UK Retailer Says No to Resident Evil: The Mercenaries Trade-Ins

[JediMB]

Video games aren't special. Publishers think that for some reason they should be immune to the second hand market. Second hand sales have been around for as long as goods have been produced and sold.

Video games are special. Because of the consumer culture that surrounds them.

I don't know anyone who would buy a book, a DVD, a car, furniture, etc., only to return their purchase to the store a week later to get about 50% of what they paid back. I know plenty of people who get rid of their video games as soon as they're done with the single player campaign, while everyone I know would hold onto those other products for at least a couple of years.

You may not think that's justification for working against resales of video games, but you're still wrong about video games not being a special case.

 

[Gaderael]

Well, I'm in Canada, and finding info has been a little iffy, but in the US, wouldn't Capcom, by putting this save feature in their games, violate the first sale doctrine, because in effect they are interfering with an individuals ability to resell the item?

 

[Feriluce]

Well, I'm in Canada, and finding info has been a little iffy, but in the US, wouldn't Capcom, by putting this save feature in their games, violate the first sale doctrine, because in effect they are interfering with an individuals ability to resell the item?

How are they interfering with that? Individuals can easily resell their items. The fact that other consumers might not want those items, doesn't realy have anything to do with it.

 

[Randomologist]

Does anyone else remember when you could put a disc in a console, and load as many games as you like from as many 8Mb cards as you could carry? Simpler times.
Not even a decade ago.

 

[Richard Eis]

So, I am buying a game i can only play once.

Snort...No.

This also means you won't lend someone else the game to see if they like it, so word of mouth goes straight out of the window...

...and what happens if there is a bug in the game that corrupts your save file.

 

[Gaderael]

Well, I'm in Canada, and finding info has been a little iffy, but in the US, wouldn't Capcom, by putting this save feature in their games, violate the first sale doctrine, because in effect they are interfering with an individuals ability to resell the item?

How are they interfering with that? Individuals can easily resell their items. The fact that other consumers might not want those items, doesn't realy have anything to do with it.

Yes, but consumers would not want the used copy specifically as a result of Capcom's save feature. Capcom are artificially decreasing the resale value of their product, thus interfering with the doctrine.

It'd be like selling a movie that would automatically lock itself to one single DVD/BD players permanently and you wouldn't be able to go back to previous scenes once you've watched them.

 

[Walter44]

I once had a DS game that had no built-in delete-feature. It isn't really something new. I managed to delete the previous save by letting it save and discard the cartridge before it was done. Took me a few times and could've destroyed the game, but it worked. As for this case...I'm not interested in RE, so I don't really care (well, I still think it's a dick-move, but I'm not affected by it)

 

[Macgyvercas]

You know, Chrono Trigger for the DS had no delete feature. Know how I got around that? I overwrote the file.

 

[Noswad]

Considering how lazy the developers have been with the rest of the content it is possible to think that they simply couldn't be arsed to put the option in.

Remember
Once is happenstance
Twice is coincidence
Three times is enemy action

So don't worry yet.

 

[FallenMessiah88]

I approve of what Capcom is doing. Why? Because I don't care about Mercenaries 3D. All I care about is Resident Evil: Revelations.

I also don't trade in my games. I never rent a game and I never buy used games unless I absolutely CANNOT get a new copy.

Thumbs up, Capcom.

 

[Frostbite3789]

well, its not much, but they can chalk up one lost sale. I get pissed off enough when saves games are transferable (my brother fairly often bring a game home, starts playing it at mine, then finds he cant copy the save game. That cost Assassins Creed 2 a sale - he returned the following day because he couldnt be carsed to play through the first 2 hours again).

So your brother is lazy and didn't want to play the game. So that's a strike against the game? Oh...ok?

OT: This was a foolish idea from the start. I think it was kind of a good idea, but they had to know the backlash that was coming. If they didn't, they are even more shortsighted than Activision and that's saying something.

 

[Xanthious]

Video games aren't special. Publishers think that for some reason they should be immune to the second hand market. Second hand sales have been around for as long as goods have been produced and sold.

Video games are special. Because of the consumer culture that surrounds them.

I don't know anyone who would buy a book, a DVD, a car, furniture, etc., only to return their purchase to the store a week later to get about 50% of what they paid back. I know plenty of people who get rid of their video games as soon as they're done with the single player campaign, while everyone I know would hold onto those other products for at least a couple of years.

You may not think that's justification for working against resales of video games, but you're still wrong about video games not being a special case.

No, there is nothing special about video games regardless of some perceived consumer culture. Video games are just another good that is bought and sold. They deserve no special treatment. People buy and resell goods all the time and I hear no other maker and seller of goods crying like an petulant entitled child as much as the video game industry. There are huge markets for both used books and used movies. I can assure you that you can go into any large used book or media store and find both books and movies out only a few days available used.

This crusade against used sales in the game industry is driven by nothing more than greed. If it were up to the makers of games video games would lose all value once sold. They hate the idea that you actually own a game once you buy it. That is why there is such a big push to formats like Steam. Those games are worthless once you buy them. There is fuck all you can do with them once you are done. You can't loan them, you can't resell them, you are stuck with them forever.

 

[TimeLord]

Capcom has denied [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/111337-Capcom-Denies-Anti-Used-Games-Stance-in-New-Resident-Evil-3DS-Game] that its decision was meant to curtail trade-ins, but it hasn't really come up with any other satisfactory reason why it would make save games permanent. A statement from Capcom avoided the question completely, and instead stressed the high level of replayablity built into the game.

Yeeeeeaaahhh... Keep telling us that Capcom. I saw a trailer for this the other day and I actually really like the look of it. But I won't buy it because of the save game feature and all you guys at Capcom being short sighted idiots.

I approve of what Capcom is doing. Why? Because I don't care about Mercenaries 3D. All I care about is Resident Evil: Revelations.

I also don't trade in my games. I never rent a game and I never buy used games unless I absolutely CANNOT get a new copy.

Thumbs up, Capcom.

But if they get away with this then what is to stop them doing it with Resident Evil: Revelations?

 

[Kopikatsu]

That doesn't even make sense at all =|
"Hey guys, I have a brilliant idea! Lets make it so your saved file is PERMANENT!"
'What if you do something stupid or fuck something up or just don't like the game and want a friend to try it?'
"OH COME ON. Who does that? Why would someone let someone ELSE play their game? And I KNOW everyone just LOVES this game to death"
'Ok dude...'

I pointed this out in the last thread about this, but having save slots (Which can be deleted) doesn't go back to the beginning of video games. I can't remember too many names at the moment, but most of the games I played as a kid only had one save file that couldn't be erased. (Most of them were on the Gameboy, sure, but hey.) Dragonball Z Supersonic Warriors was one, but that was for the Advance.

Their excuse is that is makes the game feel more like an arcade game being directly played from the arcades, but to play on the arcades we dont pay 40$ (or more, I dont even know the prices of the 3DS games).

The people that bought the game should do what the fuck they want with it instead of having to take this shit.

That excuse is a reasonable one. The Mercenaries is an ARCADE-style game. The only things that are saved are 'best time' and a few unlocks. Admittedly, getting those unlocks is part of the fun, but I don't think it would completely ruin your gaming experience.

You could even set a goal for yourself. 'Beat the last guy's times'.

I approve of what Capcom is doing. Why? Because I don't care about Mercenaries 3D. All I care about is Resident Evil: Revelations.

I also don't trade in my games. I never rent a game and I never buy used games unless I absolutely CANNOT get a new copy.

Thumbs up, Capcom.

But if they get away with this then what is to stop them doing it with Resident Evil: Revelations?[/quote]

'Cause Revelations isn't a freakin' arcade game. However! Why are Resident Evil: Revelations and Assassin's Creed: Revelations coming out around the same time? Weeeeird.

 

[Carbon Monoxide]

Well this sucks. I was planning to buy this game, but I don't think I will now... Not because of reselling (I've never traded in a game in my life), it's just that I like to restart my games. I guess I'll wait for Revelations then. They better not put this stupid feature in that too. ;n;

 

[Kopikatsu]

Cant you just start a new game and save over the old save? They have to have this option because people that buy it might do a 2nd or 3rd play through. So will it add a new save for each playthrough or save over a previous save? Either way its no big deal and doesnt make any difference as far as i can see.

There are no playthroughs. The Mercenaries is just a full game based on the minigame from RE5. There is no story mode or anything.

The only thing the 'save file' has on it is the best times/scores for each stage and a few unlocks. (As I mentioned in my last post on this thread)

Basically, people are overacting. Sure it sucks, but it's not like 'OHMYGODTHEWORLDISENDINGLETSALLBANCAPCOMFORLIFE'

If I had a 3DS, this would be the first game I buy for it. Used or otherwise.

 

[Irridium]

Cant you just start a new game and save over the old save? They have to have this option because people that buy it might do a 2nd or 3rd play through. So will it add a new save for each playthrough or save over a previous save? Either way its no big deal and doesnt make any difference as far as i can see.

There are no playthroughs. The Mercenaries is just a full game based on the minigame from RE5. There is no story mode or anything.

The only thing the 'save file' has on it is the best times/scores for each stage and a few unlocks. (As I mentioned in my last post on this thread)

Basically, people are overacting. Sure it sucks, but it's not like 'OHMYGODTHEWORLDISENDINGLETSALLBANCAPCOMFORLIFE'

Might not be a big deal for this game, but I wouldn't be surprised if other publishers started doing this for their games. That's what I'm guessing people are worried about.

Or if it doesn't work, other Publishers will think that Capcom just wasn't extreme enough. I've seen it happen with DRM on the PC, hell I've experienced it. Things will get worse before they get better.

 

[Kopikatsu]

Cant you just start a new game and save over the old save? They have to have this option because people that buy it might do a 2nd or 3rd play through. So will it add a new save for each playthrough or save over a previous save? Either way its no big deal and doesnt make any difference as far as i can see.

There are no playthroughs. The Mercenaries is just a full game based on the minigame from RE5. There is no story mode or anything.

The only thing the 'save file' has on it is the best times/scores for each stage and a few unlocks. (As I mentioned in my last post on this thread)

Basically, people are overacting. Sure it sucks, but it's not like 'OHMYGODTHEWORLDISENDINGLETSALLBANCAPCOMFORLIFE'

Might not be a big deal for this game, but I wouldn't be surprised if other publishers started doing this for their games. That's what I'm guessing people are worried about.

Or if it doesn't work, other Publishers will think that Capcom just wasn't extreme enough. I've seen it happen with DRM on the PC, hell I've experienced it. Things will get worse before they get better.

Aaaaand we get to the point that annoys me about this site. Why is EVERYTHING 'Oh, this isn't so bad, but it sets a bad precedent.

Shit happens, people! That doesn't make it a conspiracy. The Mercenaries isn't the first game not to let you delete your save file.It's not even DRM, for god's sake, but SO many people were bitching in the last thread about this that 'Oh, how dare they force this horrible DRM on us!' It ain't DRM. Jeez.