Yeah, it makes sense. Thinking about it, Patagonia and New Zealand are somewhat similar to what we already have with Norway, so it might seem pointless. It's just because that I'm from a tropical country (living close to Rio, actually) these cold places look exotic and so beautiful to me. But I'll have to disagree with Rio de Janeiro as a suggestion for the game.
I think that the greatest charm of the game is the fact that they chose more isolated places, staying away from the big cities. But I'd be okay with somewhere around Rio, some isolated beaches and even the mountains on the countryside.
EDIT: some prairies around Nebraska and South Dakota, and some tulip fields in Netherlands would be nice too.