Activision Joins the Anti-Used Games Crusade

[Omnific One]

they may be dip shits but they legally have the right to shutdown used game sales and sue whoever trades in their game. The CD is property of the publisher and the developer, not you. You only paid 60$ for the RIGHT to use the CD and its contents and therefore have NO right to sell it to another person or entity. Used game sales, in the eyes of the law, is piracy.

Actually I own the "CD"(dvd/bluray) not the right to the use of it they do not have the right to remove the "CD" from my house nor can they force a recall of the game. I do not own the usage-rights of the "data" on the "CD" I am granted the use of it through the purchase of the "CD" I also have the right to sell the "CD" and transfer the grant for use of the data as long as I have not made a replication (copy) of the "CD"

You might want to look at those laws again...

Quite. You own the physical copy, including any and all items contained within. The things you don't own are the rights to the materials on the disk and any online components.

Check the post right after that I did actually bring up provisions that allow for the sale of the disk and all intellectual data within. Basically you are transferring the EULA to another person the big thing about console games is I never had to agree to it in order to "sell" the game only to "play" the game. There are provisions for that as well in the US but not the UK as it was covered in earlier provisions describing the sale of the unit as a whole. It's why groups such as vintage stock are able to run businesses it's not illegal to transfer ownership of a product if it is not being modified or replicated.

What I meant was that you don't own the rights to the data as in you can't extract it and resell it.

 

[diasravenguard]

That whole modification of the intellectual property is why you no longer see gamesharks with that unit that hooks to the back of the console and allows you to actively rewrite or lock the binary code seeing what changed and what did not change.

Kinda a sad development in one way but in another I sure hate a hacker

 

[diasravenguard]

they may be dip shits but they legally have the right to shutdown used game sales and sue whoever trades in their game. The CD is property of the publisher and the developer, not you. You only paid 60$ for the RIGHT to use the CD and its contents and therefore have NO right to sell it to another person or entity. Used game sales, in the eyes of the law, is piracy.

Actually I own the "CD"(dvd/bluray) not the right to the use of it they do not have the right to remove the "CD" from my house nor can they force a recall of the game. I do not own the usage-rights of the "data" on the "CD" I am granted the use of it through the purchase of the "CD" I also have the right to sell the "CD" and transfer the grant for use of the data as long as I have not made a replication (copy) of the "CD"

You might want to look at those laws again...

Quite. You own the physical copy, including any and all items contained within. The things you don't own are the rights to the materials on the disk and any online components.

Check the post right after that I did actually bring up provisions that allow for the sale of the disk and all intellectual data within. Basically you are transferring the EULA to another person the big thing about console games is I never had to agree to it in order to "sell" the game only to "play" the game. There are provisions for that as well in the US but not the UK as it was covered in earlier provisions describing the sale of the unit as a whole. It's why groups such as vintage stock are able to run businesses it's not illegal to transfer ownership of a product if it is not being modified or replicated.

What I meant was that you don't own the rights to the data as in you can't extract it and resell it.

Yea I think that there is in a lot of ways a good reason behind this but the gaming industry as a whole needs to be improved.

Do you remember when you would go into a store and check the back of PlayStation titles and see "approx. 130hrs of gameplay"? I really miss those days... ZoE (Zone of Enders) was the first game I got of the new gen titles that had under 6hrs of play I got it for Christmas one year and I had beat the game before the party was over the cousin that bought it for me returned it for a different game...

 

[Zaik]

because activision needed to do something else to look worse right now

 

[esplode]

I think they should make it so that if you buy a new movie, you get to see the ending, but if you buy it used, you can only see the first 45 minutes without paying an extra $10. Or maybe, if you buy a used CD, you should have to pay extra to listen to the last 4 songs on the disc.

That'd make sense! *End Sarcasm*

Everything I hear about activisionblizz is making me hate them even more (even though Warcraft and Starcraft are 2 of my favourite games). At least I still have Valve...

 

[Ziggy the wolf]

okay i dont think they really get the point of Gamers. im broke as are most gamers. we have other bills to pay and while we do love the gaming world, we cant always afford 50 or 60 bucks for a game. they dont seem to catch the point. Activision are pulling the EA thing by buying out smaller companies sucking the life out of them pumping out games with no spark and no one wants to pay for them til after the prices drop. hence with the lack of money people will sell their games to make a quick buck and people buy them cause they are cheaper and more appealing. i still cringe when i buy a game at 60 bucks new or used and go all Gamefly commercial insane when it sucks. i feel better when i only pay 20 or less for a used one and it sucks

 

[diasravenguard]

okay i dont think they really get the point of Gamers. im broke as are most gamers. we have other bills to pay and while we do love the gaming world, we cant always afford 50 or 60 bucks for a game. they dont seem to catch the point. Activision are pulling the EA thing by buying out smaller companies sucking the life out of them pumping out games with no spark and no one wants to pay for them til after the prices drop. hence with the lack of money people will sell their games to make a quick buck and people buy them cause they are cheaper and more appealing. i still cringe when i buy a game at 60 bucks new or used and go all Gamefly commercial insane when it sucks. i feel better when i only pay 20 or less for a used one and it sucks

You just hit it on the head (and with a sledge hammer I might add) games used to last ten to twenty times longer and the cost was 20 to 30 dollars! That's not the "USED" price that was the "NEW" price!

 

[Blind Sight]

What dipshits! I've said it before and I'll say it again, the sale and resale of goods has been part of human society and economy for centuries and so far only these dipshit game publishers have made an issue of it. Hell Ebay was set up for the express purpose of reselling used goods!
This is just bullshit. Not to mention the fact that they're wasting money that could be better spend making decent games.

Amen to that brother, I'm so sick of game publishers feeling that they're somehow except from the free market for some reason.

This is a terrible idea, EA's Project Ten Dollar was annoying enough, but I'm guessing that Activision will go even farther and start cutting off large portions of their games as DLC. That's what I'm guessing, anyway, it definitely seems like something they would do.

 

[diasravenguard]

What dipshits! I've said it before and I'll say it again, the sale and resale of goods has been part of human society and economy for centuries and so far only these dipshit game publishers have made an issue of it. Hell Ebay was set up for the express purpose of reselling used goods!
This is just bullshit. Not to mention the fact that they're wasting money that could be better spend making decent games.

Amen to that brother, I'm so sick of game publishers feeling that they're somehow except from the free market for some reason.

This is a terrible idea, EA's Project Ten Dollar was annoying enough, but I'm guessing that Activision will go even farther and start cutting off large portions of their games as DLC. That's what I'm guessing, anyway, it definitely seems like something they would do.

They already did granted it's a blizzard title but the story is cut into 3 segments the other 2 will be "added as DLC expansions"


*edit* Starcraft2

 

[meepop]

Well this sucks! I never played CoD but I mean I've bought quite a few games used and I see it as buisness. How 'bout this, Activision? Instead of sacrificing thousands of dollars or "most of your resources" to not include map packs or any DLC at all with new games hmmm? Maybe you'll make less enemies if you just don't charge for the extra multiplayer content in a game that's been based mainly around multiplayer *Sarcasm*.

Normally I side with the publishers on this, but Activision are shooting themselves in the foot.

Modern Warfare 2 was what, £50? No shit, I can't believe people bought that second hand!

Sixty USD, I'm not sure what that works out in Pounds Sterling, but, yeah. Especially since it hasn't come down in price since it was released.

You think $60 USD is bad.

$70 Canadian. With 1 Canadian Dollar = 97 U.S. Dollars.

Now that's getting jipped. Especially when most other games here come out at $50-$60 Canadian.

Did you miss a decimal there? 9.7 U.S. Dollars? Or is it really that much? If so then my God I pity you Canadians! Justin Bieber, and now this! Man the world just has it out for you doesn't it? No but seriously I remember days when you could buy top-notch games for $20-$30 and now it's doubled! What the heck do they need all the extra money for? And before you use the word "Recession" allow me to remind you of something: used games are cheaper, almost $20 off a new game if used (occasionally (at Gamestop at least)).

I don't care who makes games I just care about whether it's good or not--this is bogus even if I've never played any CoD game, making people pay extra for DLC is uncool! I went to Best Buy, saw that BF: BC2 was $60 for PS3 and $50 for PC, but the PS3 version came with 4 map packs included PLUS access to any upcoming maps for the game! Yet another good point for Activision: try giving people access to all upcoming map packs at the like for paying a little bit over, hmmm?

 

[diasravenguard]

Did you miss a decimal there? 9.7 U.S. Dollars? Or is it really that much?

1 USD = 1.02705 CAD

Almost even now the USD is worth about 89 yen give or take 3 yen on average.

*edit* extra information below
That would mean a 60 USD game is 61.6115 CAD

 

[Signa]

I support this if done correctly which can be guaranteed that Activision won't. Imagine selling a game for $30, and then having the second half of the game downloadable for $30. That way the player gets to taste the game and see if they like it enough to keep paying for it. You know that Activision won't be that creative though. They will just keep charging $60 for their games, and then ask for another $30 for content that should have been part of the game to begin with. As an added bonus, a $30 game isn't going to reach the discount bin very fast, and DLC never needs to see a sale. They could rake in the dough because people are willing to nickel and dime themselves if they like what they are getting.

Honestly though, I think Gamestop takes a percentage off of the retail price when they resell, so if they start pulling only $3 per new title instead of $5, they are going to have a much harder time keeping in business as people aren't going to be willing to buy used if there is such a marginal price difference.

I'm looking at this purely from a dev's standpoint. As a consumer, I prefer the option to pay as little for the most I can get, so the only way I'm ever paying $60 for a game is if it's the collector's edition for a game I really want/love. Used games do give me this option. The only caveat I have then is that I buy my games to support the devs. Otherwise I may as well just be a dirty pirate and loot and plunder without regard to who I'm hurting. At least then my wallet will be heavier.

 

[daubie]

Activision, listen..
You've done some good work. Sure, we were disappointed by the first Assassin's Creed, but you redeemed yourself with the sequel (mostly). You are now milking that sequel, of course, but what developer wouldn't do that at this point. You are the most frustrating developer of the decade. The DRM and piracy crap, business decisions, and now this crap too.

I would not be able to afford my life long friendship with gaming if it was not for used game sales. Activision, you are working to destroy what I love. This. Means. War.

 

[GeneticallyModifiedDucks]

Meh, I don't really buy usd games for a number of reasons (Namely that I don't usually trust whoever had it last. Bad expeirences at Blockbuster will do that to ya.) so if the prices for new games remains the same, I will not complain if I get something extra out of my purchase.

Technically, you're not getting anything extra, just people who buy it used have to pay for some more stuff than you. Don't lie to yourself by thinking you're getting more content.

 

[maddawg IAJI]

Meh, I don't really buy usd games for a number of reasons (Namely that I don't usually trust whoever had it last. Bad expeirences at Blockbuster will do that to ya.) so if the prices for new games remains the same, I will not complain if I get something extra out of my purchase.

Technically, you're not getting anything extra, just people who buy it used have to pay for some more stuff than you. Don't lie to yourself by thinking you're getting more content.

I'm getting something that is not open to all players for free. Sounds like something extra to me, I don't care if I'm lying to myself, I'd take buying a 60 dollar game over buying two 30 dollar games from Gamespot. Namely because my Gamespot tends to have badly damaged used game.

 

[olicon]

Personally, I wouldn't mind the return to $40 games, even if they keep a lot of contents for DLCs.

Oh wait..I'm a PC gamer! That's right, I get my FULL game + after launch support and mods for that price to begin with! (Well, maybe a bit more..but you get the picture).

 

[Omnific One]

Activision, listen..
You've done some good work. Sure, we were disappointed by the first Assassin's Creed, but you redeemed yourself with the sequel (mostly). You are now milking that sequel, of course, but what developer wouldn't do that at this point. You are the most frustrating developer of the decade. The DRM and piracy crap, business decisions, and now this crap too.

I would not be able to afford my life long friendship with gaming if it was not for used game sales. Activision, you are working to destroy what I love. This. Means. War.

Pss... Activision didn't make/publish Assassin's Creed. Ubisoft did.

 

[diasravenguard]

I support this if done correctly which can be guaranteed that Activision won't. Imagine selling a game for $30, and then having the second half of the game downloadable for $30. That way the player gets to taste the game and see if they like it enough to keep paying for it. You know that Activision won't be that creative though. They will just keep charging $60 for their games, and then ask for another $30 for content that should have been part of the game to begin with. As an added bonus, a $30 game isn't going to reach the discount bin very fast, and DLC never needs to see a sale. They could rake in the dough because people are willing to nickel and dime themselves if they like what they are getting.

Honestly though, I think Gamestop takes a percentage off of the retail price when they resell, so if they start pulling only $3 per new title instead of $5, they are going to have a much harder time keeping in business as people aren't going to be willing to buy used if there is such a marginal price difference.

I'm looking at this purely from a dev's standpoint. As a consumer, I prefer the option to pay as little for the most I can get, so the only way I'm ever paying $60 for a game is if it's the collector's edition for a game I really want/love. Used games do give me this option. The only caveat I have then is that I buy my games to support the devs. Otherwise I may as well just be a dirty pirate and loot and plunder without regard to who I'm hurting. At least then my wallet will be heavier.

I believe in supporting developers but only if they do their job properly. The problem with developers building games as multiplayers and not as a long campaign (and I mean 80hr being average) with a good multiplayer (Turok 2 would be an example although it was only 36 hours if i remember right) I do not feel any want or need to support them because it would mean that I was supporting the current trends in gaming.

 

[GeneticallyModifiedDucks]

Activision, listen..
You've done some good work. Sure, we were disappointed by the first Assassin's Creed, but you redeemed yourself with the sequel (mostly). You are now milking that sequel, of course, but what developer wouldn't do that at this point. You are the most frustrating developer of the decade. The DRM and piracy crap, business decisions, and now this crap too.

I would not be able to afford my life long friendship with gaming if it was not for used game sales. Activision, you are working to destroy what I love. This. Means. War.

Pss... Activision didn't make/publish Assassin's Creed. Ubisoft did.

Heh, you beat me to it. Seriously, how does one mess up something like that? It's right there on the box! UBISOFT!

He even mentioned the DRM Ubisoft is doing. Damn, he's confused.

 

[diasravenguard]

Personally, I wouldn't mind the return to $40 games, even if they keep a lot of contents for DLCs.

I think there is an honest place for DLCs and expansions but not if the developer is taking away from the main game for it.

My biggest problem is when developers put so much emphasis on the multiplayer online modes that the single player game (which should make you want to play the multiplayer) seems to be a frail counterpart.

I want a long game and I want to enjoy the game in a way that makes me feel like it is worth the money. Fallout3 82hrs and played through it twice (2nd time 50hrs a few months later) I have high regard for that game but something like Bomberman 360 (look it up) or even ZoE(1-2) weren't worth half the money paid for them!