No English language supported?

@Arishocked

You know, the sad part of all of this, and maybe the most obvious one, is that EA doesn't care, you see. 

Bilingual people or even those who speak 3-4 languages, are such a minority, which can be ignored pretty much. 
The rest  will gobble their horrendous work of translation like it is given, not knowing that it is a 3rd rate piece of horsesh*t.

Even if we don't buy it, EA "loss" is almost non-existent. Those that buy it on consoles have required languages.

Adding to that people of EU, US, or any other country where their games sell for 60 dollars or euros come to us for cheap price adds more oil to this whole situation.

Let me tell you why they won't add original subtitles to CIS-countries version. That's because it will undermine this whole affair. People will still come to buy cheap version and get their original language for one third of a price. That's basically the same as providing the game in its original form in the first place.

Arguing or pleading here is honestly a waste of time. This policy will stay, as far as I can see it.

The only thing which alleviate this unreasonableness, is that this is still BW-game. Only because it is their game and we still believe (despite all the issues) that it will be good, some of us are ready to jump through holla-hoops to get it in original language.

Any other company which EA owns, including DICE should they make a decent single player story-heavy game, would be sent to the dumpster along with their translations, should it ever require to do something like that.

On a side note: if the "games are silly", why do we even have this discussion? 🙂

@All

I understand completely where you're are coming from, and I myself also think that this language politic regarding the CIS states and Poland is questionable. 

I still want to point out who is responsible for this politic in the first place.

1.) People who are so greedy that they want to save a few dollars/euros by buying the game over a VPN service from CIS states and Poland.

2.) People who pirate games.

I know that doesn't makes the situation better for you folks, but I still wanted to point that out.

It is possible but imho not very likely that EA/Bioware decides to give people in your region a update option to English for the menus, subtitles and codex entries, it is however almost certain that people will find a unofficial way to do that on their own.

That is however something that can't be discussed on AHQ.

@holger1405

While I agree in some ways with the first argument, I find the second one highly questionable.

Pirating has to do with cracking the game protection, which I doubt differs from state to state because of the language.

As to why the pirating takes place in itself is better left to history, as it is not the point of the current discussion. 

Should the piracy not exist, or be less spread, the desire of companies to restrict users of different countries to play their games in non-native language would stay the same as the currency changes, difference in taxes would still persist. People would still buy the games where it costs less, it is pretty obvious. But if people can only buy the game in desired language in specific countries and left with only under-acceptable, under-qualified translated version, well, that's too bad, as they can't do anything for them, don't they 🙂

So the language lock would still be implemented but in that case it would have more colors of "to restrict users from buying cheap versions". 

And some people... they may not find paying solid 60 euros for 3rd rate game a proper deal. I am sure, everyone here can name at least 2-3 games, which are obviously over-priced at launch. Who can judge them if the game is not ready, bug-free at the launch and the servers are stable (you know whom I am referencing here 🙂 ). Some could technically just pay less from another region. Or wait... but who would wait for MP-only game to go on sale, when the most of the folks will move on.

And btw, we are not talking "few dollars" here. we are talking 20-30 (+ taxes) of difference. That's basically saying that the core game costs 30 bucks, and the rest - voice-overs and subtitles, which doesn't sound well.

All I am saying is that the fault lies on both sides. One - on under delivering and overpricing, other - reacting to it and being more stingy with their money.

@holger1405 I do understand that. However, I hope EA also understands that this approach to the problem is exactly what drives people to seek pirated or otherwise illegal access to fully English versions of their games... as was painfully obvious from reading some of the posts here in the multitude of similar topics. People - mos of them real die hard fans of the games -  want to get legal copies, they want to support the developers, but if it means paying money for a version of the game they won't be able to fully enjoy... they simply won't. They'll go elsewhere instead.

Punishing legit customers for what the shady ones do is the worst PR move possible. Most unfair one, too. Of course, EA doesn't care about our minority, they're going to make their money anyway, so it doesn't hurt their accounts to put this dirty bandaid on the problem and leave it at that.

I'm sorry if I seem bitter, but in my long-time relationship with EA and their games, I've always - ALWAYS - felt like a second class citizen who can be given a lesser product and told to shut up.

@Arishocked Trust me, I do know that purchases from abrod or VPN are not for everyone and are far from ideal. Hell, that's why I started this thread. 

All I'm saying is what can be done, and as stated before, they will not allow language change because that's how they choose to deal with people buying cheaper games with VPN.

By making the product itself worth sh*t.

No, I do not agree with such practices at all. All we can do, is do the reverse of what they wanted to protect against, VPN purchases or boxed/abroad purchases.

People above mentioned workarounds, DO NOT COUNT ON IT!

Keep in mind they do more and more work to prevent this! 

Even if you switch the files/change registry, you have to disable Origin as it checks in real time during startup what language you are using. 

Dragon Age Inquisition was a PAIN to switch to english. Andromeda might be impossible.

If it's a deal breaker for you, be warned, lest you end up with a copy you are not satisfied with (like me with Inquisition, Sims4... Previous game thankfully I could modify easily, but current ones are not worth the effort).

NEVER buy through Origin.

I did that for the Jaws of Hakon DLC for Inquisition. I got the international version of the game itself via a key reseller, then went and tried to get the DLC from Origin on launch. If you do that through Origin from a locale and then play it it forces your language into the locale supported languages bracket. I was going to get all the Inquisition DLC since I really liked the game, but after _that_ ... well, I just saw no reason to even bother.

EA has been horrible about this issue since DA2, and nothing has been done to change it. I've contemplated piracy, but that's too much effort, so ... yea, use key resellers. At least those give options.

@SoulGriever

That's an interesting piece of trivia. Thank you.

Should the DLC change the language of the core game forcibly with no return option, which is bought through legal sources, that would make the initial game invalid, as it would make it a different advertised game when compared at the time of purchase.

But we will get to that, when and if BW releases some DLC or addons.

About DAI I never had problems with change language in game as you only had to do it when new DLC come out, and to be honest never had to disable origin or do anything else after change files.

And returning to Andromeda they can't punish everyone just because there are people who use VPN or other methods.

If they fear to release english text for free as it will not stop people to buy games using VPN then why they won't think about solution alike NVIDIA ?

They should make a method for people to prove that you stay in country where bought your game for unlock special patch that could be used only with your origin ID/SMS code or other method to stop people from share it with others.

@GreUJnik

---

@GreUJnik wrote:

@holger1405

And some people... they may not find paying solid 60 euros for 3rd rate game a proper deal. I am sure, everyone here can name at least 2-3 games, which are obviously over-priced at launch. Who can judge them if the game is not ready, bug-free at the launch and the servers are stable (you know whom I am referencing here 🙂 ). Some could technically just pay less from another region. Or wait... but who would wait for MP-only game to go on sale, when the most of the folks will move on.

And btw, we are not talking "few dollars" here. we are talking 20-30 (+ taxes) of difference. That's basically saying that the core game costs 30 bucks, and the rest - voice-overs and subtitles, which doesn't sound well.

All I am saying is that the fault lies on both sides. One - on under delivering and overpricing, other - reacting to it and being more stingy with their money.

---

"And some people" are part of the problem...

This  game was worked on by hundreds of people for 5 years, that cost money, like it or not.

Furthermore, if you think that 60 euros for a AAA game that brings at least 60+ hours of fun is to much you should simply not buy the game. (And also not go to a cinema = 10 euros for two hours, I could find a few examples more.)

This games are not overpriced, some folks just don't see what it means to make them.

For the bugs, you will never see a bug free game at launch, simply not possible, to many different hard and software configurations out there.

It is true that some games should be better optimized, but here we are at the cost again, because optimizing games also cost lots of money, and it seems that 60€ are already to much...  

@holger1405

Yes, they have created it, and now the whole internet can judge the quality of their work. 🙂
Every game, that is created costs money to make them. That's how the business works, you spend money to make money.

"Furthermore, if you think that 60 euros for a AAA game that brings at least you 60+ hours of fun is to much you should simply not buy the game. (And also not go to a cinema = 10 euros for two hours, I could find a few examples more.)

This games are not overpriced, some folks just don't see what it means to make them."

Yeah, fun, IF it is fun, IF the game works, IF the game has content.

I do not say, that all AAA games should be less than 60$ in price. More like only real AAA-game is worthy of 60$ price tag.

Now, lets take apart some examples, shall we? 🙂
Starting from the something simple:
Witcher 3: 40$ + 20$ + 10$ (core game + addon #1 + addon #2) = 70$. (I personally own collectors edition on top of that), So I spent roughly around 150$ for the game, which gives me 100+ or so hours of gameplay and still feel that I owe the developer money. 

Next is:
DOOM: 60$ I won't go into MP, since I was  not interested in it. The core game delivered what it was destined to do. Old school, brutal, fast shooter. Money well spent I say. (12 hours on the record and I do not regret it). The game was quite polished at the launch as far as I remember.

For the middle ground:

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided: 60$ + 12$ + 12$ (core game + SP addon #1 + SP addon #2) = 84$. Though I consider the story addons with the size of DLC as a cancer, it is no a point of discussion. The core game, while gameplay wise was "fine", its story length and the amount of content was less than of its predecessor. I managed to finish it in around 35 hours, and I did every single side mission and instestigation. This is action-rpg, not the shooter, let me remind you.

Going lower:

Mafia 3: 60$. For the amount of repetitiveness, that the game requires you to do, that surely calls for a bit of lower price, don't you agree? While the main theme is being that of vengeance, the variety of how Lincoln does it, is kinda disappointing.

Approaching the bottom:
For honor:  60$. 12 heroes, 12 maps, low variety. Season pass for the same amount of money, giving you practically nothing (6 new heroes for the week before the rest, some privilege it is). I will speak nothing of lags, disconnections, since it is ubisoft, that was to be expected. 

Battefront: 40$ + 60$ (appx. prices, due to not having access to US version or origin). That includes base game + "Premium Pass", which add maps and other stuff. You know, for the game that requires you to pay around 100$ to access all of its intended content (since it is multiplayer game), I would say the price is over the top. Selling addons higher than core game? That sounds like some content was intentionally cut in order to make people buy the passes.

I would address Rainbow Six: Siege to be of the same nature, though its situation is way worse. 60$ at launch + 200$+ for all content.

For the bottom: 

No man sky. 60$. I highly doubt there is any sane person who find the game, whose whole variety of content can be encountered and fulfilled in some hours, to be worthy. 

Well, it might not be AAA game, since it doesn't come from famous studio, does not have the backing of strong publisher, but its price surely makes it be seen as one.

 

The whole point of all of it is to say that sometimes developers do not live up to the amount of money they ask for their games. Can you honestly say the all those games I mentioned are justified in asking the said money at their launch. If you do, you are an idealist. 

On a side note, the cinema here costs 5$ or so, and I do rarely go to the cinema, since most of the current movies are worthless. 🙂 

"For the bugs, you will never see a bug free game at lunch, simply not possible, to many different hard and software configurations out there.

It is true that some games should be better optimized, but here we are at the cost again, because optimizing games also cost lots of money, and it seems that 60€ are already to much... "

Completely bug-free, no. But there is a limit of tolerance.

When you pay full price at launch and cannot enter the game because the server is overloaded, that's *.

When the game renders you skulls instead of faces, that's *.

And people walks like crabs, that's funny, but still * in the end. 

So you say, the games should not be optimized? Or that every game should cost 60$?

In that case, release them console-only, there is only 5 configs (including scorpio, pro, and for some - switch). That's ideal, no? 

The issue is that some devs just to sh*tty job at optimizing, that's all. 

I guess we have to close our discussion, since it is getting heavily off-topic 🙂