DC Universe Online For PS3 Can't Be Traded In

[vansau]

DC Universe Online For PS3 Can't Be Traded In

If you're already bored with DC Universe Online for the PS3, you're probably better off using the disc as a coaster instead of trying to sell it.

When a gamer gets bored with a console game, the accepted practice is to simply trade them in for credit or cash at a local game retailer. However, it turns out that this isn't an option with the PS3 version of <a href=http://www.amazon.com/DC-Universe-Online-Playstation-3/dp/B002I0K898/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1297704836&sr=8-1>DC Universe Online.

QuickJump decided to look into rumors that PS3 copies of the game were married to PSN accounts once the included PSN keys were activated. It turns out the rumors are true.

"Once the PSN key has been consumed with a disk it cannot be resold / replayed with the second user adding a sub. Only the original consumer can use that account," a Sony spokesperson said. "Disk and account are one."

The reason for the inability to trade in the game is because DC Universe Online is an MMO. While this is standard operating procedure for PC games, it's pretty much unknown for this sort of practice to be used with console titles. One would think that Sony would let folks buy used copies of the game for the PS3 and then sell activation codes separately.

Source: LazyGamer via <a href=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-02-14-dc-universe-activation-prevents-trade-in>Eurogamer

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[therandombear]

Not really surprised, if you buy a MMO on PC you can't use same code that follows to create a second account. Need to buy a second game to get a new code to create account.

So if you want to try it you need to borrow a friends account....nothing wrong with that, borrowed friends account several times to try Aion and other MMOs. Before they had trials.

 

[Catalyst6]

I'm not surprised, it IS an MMO. Actually, I'd think that Sony would provide the game data for download on the Playstation Store, and you would just log in from your console. Y'know, like PC MMOs do.

I wonder how many poor saps are going to accidentally pick up a used copy at a "we buy back ANYTHING" used games store...

 

[Antidrall]

Well...Duh, it's an MMO. People forget this for some stupid reason. Whenever I go to a youtube video or something, there are people absolutely pissed off because they'd need to pay to play for month. Playstation Network is free, so I don't see why 15 bucks a month is so bad. you pay the same price for WoW each month and they're not screaming for vengeance.

 

[Mr. Socky]

Not surprising. I'm betting that this will start infiltrating non-MMO games on consoles to fight used-game sales which really hurt companies.

 

[wasalp]

It's a bit silly when you think about it, why would the account creation process be worth anything(assuming this game is subscription based). I'm guessing its because they are trying to get a net revenue right off the bat to compensate for high mmo production costs...so yeah nvm.

 

[Daemascus]

Ouch, thats a nasty surprise. Why not just tie the DC Online acount to the PSN account, not the disk. And what would happen if your disk gets damaged?

 

[DTWolfwood]

muahahaha feel the pain of the purchasing pc player! feel it you pad players! XD

 

[Baby Tea]

The first 5 posts in this thread said it best: Not a surprise.
It's an MMO! I mean, sure it could have been a bit different, given its on a console.
But c'mon...it's an MMO. Who didn't see this coming?

 

[HSIAMetalKing]

Yeah I was thinking about taking my disc to Gamestop in the hopes that they wouldn't realize it, but figured that surely they have encountered such console games before.

 

[UltimateZero]

"Trade-in" generally means ALL pieces required to operate the purchased product. Like any PC MMO, it's not the disk that's the hook, it's the serial number. Yes, people could purchase a "used" disk if they wanted to, but what you're technically paying for is the serial number used for your account, not the actual disk. The only reason people are up in arms about this is because it's on a console, rather than on the computer. The same reaction came around about FFXI as well, and yet people are still playing that. Somewhat. Maybe. MMOs aren't exactly the most popular console genre Regardless, people can't trade in an MMO because the key has likely been used, and that's one per person. The disk is relatively worthless without the serial key. It WOULD make sense to allow people to buy serial numbers separately, but in all honesty, since when have "Common Sense" and "Sales Market" ever really joined hands?

Daemascus, the DCU account IS tied to your PSN account, it was just very poor wording on the Sony rep's part. In the case of a broken disk, most retailers will replace the DISK for you. Unless they're absolutely pathetic (and I'm not going to ignore that option), they would realize that they can take the defective return as long as they keep the "new" copy's serial key. They usually get reimbursed for the defective copy returned as long as the serial hasn't been used.

And yes Metal King. It's not that the average Gamestop employee will really notice (trust me, my own would probably scan the box anyway, they don't pay attention), it's that the computer will reject it outright. Gamestop's general motto seems to be "We have to do it ourselves, because our employees don't give a crap." In many cases they're right

 

[ionveau]

Well...Duh, it's an MMO. People forget this for some stupid reason. Whenever I go to a youtube video or something, there are people absolutely pissed off because they'd need to pay to play for month. Playstation Network is free, so I don't see why 15 bucks a month is so bad. you pay the same price for WoW each month and they're not screaming for vengeance.

The problem is that you play starcraft for free you play any game for free online, MOs are just fetish games that we have been brain washed into thinking they need monthly fees to stay alive, while in fact they do not, It costs blizzard 12cents a month(if you stay online for a while month) per person to play

 

[Dorkmaster Flek]

This is incredibly stupid of them. Why would you not want to sell activation keys to people who bought the game used? You're cutting off revenue, period. Plus, now it's even less likely that people will buy the game in the first place, as it has literally zero resale value. At least Blizzard is smart and sells activation keys online directly from them. That's how MMOs should work.

 

[UltimateZero]

Last I checked, I thought the math worked out to roughly $3 per person a month for the average MMO? Bandwidth packages, server farms, hardware replacements, the power for the building, the land the building is on, the workers to keep everything in line, workers' benefits, programmers, GMs, the power for THEIR office building, the land THAT building is on, bosses above the programmers, CEOs, marketing offices, development for other games, etc etc. Costs add up a lot quicker than you might think. Maybe more people playing means more income, but more people playing also means more staff to keep things together, and more in other operational costs.

Though what you have to keep in mind is that this is the business world. Business revolves around money. People would chop off a limb to keep playing an MMO if it really came down to it, and that's just raw profit. I wouldn't really call people "brainwashed" (though it may seem that way), it's more that MMO companies are providing a service and charging for it. If no one wanted to pay, MMOs would crash. There are plenty of free MMOs out there that operate just fine, hell several of the "retail" ones actually saw an INCREASE in income after switching to the F2P/Micro business scheme.

I think it also comes down to human mindset. We've been programmed to believe that if we pay for something, it's better. Sure people can play a game like Black Ops on the PS3 for free, OR they can pay $8 a month for XBOX Live. Even though free may seem like the better option, there are WAY more people on XBL than on the PS3. Blame capitalism!

This is incredibly stupid of them. Why would you not want to sell activation keys to people who bought the game used? You're cutting off revenue, period. Plus, now it's even less likely that people will buy the game in the first place, as it has literally zero resale value. At least Blizzard is smart and sells activation keys online directly from them. That's how MMOs should work.

Because they have physical disks out there that cost them money and need to be sold. Blizzard at this point has crossed the production threshold ten times over, they can say "sure, have a key instead." DCU still needs to recoup their production costs. If the game survives a year or two, they'll start selling digital keys, you'll see.

 

[ace_of_something]

I don't like this. I mean it makes sense for an MMO but it's the first step for regular games to start doing this to kill the used game market.

 

[chozo_hybrid]

This is standard for basically any games, it can be quite hard to take back a console game in this country, so no surprise for me.

Hehe, the World of Warcraft trial I got with Starcraft II is the coaster for my desk. I even have some blu-tac to keep it from moving.

 

[Notthatbright]

This is why I will never buy a MMO for a console. At least with a PC version if the game goes under (which it will) you can find a private server and at least get SOME enjoyment out of it.

 

[Flauros]

This is news, because alot of console players WILL be surprised. In fact, despite this article, in a month or two expect alot of posts of "WHAT THE HECK, I CANT TRADE IN DCU!" lol