I had been looking to buy online, the Asian version of Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box, but I was somewhat hesitant due to the combination of the prices and because I didn't know if it would play on my U.S. XBOX 360. I couldn't take the risk because I couldn't afford it.
Through a series of fortunate decisions and occurences, I was able to find the game locally and at a cheaper price. Even though I still wasn't 100% sure that the game could play on my XBOX 360, I put my faith on the information shown on Ebay and other online stores, took the risk, and bought the game.
I had been playing the demo of Burnout Paradise since I got my 512mb Jasper XBOX 360 for Christmas last year and I was looking to buy the full game. When Googling for Burnout Paradise, I found that there was another edition of Burnout Paradise that included offline multiplayer DLC as well as the latest update at that time. This was Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Edition but it wasn't available in a U.S. version.
The new edition of the game was released for all regions on the PC but only for European, Japanese, and Asian regions on both the XBOX 360 and PS3. This didn't represent a problem for the PS3 which can play Blu-Ray titles from any region but it was a problem for the XBOX 360 if the game wasn't region free.
If an XBOX 360 game is region locked it means it isn't region free and so it can only be used on an XBOX 360 which comes from the same region as the game. For this reason, I had to find out first if the Asian version of Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box could play on my U.S. XBOX 360.
After Googling for prices and regional information for The Ultimate Box, I found that there was a strong possibility that the Asian version was region free but the prices were high enough (a minimum of $30 + shipping) that I had to wait for more definite confirmation that the game could play on my XBOX 360 before I could spend that much online.
I later changed my mind because I was able to find Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box at a cheaper price at a local shop and I only found it because of a series of occurences and the decisions on my part in response to those occurences.
What eventually started me on the journey to buying the game earlier than I expected, was my discovery that my driver's license had been expired for over a month. I needed to have my driver's license renewed as soon as I could.
On my off day from work, I went to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) at SM North, the LTO branch nearest to my house, but I got frustrated with the long lines, the waiting time, and the disorderly processing of the driver's license applicants in the drug testing laboratory at LTO SM North and the possibility that I would have to return the next day to finish the driver's license renewal process.
The long lines and long waiting times were due to a new software system that was recently implemented in all drug testing laboratories located next to every LTO branch. The new software system to upload results of the drug tests to the Department of Health (DOH) was just implemented a few days or at most a week or two previously. The disorderly processing of the applicants only compounded the problems.
I couldn't afford to continue the renewal process the next day since I had work the next day, so I decided to renew my license instead at the LTO Ayala MRT branch since it was near my office and I could go there after my shift. Although I found out later that there also was a long line and long waiting times, at least it would be easy for me to return to finish the process since it was close to my office.
I arrived at the LTO branch at the Ayala MRT station but the drug testing laboratory was closed for lunch break. While waiting for the laboratory at the Ayala MRT station to open, I decided to look around the shops at Park Square.
I dropped by Data Blitz where they were selling original games for all consoles as well as for the PC and Mac. Since they were selling games at retail, I knew their prices would be higher than what I was used to paying for my games, so I wasn't expecting to find a game that would be worth buying.
As I was going through all the XBOX 360 games on the shelf trying to find any familiar games and checking their prices, starting from games beginning with A, then moving on to B, I spotted Burnout Paradise. Taking the game off the shelf, and looking at the cover, I soon realized that this was actually Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box.
I checked the price and it was better than the prices online, only $25 and no shipping costs plus I could get it right now and not have to wait for any shipment to arrive! I wanted to buy it right then and there but I had to be very sure first that it could play on U.S. XBOX 360 consoles.
I asked the sales lady if The Ultimate Box could be played on a U.S. console. She checked and replied that it could. I wanted to buy it then but I didn't want to make an impulsive purchase. I had to think it over first and decide if it was the right time to buy the game. I also had to verify if that was the best price I could find whether online or offline. Once I was sure about everything, that's when I would go back and buy it.
I returned the game to the shelf and hoped that no one else would see it and buy it. I thought it over for the next few days. I researched for the best prices on eBay and gaming stores online, especially stores that specialized in selling games from different regions.
The price at Data Blitz was cheaper than what I could find online with the added advantage that I didn't need to wait for a shipment to arrive. The sales lady at Data Blitz seemed to confirm the information on online stores that the game was region free. If I could buy the game before the Holy Week break, I could be playing Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box full time at home during the vacation. I decided that it was a good time to buy the game.
Continued in Part 2:
How I Bought Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box, the Asian version for the XBOX 360
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