No Content For You, Foreigner!

This email was originally posted to, and read out live on Orange Lounge Radio.

So you know that Sony opened the PC version of the PlayStation Store in Japan only for now, right? Well, there's something decidedly dodgy about how they check to see if you're allowed to access it.

PlayStation Store WTF

When I tried to access the store, I managed to see the front page and usage FAQs, but as soon as I tried to click on a game, I got an English message saying "PlayStation Store is not available in the selected country or region". This is rather odd seeing as, you know, I live in Japan. I took a screenshot showing the error message alongside an IP Geolocation result.

Now you might be thinking that since I was using a Mac, the error message was just a badly-worded way of saying "use Windows, fool!"

But no! Even on Windows I get the exact same error. Then Sakurina suggested I try changing my system's language settings to Japanese. Lo and behold, it now works.

There are several reasons why this is retarded. First, regional settings on a machine should make NO difference to a website. Second, it's borderline racist as it implies anyone who doesn't have their computer set to Japanese (ie, native Japanese people) shouldn't have access to the site. Seriously. I'm a registered resident of Japan, and I have the legal right to access the store. It's ridiculous that I'm barred because I have my computer set in a language I'm more comfortable with!

Does this mean that any native Japanese person can access the Japan store from wherever they are in the world just because of their computer's language setting?

How dare you, Sony.