The various region-locking options are thus:
Language-based: Used with region-specific subs, publishers can elect to supply only specific non-English languages. -- e.g. Watch Dogs RU
supports only Russian.
Special notes: None.
Runtime-based: Used with region-specific subs
onlyallowrunincountries or its sister
prohibitrunincountries allows publishers to allow/deny access to specific users based on their IP address. This is by far the most annoying method and up until ACRTAG was also the most popular. -- e.g. Age of Mythology RU (allows only Eastern European IPs)/Wolfenstein: The New Order ROW (prohibits German IPs).
Special notes: Affects everybody who has the sub, both those with unused gift copies sourced from the restricted regions (game is region-locked at the activation level) and those with activated copies (game detects launch eligibility based on IP address).
Gifting/trading-based (1): Used with any sub,
AllowCrossRegionTradingAndGifting being disabled results in gift copies sourced from South American, South-east Asian or Eastern European users being region-locked at the activation level. Unlike the above OARIC/PRINC, however, if you'd activated your copy before the flag were implemented, then it will remain region-free. -- e.g. Valiant Hearts RU.
Special notes: Does by itself
not affect activated copies -- they remain region-free.
Gifting/trading-based (2): Used with any sub, publishers can elect to disable the gift purchase function entirely. Unfortunately, this isn't something SteamDB can detect; fortunately, though,
it's something that is easily circumvented. -- e.g. DE:HR Director's Cut.
Special notes: None.
Although I thought Dunder had retired.
