Changing the XBox One region

JoyPad

Hi,

I found my son playing a new game the other day, a game that is not available to purchase in Ireland. Turns out he was talking to a friend, and that person guided him through changing the region to US, downloading the game, then switching the region back to Ireland. The game was free to download, or the whole thing would have failed.

I've already removed all his purchasing privileges: he used to have permission to get free games, but he just lost it.

Is there any way to remove his ability to fiddle with the XBox settings?

Thanks.

gmg678

yes there is. it will be in parental controls. it will limit him to doing anything.

gmg678

What was the game also?

Raoul

Not really sure what he did wrong. Fair play to him

JoyPad

If he needs things, he should come to me, like he usually does. Not follow instructions received from a stranger over the Internet.

The game was Roblox.

nocoverart

JoyPad wrote: »

If he needs things, he should come to me, like he usually does. Not follow instructions received from a stranger over the Internet.

The game was Roblox.

OK Un-JoyPad.

GBX

JoyPad wrote: »

If he needs things, he should come to me, like he usually does. Not follow instructions received from a stranger over the Internet.

The game was Roblox.

Ironic that youve asked strangers on the internet to find a solution??

JoyPad

GBX wrote: »

Ironic that youve asked strangers on the internet to find a solution??

There's a big difference: I wouldn't go and execute a stranger's instructions if they seemed in any way fishy. And changing the region to download an otherwise inaccessible game sounds fishy to me.

If he follows bad advice and ends up with an expensive paperweight instead of a console, his friends will not pony up for a replacement.

JoyPad

JoyPad wrote: »

There's a big difference: I wouldn't go and execute a stranger's instructions if they seemed in any way fishy. And changing the region to download an otherwise inaccessible game sounds fishy to me.

If he follows bad advice and ends up with an expensive paperweight instead of a console, his friends will not pony up for a replacement.

Count yourself lucky he didn't also download the $199 worth of funbucks they have for Roblox :pac:

gmg678

JoyPad wrote: »

There's a big difference: I wouldn't go and execute a stranger's instructions if they seemed in any way fishy. And changing the region to download an otherwise inaccessible game sounds fishy to me.

If he follows bad advice and ends up with an expensive paperweight instead of a console, his friends will not pony up for a replacement.

Its not that its fishy. A number of people use this method in order to get games that are not available in Ireland at present(most will become available)

I am not sure how old your son is and how much access he has to the internet but it is very easy to find ways to switch network.

People also change region in order to save money. a game that you pay €75 for you can get by switching to US market place for $50(€45), that is a lot of money over the year if you buy multiple games

what are the cons of this and what will Microsoft do:

Microsoft have the option to disable that purchase and make you pay the difference if they find out.

Joypad I do not change regions only for the fact that is I am far to lazy to do it.


what your son did wasn't wrong per say as all xbox one games are region free. you should sit down and talk to him about it.

CatInABox

Technically speaking, anything that requires a false address is fraud, but as mentioned, Microsoft will just disable access rather than prosecute. The fact that it's fraud is why the process of changing region is not allowed for discussion on boards. Not sure if a false address is require to download "
free" games though.

I'm a firm believer in supporting a parents right to set whatever rules they want for their kids, along with being a massive advocate for parents taking the time to know what their kids are doing online. I know that I'd be super annoyed and disappointed if my kids took instructions off a random person on the internet.

gmg678

CatInABox wrote: »

Technically speaking, anything that requires a false address is fraud, but as mentioned, Microsoft will just disable access rather than prosecute. The fact that it's fraud is why the process of changing region is not allowed for discussion on boards. Not sure if a false address is require to download "
free" games though.

I'm a firm believer in supporting a parents right to set whatever rules they want for their kids, along with being a massive advocate for parents taking the time to know what their kids are doing online. I know that I'd be super annoyed and disappointed if my kids took instructions off a random person on the internet.

Indeed that is true, but for most they don't use a "false address" they use a parcel motel type address.

I also believe that parents can set whatever rules they want for their kids, and should know what their kids are up to online.

I want to try give Joypad a better understanding to what their son did.

TitianGerm

gmg678 wrote: »

Its not that its fishy. A number of people use this method in order to get games that are not available in Ireland at present(most will become available)

I am not sure how old your son is and how much access he has to the internet but it is very easy to find ways to switch network.

People also change region in order to save money. a game that you pay €75 for you can get by switching to US market place for $50(€45), that is a lot of money over the year if you buy multiple games

what are the cons of this and what will Microsoft do:

Microsoft have the option to disable that purchase and make you pay the difference if they find out.

Joypad I do not change regions only for the fact that is I am far to lazy to do it.


what your son did wasn't wrong per say as all xbox one games are region free. you should sit down and talk to him about it.

Microsoft can ban you for purchasing from different regions by region switching on the console. I believe this would be fast more likely than them getting you to pay the difference.

They do however allow you to purchase from other regions if you have a valid payment option for that region so no ban should be inforced.

Raoul

I know that you are annoyed that he did it but at the same time, my nephews are desperate and wouldn't be bothered to figure out how to do it or fix a problem. I understand what you are saying about the possibility of it being fishy but at least he showed good problem solving skills and the ability to follow instructions. So punish him for not asking but be happy that he was able to do it.

JoyPad

This discussion only confirms what I suspected: there's a risk involved in changing the region.

But, I still haven't found the solution. None of the options in the XBox itself or on xbox.com allow me to prevent the child from accessing the XBox settings. The only thing that I have found is "Privacy & Online Safety", but these do not apply to the XBox console settings.

IIRC, all the Nintendo consoles have a PIN to protect the settings. You wouldn't want a child to kick off a device update, then turn the console off if he got bored before it finished.

TitianGerm

JoyPad wrote: »

This discussion only confirms what I suspected: there's a risk involved in changing the region.

But, I still haven't found the solution. None of the options in the XBox itself or on xbox.com allow me to prevent the child from accessing the XBox settings. The only thing that I have found is "Privacy & Online Safety", but these do not apply to the XBox console settings.

IIRC, all the Nintendo consoles have a PIN to protect the settings. You wouldn't want a child to kick off a device update, then turn the console off if he got bored before it finished.

Can you not set up a Child Account. This removes the ability for them to purchase etc.

FAILSAFE 00

Switching region itself does not violate any Xbox terms hence why it's not locked in parental settings.

You can use the parental settings to prevent purchases.

ZiabR

Personally I do not see the issue with changing region to avail of cheaper deals or to get games that are not available in your given region. You can save hundreds of euros a year by doing so. For example, The Division Gold edition is €99.99 on the Irish store yet you can pick it up for €42.12 from the Argentinian store. If you are happy to **** money down the drain then be my guest.

Not sure how to take your post OP. I really don't see the issue with what you son has done. It was a free game, it would be different if he was looking for ways to buy games using your credit card etc.

Max Mafioso

logik wrote: »

Personally I do not see the issue with changing region to avail of cheaper deals or to get games that are not available in your given region. You can save hundreds of euros a year by doing so. For example, The Division Gold edition is €99.99 on the Irish store yet you can pick it up for €42.12 from the Argentinian store. If you are happy to **** money down the drain then be my guest.

Not sure how to take your post OP. I really don't see the issue with what you son has done. It was a free game, it would be different if he was looking for ways to buy games using your credit card etc.

I think his main gripe, apart from changing the region, is the fact that his child followed some advice from a stranger online to do something to his xbox.
Personally, I have no problem changing my region though I have been able to get games without having to do that thanks to my visits to Russia.
I can understand where he is coming from, I would not take any advice from someone I didnt know online about changing something on my console, especially if there are CC details saved on it.

ZiabR

Max Mafioso wrote: »

I think his main gripe, apart from changing the region, is the fact that his child followed some advice from a stranger online to do something to his xbox.

Fair point, can't argue with that.

JoyPad

It's really not about the price. It's about using the console in a legal manner. And if we go around the rules, we go together, him and I. Not him and some "online friend".

MiskyBoyy

This thread really shows the average age of the Xbox boardsie :pac: