All PlayStation 3 games except for one are region free.[SUP]
[4][/SUP][SUP]
[5][/SUP] Even though publishers could choose to region-lock specific games based on a mechanism that allows for the game to query the model of the PS3, none did so during the first six years after the launch of PS3.[SUP]
[6][/SUP]
The first game to be region-locked on PS3 is Persona 4 Arena;[SUP]
[7][/SUP] publisher Atlus declined to reverse its decision despite substantial outcry by some of their fanbase. The decision was made to avoid excessive importing, because all versions of the game share the same features and language support, but have differing price points and release dates in each region.
Way of the Samurai 3 is also region-locked but only on Slim models. There is region locking for backwards-compatible PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games, as well as
DVD and
Blu-ray Disc movies. Additionally, some games separate online players per region, such as
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.
PlayStation Store only contains content for its own country, for example the EU store will not supply usable map packs for an imported US copy of
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. In addition,
downloadable content for the PlayStation 3 systems is region-matched with the game, so you need to buy DLC from US
PlayStation Store to use it in a US game. More specifically, the PS3's file system includes region-of-origin, so DLC cannot be shared between different region games much like save files cannot. Also, the PSN Store is tied down on a per-account basis to each user's PSN account, and payment methods for PSN is also region-locked. For example, A user with a Japanese PSN account will only be able to access the Japanese PSN store despite owning on a US PS3, and can only pay for a game with a Japanese PSN gift card or Japanese credit card. However, with a few rare exceptions, notably
Joysound Dive,[SUP]
[8][/SUP] downloaded content from each PSN store are also region free, as are PSOne and PS2 classics offered on the store.
Although
PlayStation Portable has no region locking for
UMD games;[SUP]
[9][/SUP] UMD movies are locked by region.[SUP]
[10][/SUP] However, Sony has confirmed that it is possible to implement Region-Locking on the PSP, and the firmware will disable features based on region. For example, Asian region PSPs will not display the "Extras" option on the XMB despite having been upgraded to the US version of Firmware 6.20, preventing owners of such PSPs from installing the Comic Book Viewer and the TV Streaming applications. Sony's states that the "Extras" function will remain disabled on Asian PSPs until the features are officially launched in the region and gives no reason for the option being disabled aside from that it is not yet launched. Nevertheless, this prevents Asian PSP owners from using the above-mentioned applications on Asian PSPs, as the applications are installed through a PC; and users from the region are not blocked from downloading the application, allowing installation on non-Asian PSPs that have been imported into the region.
The
PlayStation Vita and
PlayStation Vita TV have no region-locked games thus far. Sony has confirmed however that it is possible for developers to do so.
As per its predecessor,
PlayStation 4 will not be region-locked, although it is still possible to develop region-locked games. However Sony's official stand is that they discourage developers from region-locking and will only relent on special cases (as with the PS3 Persona 4 Arena exception mentioned above).[SUP]
[11][/SUP]