't change 'where you live', only 'where you buy'.
4. Your wallet balance does not carry over. In other words, you don't have a 'universal wallet', but need to add funds or payment option for each regional store you'd like to purchase from. Note: I have never added any payment options (PayPal/CC) to my PSN account so I don't know if any restrictions apply there. My alt/old account has a Wallet balance of €0,03 in my 'home region store', after switching it has no balance in the newly selected store.
5. Changing your Store Region does not allow you to purchase games that are not available in your 'home region store', or at least it didn't let me buy, or even put in my cart, games that are not available in my 'home region store'. Currently Subnautica is not available in my 'home region store' (NL). Changing my Store Region to UK does not let me circumvent this.

   You are not able to purchase this product for the following reason(s): You can't purchase this product from this store region. Try returning to your home store region to purchase this product.

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EDIT: In fact, at this time it's literally impossible to buy anything from a store other than your 'home region store', i.e. the store tied to your Account Region/Country.

 

[Hamster Plugin]

Can you buy a cheaper EU region PS Plus card and temporarily change country to redeem it? This might be quite helpful, because there's plenty of cheap PS Plus codes around for countries like UK but much fewer elsewhere.

 

[Pezus]

Isn't the UK usually cheaper than other EU countries? Or at least it was like that due to weird conversion.

 

[BlackLagoon]

So what's the benefit of this?

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If you move within Europe you can change to your new address, credit card and call the local support.

There was also a period around 2011-2012 where many niche games would only publish their content in the bigger European countries' PSN stores, due to Sony requiring support documentation translated in every country's language. So some games and DLC from those years might be more easily available for those of us with accounts from outside the EFIGS area, though it remains to be seen how painless the process is. (EDIT: I guess not.) Anyone know how it handles accounts that have funds in the wallet when you switch?

 

[LinLeigh]

Isn't the UK usually cheaper than other EU countries? Or at least it was like that due to weird conversion.

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The pound has taken a beating in the last year so it is a bit cheaper especially when using cdkeys to pick up psn cards.

 

[BernardoOne]

So what's the benefit of this?

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PS Plus codes are coutry+-locked so if you live in a country like me where they don't ever go on sale , this could be pretty handy.

 

[crazillo]

Great news. The EU has been doing a lot of good things to consumers lately.

 

[Leek]

Changing your Store Region does not allow you to purchase games that are not available in your 'home region store', or at least it didn't let me buy, or even put in my cart, games that are not available in my 'home region store'. Currently Subnautica is not available in my 'home region store' (NL). Changing my Store Region to UK does not let me circumvent this.

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Well that's all disappointing. Even if they open it up to all countries, it looks like having one account per region will still be the way to go.

 

[Borowski]

This could be a huge deal for many people

The million dollar questions:


What are the risks of getting banned?

Can we change stores at free will?

 

[Borowski]

Bump

 

[Guymelef]

Can you buy a cheaper EU region PS Plus card and temporarily change country to redeem it? This might be quite helpful, because there's plenty of cheap PS Plus codes around for countries like UK but much fewer elsewhere.

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This is the real question.

Also, this is EU only and an worldwide thing probably because thi:
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/geo-blocking/

 

[olubode]

Can I finally go to Canada, Sony?

 

[people]

In case you didn't already try and found out for yourself: it is literally impossible at this time to buy anything - not even Free To Play games - from any shop that is not your 'home region store', i.e. the store tied to your Account Region/Country.

So at this point, it's a 'feature' that doesn't provide any benefits or functionality whatsoever. My guess it was activated prematurely.