PlayStation Network
A PSN account is assigned a fixed country at creation that can't be changed later without making a new account. PSN credit codes are tied to that same country, so a US code won't work on a Dutch account and vice versa.
Nintendo eShop
Nintendo accounts work similarly: the country set on your Nintendo account determines which eShop cards you can redeem. Switch eShop credit is split by region into the Americas, Europe and Japan/Asia, each with its own pricing and catalogue.
Xbox and Steam
Xbox similarly assigns a region per account, set at first use, and Microsoft gift cards are tied to it. Steam is more lenient: a Steam wallet code generally works within the same currency zone, but the Steam account itself isn't hard-locked to a region the way PSN is.
How to avoid buying the wrong region
Before every purchase, check your account country in the platform settings and compare it with the region listed on the product page. Do not buy if the account country and card region do not match.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I change my PSN account's country?
- No, PlayStation doesn't allow this while there's still wallet balance or purchase history on the account, so choose carefully when you first create one.
- Does a US Steam card work in Europe?
- Steam wallet codes are usually tied to a specific currency or region, so always buy a code matching your Steam account's country.
- Is region locking the same as a game's region lock?
- Not quite. Account regions govern the storefront and payment methods, while some games separately limit who you can play with online based on server region.
