Game compatability with laptop

Hi. I'm living in the UK and recently ordered an Asus G73 from America, specs as follows:

Operating System: Windows ® 7 Home Premium 64 bit
• Processor & Cache Memory: Intel® Core™ i7 Processor 720QM 1.60-2.80GHz, 6MB cache (i7-820QM or i7-920XM optional)

• Chipset: Intel PM55 Express chipset
• Main Memory (RAM): 8GB DDR3 1333Mhz (4 x 2GB) (12GB, 16GB optional)

• Display: 17.3" 1600x900 FHD Color-Shine (Glare-type)
• Video Graphics & Memory: ATI HD5870 1GB GDDR5, DirectX 11
• Hard Drive: 500GB 7200RPM SATAII hard drive (upgrades available)

• Optical Drive: 4X Blu-Ray Read/8X DVDRW Super Multi Combo (Blu-ray WRITER OPTIONAL)

• Card Reader: 8 in 1 card reader: SD,MMC,MS,MS-Pro,mini SD w/ adapter,MS-Duo,MS-Pro Duo via adapter
• Video Camera: 2.0 Mega Pixel web camera
• Fax/Modem/LAN/WLAN: 10/100/1000 Base T, 802.11 Wireless LAN a/b/g/n

• LED Status Indicator: Power-on/Suspend, Capital / Scroll / Number Lock, Wireless on status indicator (optional), Bluetooth on status indicator (optional)
• Interface: 1 x Microphone-in jack, 1 x Headphone-out jack (S/PDIF), 1 x VGA port/Mini D-sub 15-pin for external monitor, 4 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x RJ45 LAN Jack for LAN insert, 1 x HDMI
• Audio: Built-in Azalia compliant audio chip, with 3D effect & full duplex, Built-in 4 speakers and array microphone, Support Dolby® Home Theater, Altec Lansing® co-brand speakers
• Keyboard: Numeric Keyboard
• Battery Pack & Life: 8 cells: 5200 mAh,
• AC Adapter: Output: 19 V DC, 6.32 A, 120W, Input: 100~240 V AC, 50/60 Hz universal
• Dimension & Weight: 8.5 lbs , 16"*11.6"*1.8"
• Security: BIOS Booting / HDD User Password Protection and security lock, Kensington lock hole


My question is, when this laptop arrives, will i be able to play the PC games purchased off the shelf in the UK, or will i have to order them from America?

 

The only issue you might have is if the games use some draconian DRM scheme that checks the version of the game you have against your IP address. And even in that case, where you bought your computer is completely irrelevant; where you are currently located is what would matter.

Personally, I would avoid purchasing any games that do this purely on principle.

 

Steam is your friend

 

Doesn't Steam check your ip address against where you were when you purchased the game? I seem to recall a problem with someone who bought all their games in America, moved to Japan, and then could not play any of them.

 

Unless the DVDs are region encoded then there is no problem (and this can be got around).

This is not some console where games must be bought in certain regions.

A PC game from america should work in australia etc.

 

-blink-

If you're talking about living in the UK and playing games bought off the shelf from the UK, then yeah, there should not be any problems at all. Buying a computer from the US and worrying about playing UK games on it while you're in the UK? I don't think any computers work that way - not right now, anyway.

There are some instances where you buy games in one country and have trouble playing them in another, as others have noted. Buying a PC game from America on Steam (*cough L4D2*) may render it unplayable in Australia, because the previous attorney general was a blistering idiot. Or, again in the case of Steam, buying a game that Steam has licensed in the US, and then moving somewhere where it hasn't.

Happens, but probably isn't going to affect you if you're not moving around too much.

 

Couldn't you just contact Steam if you find one version of the game isn't working if you move and have them replace it with another regional version?

 

I've used games off steam that I bought in the UK in the US... No problems. DVD/CD's formatted for data don't have regional encoding. From a network point of view, although I've never had problems with Steam, Microsoft Live might be an issue... Good old Bill and his Terms and Conditions.

Never-the-less if you buy games in the UK and install them. Dispute if the network identifies your location, your in the UK so you'll have no problems.