Glossary · Region locked
What Does Region Lock Mean?
A region locked game disc or cart is only meant to run on hardware from the same region.
Definition
Region lock means software matches a hardware territory — a US (NTSC-U) disc may not boot on a Japanese (NTSC-J) console, or vice versa, depending on the system and title.
Common regions
- NTSC-U — North America
- NTSC-J — Japan
- PAL — Europe / Australia (often)
Often region locked
Many PS1, PS2, NES, SNES, and other older systems enforce or strongly assume regional pairing. Always verify your console model and disc region before buying imports.
Often region free
PS3, PS4, PS5, and Switch are largely region-free for physical games — with exceptions for DLC, accounts, and digital storefronts.
Collecting impact
JP exclusives, PAL box variants, and language differences matter for price and shelf goals. GameOrder lists platform and regional notes on franchise pages where relevant.