Are Japanese PSP Region Locked? | Proper Explanation

The Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) is still a popular gaming console around the world. However, there is a rumor among PSP gamers that the Japanese PSP is region locked.

Yes, Sony has confirmed that the Japanese PSP region-locked news is false. Because all the PSP games are completely region-free.

In this article, we have confirmed whether Japanese PSPs are locked or not, including you why you might face issues with the Japanese region on PSP. So, without further ado, let’s delve into deep.

Is It True that the Japanese PlayStation Portable Region is Locked?

No, Japanese PSPs are not region locked and games from any region can be played on a Japanese PSP without any issues. This means, whether you have games from North America, Europe, or any other region, they will run smoothly on a Japanese PSP.

Yes, we also have seen many reports where some gamers asked if the Japanese PSP was region locked or not. But the good news is that Sony itself has said that they didn’t put any region lock on any of their games.

It simply means you can play any game on PSP from any region. You can enjoy Japanese games on your brand-new American PSP while on the Japanese PSP you can play all games by Sony.

If Sony really have implemented reason lock on PSP for UMD (Universal Media Disc) games, then they would have loosed a huge number of Japanese gamers and PSP enthusiasts who want to play exclusive Japanese releases or games that had not yet been localized for their region.

Why You Might Have Heard Japanese PSP Region Locked

As now you know that the Japanese PSP region locked is completely a rumor, you might think who this rumor has spread.

Well, the fact is that PlayStation Portable has no region lock for UMD games, while UMD movies are locked by region. Thus, Sony once said that “it is possible to implement region-locking on the PSP by disabling features in the firmware based on regions.”

From this word, the rumormongers spread that the publishers could implement region locking and prevent you from playing games on PSPs from other regions. That’s how the “Japanese PSP region locked” rumor is spread. But Sony confirmed that the PSP will continue using the ‘worldwide’ code system for games and won’t provide any region lock.

However, we’d recommend you purchase both hardware and software in the same region. It is because the quality assurance procedures for hardware based on software are done in each region due to language and system issues.

Bonus Tip: Another Rumor of PSP

There was another rumor about PSP that was floating around is – “You can wirelessly connect PSPs from different regions”. But Sony has also cleared this by saying – “Yes, it is true that wireless capability does work between different PSP regions, but it is always best to use UMDs from the same territory between users”. It means the gamers need to be in the same region to enjoy this feature and it doesn’t matter where you have bought your PSP.

Those who spread rumors will continue to spread these things, you should not listen to them and follow the official page of Sony.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers (FAQs)

Is It Possible To Lock The Japanese Region?

According to Wikipedia, PSP games do not have region locking, unlike UMD movies which are locked by region. However, Sony has confirmed that it is technically possible to lock regions for PSP games.

Can You Play Japanese PSP Games On American PSP?

Yes, you can play Japanese PSP games on American PSP and can also play games from the US on Japanese PSP.

Can You Play Japanese PSP Games On European PSP?

Yes, you can play Japanese PSP games on European PSP and can also play games from Europe on your Japanese PSP. It is because the PSP games are completely region-free.

Can Japanese PSP Play English Games?

All PSP games are region-free, meaning they can be played on PSP consoles from any region, and the language of the game. The only difference in the system menu between regions is that the X and O functions are reversed on a US model compared to other regions. However, UMD movies are indeed region-locked, so only movies that match the region of the PSP system can be played. So, yes, you can play English games on Japanese PSP.

Conclusion

To conclude, Japanese PSPs are not region-locked, and if you heard something like this, we assure you that it is completely a rumor. It isn’t actually assurance by us, basically is confirmed by Sony that all the games on PSP are completely region-free. So, don’t believe rumors and keep playing games on our favorite console PSP. Happy gaming!