Jimquisition: Online Passes Are Bad For Everybody

[2-part Epoxy]

But think of the issue from the distributors' point of view: all they're really trying to do is resurrect Anekh-sen-amun! And since rituals don't actually work, they'll probably have to fund a lot of medical research into cloning or cellular regeneration or whatever. You may claim that's bad business strategy and customers may be forgiven for wanting no part in it, but videogame distributors swore they'd bring her back even if they had to defy all the gods and defile the sacred necropolis of Thebes to do it! That's the sort of promise one doesn't back out of! Surely you can appreciate sacrifice in the name of true love (or at least true obsession)?

 

[Beautiful End]

I never thought I'd say this but...

JIM IS A GODSEND! ALL HAIL ALMIGHTY AND WISE JIM, OUR LORD AND SAVIOR!

Sorry for the Caps drive there. But I'm glad someone finally had the balls to speak the truth! He just repeated everything I've been saying about Online Passes and used games for years now. But because he's Jim, everyone is suddenly agreeing with him. "Doink! I'm a cool kid like Jim so we think alike. Durr!" I'm not referring to anyone in specific, by the way, so hold your angry horses.

Anyway, I don't care how it happens. I'm just glad Jim was able to show the truth to everyone. I'm not even going to repeat what he just said; everything about it is true.

Jim, I will make sure to thank You for You.

 

[Firehound]

Seeing the response to this, I decided that I should watch this.... one more time. I agreed with his points, up until he broke into a long pointless rant about how imhotep in the mummy was a villain. Thanks Jim, That's what I wanted to hear, A pointless rant that wastes MY TIME. I think your position just eroded.

I can see that Jim can make even good points look bad.

 

[Monsterfurby]

To be honest, there's a lot of possible arguments to be brought up on both sides here.

However, there is ONE reason why I am highly critical of publishers' campaign against used games:

NO OTHER INDUSTRY DOES THIS.

Let's take cars. Buying a used car is a pretty common thing to do, because cars are expensive and have a relatively long life cycle. Imagine the manufacturers went and had everyone buying a used car purchase some piece to make it work again for 5000$. Instead, nearly every big car manufacturer has their own used vehicle branch. They buy used vehicles of their own brand, refurbish them, then sell them as used.
It is pretty much the same in several other industries. Why do video games need to be a special case here?

 

[BBboy20]

It really does? Were they ever dependent on a singular store a decade and a half before?

Many of us would be happier buying $30 games with lesser graphics, and unknown but quality voice actors, and the like.

As in heavily used actors or Hollywood actors? Because that's often rare to begin with and as for all those familiar voices, that's more of a VO industry problem since they don't hire much new blood to begin with.

 

[ghgh55]

This entire argument just seemed a little weak to me. I don't have a strong feeling towards having or not having online passes. I know its an opinion based show, but I'd like a little bit more support to one's opinion than what seems to be whining more about time, and help the financially poor gamer.

I am a poor gamer myself. I find steam deals a godsend, but I pick and choose my spots where I buy my games and not rely on returning the game for store credit so I can buy new games. If i know i'm gonna love a game, and play it enough to get value for my full purchase I'll do it, if its questionable, I'll either rent or just not purchase it simple as that.

I want figures not just conjecture from this argument. It did very little to sway me and I think Jim can do better than this.

I love you

 

[ghgh55]

Someone please explain to me how in just one generation, we have already come to expect online capabilities (a miracle in themselves) for free in every game. Games are expensive, and online play just increases that cost even more. The simple problem is one that almost every industry faces, "If people buy our product why will they buy more?" sounds stupid at first, but consider most viruses are direct cause of an anti-virus company, because they need people to need their product, otherwise there wouldn't be enough viruses to justify getting an anti-virus. Every time you sell a game, that is one game that the company doesn't sell, and in a business where they offer a costly service for free (online play) resale just screws over they're already low profit margins.

 

[Pandabearparade]

Every time you sell a game, that is one game that the company doesn't sell, and in a business where they offer a costly service for free (online play) resale just screws over they're already low profit margins.

If their profit margins are low, perhaps they should try making better games instead of crying about used games. Used games have been around nearly the entire span of gaming history; they're only a 'problem' now because bad companies that makes shitty products need a scapegoat, or else they'd have to take responsibility for their own failures.

 

[ghgh55]

Every time you sell a game, that is one game that the company doesn't sell, and in a business where they offer a costly service for free (online play) resale just screws over they're already low profit margins.

If their profit margins are low, perhaps they should try making better games instead of crying about used games. Used games have been around nearly the entire span of gaming history; they're only a 'problem' now because bad companies that makes shitty products need a scapegoat, or else they'd have to take responsibility for their own failures.

Yes, I'm sure the professionals in the business, many of which helped developed those old games would never have thought of that. Lets face it, 2d graphics are so much better than 3d graphics.

Profit margins are low because games are really freaking expensive to make. When you only needed one person to do your sound for the game, and a team of six guys could make the best graphics the consul could hold, games were rather cheap, but when you start adding in the cost for awesome 3d fully rendered graphics and games themselves have gotten much longer and so much more complex. Now I know the price of games has gone up to accommodate for this, but the higher the price of the games, the less willing people are to buy them new. So used games are becoming more and more popular. And to make things even worse players are coming to expect expensive features like online play.

Companies, are being forced into a corner where if they don't do something than they are screwed. So they are trying to take away a new and expensive feature from those who don't pay for it.

 

[Pandabearparade]

Yes, I'm sure the professionals in the business, many of which helped developed those old games would never have thought of that. Lets face it, 2d graphics are so much better than 3d graphics.

I'm serious, I don't think the concept has crossed their minds. They are making the same generic games over and over, and seem to think that the way to become more profitable as they see a decline in their profit margins is to cut more corners and make even lazier cash-in games. I didn't mention game graphics once, by the way.

Assassin's Creed went from a relatively solid, original title to a game they rehash and milk each year. People are going to slowly stop buying due to a quality decline. That isn't the fault of the Gamestop devil.


Good games sell. Case in point: Skyrim.

I'm going to use my magical crystal ball and predict that Skyrim sells like cocaine coated candy. I further predict that we -won't- see Todd Howard climb up onto a soap box and cry like a child about used games stealing his monies.

 

[ghgh55]

Yes, I'm sure the professionals in the business, many of which helped developed those old games would never have thought of that. Lets face it, 2d graphics are so much better than 3d graphics.

I'm serious, I don't think the concept has crossed their minds. They are making the same generic games over and over, and seem to think that the way to become more profitable as they see a decline in their profit margins is to cut more corners and make even lazier cash-in games. I didn't mention game graphics once, by the way.

Assassin's Creed went from a relatively solid, original title to a game they rehash and milk each year. People are going to slowly stop buying due to a quality decline. That isn't the fault of the Gamestop devil.


Good games sell. Case in point: Skyrim.

I'm going to use my magical crystal ball and predict that Skyrim sells like cocaine coated candy. I further predict that we -won't- see Todd Howard climb up onto a soap box and cry like a child about used games stealing his monies.

Here is the thing with rehashing old games and generic games. they sell. Proved by the call of duty series. New creative titles are what investors like to call risky, and in a bad economy risky reads, "stay away." And since game projects need to answer to their investors, they can't do very much new. A fundamental problem with the system. however, the more profitable the gaming industry becomes, the more investors their will be for new games, which will allow more creative original games to get green lit.

 

[Pandabearparade]

Here is the thing with rehashing old games and generic games. they sell. Proved by the call of duty series.

Which is why, despite the major game publishers doing nothing but bland rehashes, they're apparently struggling to turn a profit?

Call of Duty isn't a fair comparison, because it's the top game in the genre.

 

[ghgh55]

Here is the thing with rehashing old games and generic games. they sell. Proved by the call of duty series.

Which is why, despite the major game publishers doing nothing but bland rehashes, they're apparently struggling to turn a profit?

Call of Duty isn't a fair comparison, because it's the top game in the genre.

Then just look at halo, already a generic game-play shooter, it has sold wonderfully, the changes from game to game could be applied through online patches (at least they could on a PC, I don't know about patching a consul game).

It is simple marketing logic, to sell a product, people need to know about your product first, and people have to want your product after that.

But even if that didn't prove true, that in reality original titles and game styles would sell better, ultimately the investors have final call as to what gets finished (or even started). As I said, the more profit the video game industry can pull, the more investors it will have, the original ideas can be realized. Right now one of the biggest things stopping this is used game sales. There might be better ways to combat this, but right now online passes are going to be the try. The only thing I have to say, is that for multi-player heavy games should have single-player passes (such as COD style games).

 

[ghgh55]

Here is the thing with rehashing old games and generic games. they sell. Proved by the call of duty series.

Which is why, despite the major game publishers doing nothing but bland rehashes, they're apparently struggling to turn a profit?

Call of Duty isn't a fair comparison, because it's the top game in the genre.

Then just look at halo, already a generic game-play shooter, it has sold wonderfully, the changes from game to game could be applied through online patches (at least they could on a PC, I don't know about patching a consul game).

It is simple marketing logic, to sell a product, people need to know about your product first, and people have to want your product after that.

But even if that didn't prove true, that in reality original titles and game styles would sell better, ultimately the investors have final call as to what gets finished (or even started). As I said, the more profit the video game industry can pull, the more investors it will have, the original ideas can be realized. Right now one of the biggest things stopping this is used game sales. There might be better ways to combat this, but right now online passes are going to be the try. The only thing I have to say, is that for multi-player heavy games should have single-player passes (such as COD style games).

 

[MB202]

What the Hell, I can't watch this video! It keeps saying some crap I don't understand and never plays!

 

[Ashcrexl]

Just pointing out, that any american who complains about $60 games should come buy games in Australia.

MY GOD it is people like you who are justifying things like online passes and overpriced games to the publishers, endlessly propagating a cycle of consumer abuse. 60 dollars is NOT OK and in australia it is ABOMINABLE. we have a right to complain, because if we do not, we may eventually usher in games that expensive EVERYWHERE and other publisher fuckery.

 

[Tim Chuma]

Ding dong the witch is dead! Which old witch? The wicked witch!
http://venturebeat.com/2013/05/15/ea-kills-its-controversial-online-pass-program/