EA to charge 10 bucks for used game buyers to unlock multiplayer

[DonInKansas]

You thought DRM was bad? Check this out.............

http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/11/ea-sports-to-charge-used-game-buyers-10-to-unlock-basic-online/

 

[DrPepper]

At least its optional. Defeats the purpose of getting a used game though.

 

[erocker]

Let's not forget that EA is pretty quick to shut down online game servers as well. Now if the ten bucks goes towards keeping these servers open.. maybe justified. However if they continue shutting down game servers as they have done in the past well, they're then crooks.

 

[DrPepper]

Let's not forget that EA is pretty quick to shut down online game servers as well. Now if the ten bucks goes towards keeping these servers open.. maybe justified. However if they continue shutting down game servers as they have done in the past well, they're then crooks.

They've still to close bf2's at least.

 

[erocker]

They've still to close bf2's at least.

Thank DICE for that. I'm pretty much talking about their sports titles.

 

[DrPepper]

Thank DICE for that. I'm pretty much talking about their sports titles.

Yeah they're diabolical for doing that to sporting titles.

 

[Phxprovost]

cant believe they have the balls to do this shit. Best part is they are notorious for shutting down servers and never patching games...but i should buy their games new right?

 

[ToTTenTranz]

How can this be considered a bad thing?

If the alternative is to block a game's license to the first buyer, this is a lot better.

You want the game? You buy it new.
You want the game cheaper? You buy it used, and pay an extra fee if you want to use online capabilities. You'll still be able to access all the offline features, though.

IMO this is great. Used games sales don't make much sense, TBH.
Just look at Steam. Everybody uses it and it never allowed anyone to sell their games, you can only sell your entire account.

 

[newtekie1]

Seems to only be applying to sports titles, which IMO don't really matter. Think about it:

Most used sports titles are bought because the new version has come out already, and everyone is playing the new version online. Which means the people playing the old version are probably playing single player anyway.

I'm with erocker though, if the $10 keeps the servers up and running longer, I'm all for it. The people that want to play the older games online still can pay to support the servers staying online. The ones that are only buying the game to play single player can save the $10.

 

[1Kurgan1]

How can this be considered a bad thing?

If the alternative is to block a game's license to the first buyer, this is a lot better.

You want the game? You buy it new.
You want the game cheaper? You buy it used, and pay an extra fee if you want to use online capabilities. You'll still be able to access all the offline features, though.

IMO this is great. Used games sales don't make much sense, TBH.
Just look at Steam. Everybody uses it and it never allowed anyone to sell their games, you can only sell your entire account.

Lets put it this way, you ever bought a used car? Basically the samething, people sell what they don't use anymore, what do you mean used game sales don't make much sense. If you bought a used car and then they said "well heres the car, but to use the transmission you need to pay Ford $2000", how would that make you feel?

 

[ToTTenTranz]

Lets put it this way, you ever bought a used car? Basically the samething, people sell what they don't use anymore, what do you mean used game sales don't make much sense. If you bought a used car and then they said "well heres the car, but to use the transmission you need to pay Ford $2000", how would that make you feel?

A car is an object.

Online playing isn't an object, it's a service. In some examples, people have to pay a monthly fee for that service (XBox Live, WoW, etc). This is better than that.

 

[sneekypeet]

I'm a bit confused...

Does the DRM affect PS3 and Xbox360?

I see they mentioned TW 11 as the first title to get this treatment, and AFAIK Tiger Woods is no longer a PC title.

 

[Mr McC]

You thought DRM was bad? Check this out.............

http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/11/ea-sports-to-charge-used-game-buyers-10-to-unlock-basic-online/

I see this as a direct consequence of DRM and its true intent: controlling the second-hand market and making money were none was previously made, after all, who cares about the right of first sale? Just change ownership to a licenced lease and away you go.

 

[surfingerman]

ill never buy another EA game after my madden fiasco, i bought a brand new madden game.. could not get it to install or play on my computer, the game apparently found some program on my computer it didn't like and banned me from playing the freaking game i purchased.. so i just tormented it and played the cracked version.. ill never ever buy another ea game.. even if i did it wouldn't alow me to run it on my pc

 

[roast]

What will EA do next.... its gone from the sublime to the ridiculous.

 

[wahdangun]

wow, but it was reasonable price, if just EA can release BF:BC2 MP only game for just $10, i will buying it, because right now i can't afford to buy full retail, and i just wanna play the MP version, i don't care about SP

 

[entropy13]

A car is an object.

Online playing isn't an object, it's a service. In some examples, people have to pay a monthly fee for that service (XBox Live, WoW, etc). This is better than that.

You're pointing out something insignificant. Buy it new, you don't pay that $10 for online playing. But it used, you have to pay $10. What they're highlighting is the distinction EA makes between a used and a new one. Whether you buy it "used" or "new" for the ones you've just mentioned, the rates would still be the same. In the case for the EA games it's "free" for the new, and $10 for the used.


And as another poster another forum said, he checked out an EA Sports game that can be bought for $25 if new. That same game is $15 when used, so he'd rather buy the new one rather than the used. Basically they're aiming for the demise of the USED GAMES market, not really on the ONLINE PLAYING market.

 

[mdsx1950]

How can this be considered a bad thing?

If the alternative is to block a game's license to the first buyer, this is a lot better.

You want the game? You buy it new.
You want the game cheaper? You buy it used, and pay an extra fee if you want to use online capabilities. You'll still be able to access all the offline features, though.

IMO this is great. Used games sales don't make much sense, TBH.
Just look at Steam. Everybody uses it and it never allowed anyone to sell their games, you can only sell your entire account.

But now people are going to have to reduce the price even more when selling games because you wont be able to sell a game for about 10 bucks cheaper than the original price. Might as well get it brand new. This is just gonna make piracy even more popular. :shadedshu

Soon all EA games will start charging their customers. Even those who buy brand new to pay for multiplayer. And then slowly the other companies also will start charging for multiplayer.

 

[LAN_deRf_HA]

Why do game makers whine over used sales so much? They got the money for the game from the first person who bought it. Whatever hand changing happens after won't negatively effect them. So the only argument left is that well maybe they could get those people to buy it new some how, but even a modicum of market research would have told those fools that won't work. When I and people I know buy a used game it's because they aren't willing to buy it at the higher price. There's even a good bit of used games they won't buy because they're only $5 cheaper than getting it new.... but I guess you can't expect logic from management that spends money on DRM licensing fees from sony when it has zero impact on pirating, creates negative feelings in legit buyers, and all around motivates an increase in pirating costing them money on both ends. No.. I don't think we can ever expect a sane decision from that turd-ball of utter incompetence known as EA management.

 

[mdsx1950]

Why do game makers whine over used sales so much? They got the money for the game from the first person who bought it. Whatever hand changing happens after won't negatively effect them. So the only argument left is that well maybe they could get those people to buy it new some how, but even a modicum of market research would have told those fools that won't work. When I and people I know buy a used game it's because they aren't willing to buy it at the higher price. There's even a good bit of used games they won't buy because they're only $5 cheaper than getting it new.... but I guess you can't expect logic from management that spends money on DRM licensing fees from sony when it has zero impact on pirating, creates negative feelings in legit buyers, and all around motivates an increase in pirating costing them money on both ends. No.. I don't think we can ever expect a sane decision from that turd-ball of utter incompetence known as EA management.

+1

They rather just download the game.

P.S: This is going to affect some buyers who buy their games to play it legit and sell it off once they finish it.

 

[Fourstaff]

I wonder what made game devs say that PC gaming is on the decline

The only outcome of this is to increase piracy, and this is going to hurt them even more.

 

[JC316]

I don't get it. I guess the publishers want PC gaming to die. Kinda stupid really since they continue to piss off the PAYING people.

 

[Easo]

Next will probably be something along the lines of "You pay us 50$ for singleplayer, AAAND, if you want that multiplayer button available you pay us for it ANOTHER 10-15$, cause we realy care about you..."

 

[mdsx1950]

Next will probably be something along the lines of "You pay us 50$ for singleplayer, AAAND, if you want that multiplayer button available you pay us for it ANOTHER 10-15$, cause we realy care about you..."

If someday that happens im going to become a pirate. Most of my genuine games are by EA, Activision and Ubisoft. Shit.. Two companies have already let me down atm.

 

[qubit]

At least its optional. Defeats the purpose of getting a used game though.

That's exactly why they're doing it. They're abusing the first sale doctrine, by trying to get a cut of every subsequent resale, which they have no right to do.

Barstewards.