How release countries could end up being a problem

[tripredacus]

Let's talk about this [NA] Designation. It is obvious that it is "North America" but there are some cases where it isn't good enough. I'd rather it actually be used as [US] for United States, which is actually used sparingly for some "console" such as Vita and Steam, etc. So I've been doing some research into hockey games and we run into this problem. Take this item for example:
http://vgcollect.com/item/29690
That is the Canadian release of NHL 2K6 on Xbox. Canada got Mats Sundin on the cover while the US release got Marty Turco:
http://vgcollect.com/item/302
However, the main difference in the packaging is that it is bi-lingual with English and French. And even this title isn't proper to call it the "Maple Leafs Cover" as if it was some variation. It isn't because the bi-lingual Canadian release only got Mats Sundin. The problem now lies that there is a German release of this game, in single-language German text only that also features Mats Sundin.

So we need a CA (or is it CN as I see on some things like PSP?) "console" for Xbox added so that this version can be moved to the proper location. And in addition a German XBox console for the other one.

However it may come down to being a problem concerning how games are localised and released and how they are displayed in the database. So if we stay on the Xbox example, let's look at NHL 2K3 for PS2. NHL 2K3 has (at least) these different versions:

- NHL 2K3 (US)
- NHL 2K3 (Finland/Norway)
- NHL 2K3 (Denmark)
- NHL 2K3 (Sweden)
- NHL 2K3 (Australia)
- NHL 2K3 (Germany)

This illustrates a problem of having the all-encompassing [EU] category as this game had 4 different versions in 5 European County. And the same game for Xbox has the same 4 different versions in the 5 countries. Then PC games also have this problem, which brings up (maybe) a little mystery...

- NHL 2000 (US)
- NHL 2000 Classics (US)
- NHL 2000 Naslund (Germany)
- NHL 2000 Naslund Tandem-verlag (Germany)
- NHL 2000 Naslund Green Pepper (Germany)
- NHL 2000 Naslund (UK)
- NHL 2000 Naslund (UK/Netherlands)
- NHL 2000 Naslund (Portugal)
- NHL 2000 Naslund (Finland/Sweden)

This is an incomplete list. This shows NHL 2000 has at least 9 releases for Windows. The US version has Chris Pronger on the cover but the European ones got Markus Naslund instead. The two possible issues here are...

1. Portugal. This isn't the only game where Portugal got its own release. According to my list, they only got their own PC games but that doesn't mean they didn't get their own versions for console games.

2. The two different UK versions. One that was released in the UK only and the other that was released in the UK and in the Netherlands. You probably could just say it is a Netherlands game and get away with it.

So from this example, you can see how release countries could end up being a pain, especially how it is currently set up to use categories with the country on them.

[artikskarab]

The big problem with changing it, is that the Canada/United States difference in packaging only applies to some games. There are a lot of games that get released in Canada that are exactly the same ones as the ones in the States: same english packaging as them. It would probably a pain to split all of the NA games in two when some of them are the same. Also, the NA part represents for the region of the game and not the country specifically. I think it's just better to specify each variation individually.

[tripredacus]

Well sure, but for those games that are made in the US and sold in Canada are just US games. The fact that they are sold in Canada shouldn't make a difference.

[tripredacus]

Bump. (Mods move this topic to Video Game Database Discussion section, which did not exist when this topic was created)

Can I get some additional info on the hockey game naming convention? I went to add a game to my collection (it isn't in the db yet) but ran across this:
http://vgcollect.com/item/41751

Listed as NHL 2K9 (French/English Variant)

It is not a variant, so much it is the Canadian release. It also has the wrong image for the packaging. I didn't want to remove the image because I don't have one to replace it with. Canadian releases have bilingual ESRB logo text, which is the only way to tell the difference by looking at the front. Even though the picture is small I can tell it is the EVERYONE 18+ in tall letters filling the top line.

Canadian release (PS3 at least) have a suffix F at the end of the item number. US version of this game is BLUS-30188 and Canadian version is BLUS-30188F.

[foxhack]

I've got a few games that were purchased in the US but have French and English packaging. For example, Samurai Shodown Anthology on the PS2. Here's the funny part: I ordered this online from Walmart USA. Likewise, this Rock Band Metal Track Pack I bought in a local US dollar store.

Both have an F in the SLUS on the packaging, but the disc are the same as the normal US releases.

So what the maple syrup were they doing in Murica?

I'm pretty sure that there are also some games that have been released in bilingual packaging for both regions. Edit: Also, PSP CN is for China.

*moving thread as per your request*

[necron99]

As a Canadian collector, I have to say that Canadian releases are far more common with the PS3 than it was with the PS2. PS1 and PS2 games fairly often came as a US copy with a french manual (and sometimes came with a sleeve too)  shrink-wrapped to the outside of the case (so ya, shrink-wrapped twice) but I have yet to see this with any PS3 titles.

I don't know about any PS4 releases or Xbox but this sort of thing might becoming a lot more common.

[tripredacus]

So far, in my experience dealing with Canadian games (older than PS3), they are merely US games with different inserts. Most of the time there is bilingual packaging, but sometimes there are photo differences. I do not have any sealed Canadian PS3 games, so I have not seen this dual-wrapping... However I have seen such things happen with toys.

Anyways, this topic is kinda out of date, now that the style guide indicates we should use country codes in the item title. But it is good to know your perspective on how products appear. I believe that most collectors do not even care about the regional differences of most things outside of Japan vs US, and leave Canadian or European products as being a niche thing. Still, such collectors do exist (besides me collecting hockey games) so it is certainly something that should be discussed.

[betelgeuse]

So far, in my experience dealing with Canadian games (older than PS3), they are merely US games with different inserts. Most of the time there is bilingual packaging, but sometimes there are photo differences. I do not have any sealed Canadian PS3 games, so I have not seen this dual-wrapping... However I have seen such things happen with toys.

Anyways, this topic is kinda out of date, now that the style guide indicates we should use country codes in the item title. But it is good to know your perspective on how products appear. I believe that most collectors do not even care about the regional differences of most things outside of Japan vs US, and leave Canadian or European products as being a niche thing. Still, such collectors do exist (besides me collecting hockey games) so it is certainly something that should be discussed.

I've repurchased many Turbo Grafx games that were bilingual text on the box backs. The main difference is those tend to come with two instructions manuals, one in English and one in French.

As far as the newer games go, I've noticed Frys Electronics gets a lot of bilingual packaging on their games here in the states for some reason. I don't have very many imports and try to get the US versions.