Users report that they cannot buy digital content legally despite living in the EU.
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The situation has once again put Xbox in the spotlight for a decision that, for many players, is incomprehensible in 2025. In countries like Latvia, community members claim that it is not possible to configure the console in their region or buy digital content legally, forcing them to resort to changing countries, fake addresses, or simply giving up on the purchase.
The case has gained momentum after a highly commented thread on Reddit, where a Latvian user explains that they can buy without problems on the Microsoft Store, but not on Xbox, something that contrasts with services like Netflix or PlayStation, which are fully operational in the country. The paradox is evident: there is infrastructure, there is connectivity, and the market belongs to the European Union, but the blockade remains.
Xbox and the Dilemma of Regional Support in Europe
Part of the community argues that providing official support to a country is not “free money”, as it involves complying with local laws, taxation, consumer regulation, and customer service. According to several comments, Xbox does not reach a sufficient market share in many small territories to justify that investment, especially now that Microsoft demands higher profit margins from its gaming division.
Other players point out that this lack of support is precisely one of the reasons why Xbox never takes off in those countries. Consoles are available in stores, players are willing to pay, and there is an attractive catalog, but with an artificial barrier that pushes many directly towards PlayStation, Nintendo, or PC. “We don’t even ask for support in Latvian, English is enough,” some users comment, highlighting that the problem is not the language, but the commercial blockade.
The most repeated criticism points to a clear contradiction: Xbox talks about reaching millions of players, but continues to operate as if only a few priority markets exist. Meanwhile, in countries like Latvia, Estonia, or Lithuania, there are players, there is purchasing power, and there are consoles, but not a fully functional digital store. And each year that passes without changes, that distance from the competition becomes more difficult to bridge.

