PC Gaming Stores Region Lock Guide: Steam, Epic, GOG Comparison (2026)

Overview

Who This Guide Is For

Not everyone dealing with regional restrictions is trying to exploit pricing. Here's who actually needs this information:

Travelers and Expats

If you're a US resident working in Europe for six months, your Steam account is still set to the US. Regional restrictions can prevent purchases or downloads. For those navigating work and travel across borders, check out our digital nomad VPN guide for broader security considerations.

Relocated Permanently

Moving countries legitimately requires updating your gaming accounts — but cool-down periods (Steam's 3-month lock) can cause headaches during the transition.

Regional Availability

Some games simply aren't sold in certain countries due to licensing, content laws, or publisher decisions. German gamers have historically dealt with this for violent games.

Subscription Access

Services like EA Play or Ubisoft+ may not be available in all countries, leaving gamers without access to subscription benefits even when willing to pay.

Platform Comparison: Which Store Is Most Restrictive?

Before diving into details, here's how the major platforms stack up on regional restrictions:

Steam Region Lock: VPN Risks and What Happens If You Get Caught

Steam has the most aggressive regional restrictions of any PC gaming platform, and Valve has only tightened enforcement over the years.

How Steam Determines Your Region

Steam uses multiple signals to lock your account to a region:

• IP address (initial detection)
• Payment method country
• Billing address
• Purchase history patterns

Simply connecting a VPN won't work. Your payment method must also match the region you're trying to purchase from.

The 3-Month Lock

Steam only allows region changes once every three months. When you change your store country:

• You must make a purchase to confirm the new region
• Your Steam Wallet balance converts to the new currency (at Steam's rates)
• Some games may become unavailable based on regional licensing

Waiting 3 months for a region change...  via GIPHY

November 2023: The End of Cheap Argentina and Turkey Pricing

If you've heard about getting games cheap by switching to Argentina or Turkey, that exploit is effectively dead.

What Happens If You Get Caught

Steam's ToS explicitly prohibits using VPNs or proxies to disguise your location. Consequences include:

The account lock is more common than bans. You keep access to existing games but can never buy new ones. For a deeper look at VPN risks and legitimate use cases, see our gaming VPN strategies guide.

Region-Locked Keys

Steam keys from third-party retailers can be region-locked. A Russian key won't activate on a US account. Always check SteamDB for a game's regional packages before buying keys from outside official channels.

Legitimate Region Changes

If you actually relocated to a new country, Steam allows legitimate region changes:

1. Update your billing address
2. Add a payment method from your new country
3. Wait for the 3-month timer if you changed recently

Epic Games Store Region Change: How It Works and the Risks

Epic's approach is less aggressive than Steam, but regional restrictions still exist.

Changing Your Region

If you haven't made purchases, you can change your country in account settings. After purchases, you'll need to contact Epic support with documentation (proof of address, ID) to request a change.

Regional Pricing Differences

Epic has regional pricing, and some users exploit VPNs to access cheaper regions. However:

• Keys can be region-locked
• Payment methods are increasingly verified
• Account suspensions do happen

Epic's ToS prohibits circumventing regional restrictions, though enforcement is less strict than Steam.

Free Games and Regional Locks

GOG: The Only Region-Free PC Gaming Platform (DRM-Free Advantage)

GOG (Good Old Games) operates fundamentally differently from other platforms because it's DRM-free.

How GOG Works

When you buy a game on GOG, you download the actual game files with no additional protection. This means:

Regional Restrictions on GOG

The catch: GOG's store has regional restrictions. Some games aren't available for purchase in certain countries due to licensing (Germany's strict content laws, for example). Regional pricing also varies.

However, once you own a game, it works anywhere. You could:

1. Buy a game while traveling in a country where it's available
2. Return home
3. Play it forever with no restrictions

GOG Galaxy Is Optional

Unlike Steam, GOG's launcher (GOG Galaxy) is optional. You can download games directly from the website and never need to connect to anything.

The feeling when your games just work anywhere.  via GIPHY

EA App Region Restrictions: What Travelers Need to Know

EA's platform has regional features but is less restrictive than Steam.

Changing Your Region

EA allows region changes through:

• Account settings: For billing/shipping address
• Support requests: For store region changes

Your store region is tied to your location and payment method. EA may request documentation for region changes.

Regional Key Restrictions

Subscription Complications

EA Play subscriptions are tied to the region where you subscribed. If you move countries, you may need to cancel and resubscribe in your new region — which can mean losing access to your current subscription period.

Ubisoft Connect Region Lock: Why You Can't Change It Yourself

Ubisoft has some of the strictest regional policies after Steam.

You Can't Change Your Region Yourself

Unlike other platforms, Ubisoft Connect does not allow self-service region changes. You must:

1. Contact Ubisoft support
2. Provide documentation proving your new location
3. Wait for manual processing

This is done for "security reasons" according to Ubisoft.

Strict Key Region Locking

Ubisoft keys are heavily region-locked. A European key won't activate on an account set to the Americas, and vice versa.

Ubisoft+ Subscriptions

The Ubisoft+ subscription is region-specific. Moving countries can prevent you from managing your subscription, requiring support intervention just to cancel or modify it.

Country-Specific Notes

Grey Market Game Keys (G2A, Kinguin): Why Developers Say Pirate Instead

Sites like G2A, Kinguin, and Loaded (Formerly CDKeys) operate as marketplaces for game keys. Some are legitimate leftover keys; others are not.

What Can Happen

Why Keys Get Revoked

Most revoked keys were purchased with stolen credit cards. When the fraud is reported:

1. The original purchase is charged back
2. The publisher revokes the keys
3. You lose the game

Region-locked keys from cheap regions are also commonly sold globally, violating ToS.

Safer Alternatives

Authorized key retailers get keys directly from publishers:

Red flags everywhere with grey market keys.  via GIPHY

Frequently Asked Questions