dyscode: Well, simple solution buy your copies from Japanese companies from some other service. Most of them also don't mind proxies / VPN. GeoIP fencing turns me soo off - even on google.
Bigs: I do - Amazon/US Steam store/Greenman Gaming etc
I rarely do Amazon US. Mainly Get Games Go for SEGA (have best discounts*), and GamersGate. I use GreenManGaming even less than Amazon US as even when using VPN, they tend to not sell games to me -- the price/buy button rarely displays, even when using a VPN. And I've had problems with their payment system and delays in getting keys for pre-orders.
As for your comment on "Steam implements the publisher's wishes... despite where the key came from". I've had many an argument with Valve on that one. That can sometimes be solved by complaining to the publisher (2K used to listen), or by countless emails to Valve employees via their contact webform (not support). That usually gets solved within a few months, or by related companies going out of business.
They certainly don't like it when you ask them to provide legal grounds for their blocking access to third party purchased Steamworks products. Probably because they know they don't have a legal foot to stand on.
But so far it's looking like US/UK copies of Square games remain playable.
dyscode: I see - that sucks big time. This hide an catch game really gets tedious...
J-Companies are all so dickish-protective with their stuff, not only games.
It's not so much J-companies... Most of the times I've experienced this has been with Western publishers (2K, WB, 38 Studios, Activision, etc.) the only common among them is Valve.
