FPB and Steam

MOnk

MOnk

New member
Ok so looking at the BLOPS2 Steam page I see it has an FPB rating: http://store.steampowered.com/app/202970/. First time I've ever seen this. Considering Mark of the Ninja is blocked in SA because of no FPB rating, does this mean more games are going to get affected but this seemly new involvement of the FPB with Steam.

Why couldn't they just leave Steam alone. If more games get blocked because of them, I'm going to have to sort out a VPN solution.
 
/queues argument about how every country is entitled to having its own media regulatory body.
/points out OP's post as a prime example why such bodies are often irrelevant, cumbersome and primitive in the scope of greater; globally recognised bodies.
/reads inane retort
/walks out

Are we done here? :D
 
MOnk said:
Ok so looking at the BLOPS2 Steam page I see it has an FPB rating: http://store.steampowered.com/app/202970/. First time I've ever seen this. Considering Mark of the Ninja is blocked in SA because of no FPB rating, does this mean more games are going to get affected but this seemly new involvement of the FPB with Steam.

Why couldn't they just leave Steam alone. If more games get blocked because of them, I'm going to have to sort out a VPN solution.
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I think in these cases it are the publishers that are submitting to FPB, not the FPB going to Steam and preventing them from listing games.
 
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Lycanthrope said:
/queues argument about how every country is entitled to having its own media regulatory body.
/points out OP's post as a prime example why such bodies are often irrelevant, cumbersome and primitive in the scope of greater; globally recognised bodies.
/reads inane retort
/walks out

Are we done here? :D
Click to expand...
I was more curious to find out the exact extent of the FPB's involvement with Steam, rather than argue about their relevance. :)
 
MOnk said:
I was more curious to find out the exact extent of the FPB's involvement with Steam, rather than argue about their relevance. :)
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In that case my guess is a good as yours. I suspect Eugene may well be right.

I don't think Steam has never really cared about international regulatory bodies unless they make some kind of grievance known.

But that's one of the things that bugs me... You can buy San Andreas retail, but it's blocked on Steam. Would that be Rockstar or Steam? :p
 
Yeah, that's Rockstar. All of their games are blocked here. Can't remember the exact details, but it was something like them not bothering to submit it for rating here or something like that.
 
Graal said:
Yeah, that's Rockstar. All of their games are blocked here. Can't remember the exact details, but it was something like them not bothering to submit it for rating here or something like that.
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LA Noire, Max Payne 1/2/3, Bully, GTA IV/Episodes from Liberty City are all available for us on Steam.

I think it's pretty daft that they'd not make Vice City, GTA III, San Andreas available.
 
Oh, I see they're available now. They weren't a few months back. Both me and Prophet had to 'cheat' the Steam system by going to the American Steam page, adding LA Noire to the cart there, then returning to the SA page and then just check out.
 
Graal said:
Oh, I see they're available now. They weren't a few months back. Both me and Prophet had to 'cheat' the Steam system by going to the American Steam page, adding LA Noire to the cart there, then returning to the SA page and then just check out.
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Yeah, they're pretty moody. One month their entire catalogue will be available, the next maybe one or two IPs.

I don't get it.

I suspect Rockstar's initial fame and controversy gave them a decent legal department which regularly handles regional distribution so as to toe the line in certain territories.

I runno :)
 
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Managed to buy all my rockstar stuff normally (legally) whatever so far. But it is strange the way they play with it.
 
Prototype 2 is also blocked so I then bought it retail and then... it installed in Steam. That's just crazy. You can't buy a Steam-required game via Steam, but you can buy it retail.
 
ViperGTI said:
Prototype 2 is also blocked so I then bought it retail and then... it installed in Steam. That's just crazy. You can't buy a Steam-required game via Steam, but you can buy it retail.
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Yeah, it's easy to circumvent the region restriction. I often just trade people for the games in the Steam Trading forum. Steam doesn't care if you trade for region-restricted games.
 
Does anyone have info with regards to our issue with Netflix and Hulu? Is it the FPB story also?

With regards to this topic i am a bit bothered that we have games that are blocked in a country that has a supposed right to information as a basic human right.
 
Um we don't have Netflix and Hulu because they don't have a presence here and haven't set up servers or contracts with content providers.
 
czc said:
I'm sure it's licensing issues with multichoice.
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You're sure?

They only just launched Netflix (3 months ago) in Sweden, Denmark, Norway And Finland, places with some of the fastest broadband and highest internet penetration in the world. Not to mention average salaries and buying power.

So yeah, I doubt licensing issues with Multichoice have anything to do with them not being here.

*Also, what would it have to do with Multichoice in any case. It would be up to the content owners to sell to Netflix.
 
MOnk said:
Um we don't have Netflix and Hulu because they don't have a presence here and haven't set up servers or contracts with content providers.
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Bit narrowminded answer that dont you think?

I can watch 1080P streams perfect on my 10mb line so i will pay $10 a month any day of the week for the NetFlix service or Hulu for that matter.

We recently got rights to MLB.tv and i am well aware i might be 1 of 4 Baseball fans in this Country so i dont think the "presence" you are talking about is the problem.
 
How is that narrow minded, it's the truth. You did read that bit about 'contracts with content providers'? You have to set up agreements with companies that own the distribution rights in SA for the content being provided by Netflix. It's the same reason we don't have iTunes music or many of the streaming music providers. It's all about money.

Access has never really been the issue.
 
Mate then explain why the Major League Baseball service at $30 a month is available in this country???

Something which is not big whatsoever has a premium priced service available to South Africans but other things which way more people will use is not?
 
Look if you don't like the answer then go email Netflix and complain about how you want to get it in SA.
 
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