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Sound Off: On Game Expirations |
Listed in: News Tags: burnout revenge, EA, fifa 10, need for speed pro street, rock band, Ubisoft
Last week, EA started a minor firestorm by announcing to players of its Rock Band iOS title that the game would be shutting down at the end of the month. The company quickly backtracked, blaming the whole thing on an “error,” but the debate the event started might be one worth having.
In short, this minor kerfuffle calls into question the real definition of “ownership.” As gamers, we generally agree that when we purchase a game, we own that game and its functionality forever. However, as games move more and more into the online space, it’s inevitable that publishers and developers will eventually need to shut down the servers that host their data.
In addition to attempting to turn off Rock Band, EA recently powered down servers for over a dozen games, including Burnout Revenge, FIFA 10 and Need for Speed Pro Street. One of the shut down games, EA Sports MMA, actually uses one of the company’s proprietary Online Passes—this means players paid to play online, but receive no refund when that capability is removed.
If games are going to be played mostly online (as they are), the issue of ownership will continue to fluctuate. Sure, I may own the game—but I don’t own the server that hosts it. In theory, EA, Ubisoft or any other developer could shut that server down whenever they see fit.
This issue is further convoluted by DLC systems that demand constant connections to a home server. Companies shutting down servers of this nature could be locking off single-player content in addition to multiplayer, all because they were too terrified of piracy to let players ever truly “own” their games.
So where do you stand on publisher/developer-based game shutdowns? Is it within the rights of a company to determine a game’s life cycle, or should servers stay up until the last player falls?
Sound off!
| 30% of voters think this story ROCKS! |
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Comments
However, when it comes to the issue of online checks, I believe they have no right. Go ahead and take down the online portion of a game if you have to, but that shouldn't stop me from being able to play the offline portions of a game anymore like it would have with Rock Band.
That being said though, it would be nice if there were some standards or guidelines about taking a server down. Obviously not many people will shed a tear at a game who nobody even plays online anymore taking their servers down, but then some keep taking down servers of older games who have a large population of players in order to make them buy the new games. Some respect for the consumer would be nice, especially if they had to pay an online pass, which in and of itself alone is a rather big kick to the nads.
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However, I think it's bad if the singleplayer has an expiration date decided by the companies, as we wouldn't be able to play the game in the future, and it would also cause the need to play it faster after you buy it in order to see all that you paid for(especially in free-roam games like Fallout)
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I have tons of games sitting behind me on a shelf that I would never be able to play again because it can't authenticate the CD KEY anymore.
However, only NOW it's a problem? Why? Because times truly are changing and this is the only thing people have to bitch and moan about now?
Go find a new game to play.
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P.S. You can play all of those games again actually, you just can't play them online.
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What other brilliant comments do you have for us?
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Its sad when puppets don't even realize I'm pulling their strings in exactly the way I want.
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My bad, troll on.
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I gave up any intelligent discussion with you long ago. Plus its far too easy to pull your strings, puppet.
Oh, look, I pulled the "intelligent discussion" string, this means you will do the "I gave up intelligent discussion with you first" dance. The "puppet" string should get me a "you're my bitch" dance too.
Its not like you have the mental control to NOT reply and get the last word, or end your trolling, right? Thaught so. To 1cm comment-lengths with this thread!
DANCE PUPPET DANCE
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btw, it would seem that you are the one that has to get the last word in.
You're the only one on this page acting like a damn tool.
Think about that.
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some games use a volume license key (or keys, the reason keygens work) that exists encrypted on the disc and can be authenticated offline, and some require online authentication.
shutting down a game server that has paid online passes associated with it is the reason why EA is the worst company ever and need to be discontinued forever.
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I play new games, but I like to play my older games too.
You sound like someone who doesn't enjoy playing their games, much less replaying...
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Either that or I'll find a crack and get it to work again.
It's really not that complicated.
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"Either that or I'll find a crack and get it to work again"
This is not what I'd call "no problem". It's like:
Guy: -What?, the president is going to stablish a dictatorship?, no problem!, we'll just CRACK open his head...:P-
"...bitch and moan when 10 years down the road I can't play it anymore"
Why are you defensive of them?. Man, when something is wrong you have to raise your word, it's the most civilized way to make justice prevail.
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I see your point when you say it's nothing new, but should we walk and bleed?
"Go find a new game to play"
Not everyone it's gonna be happy with it.
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Well some things don't change by themselves and need that push, sometimes repetitively.
However, I think that instead of complaining on this site, complaining to the actual developers and publishers might be more helpful.
Writing about it here might help a bit, but most of the time it just attracts people who defend the companies with all of their heart and keyboard...
I agree that hating companies is very unhealthy and juvenile as you said though.
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Absolutely! But devs protecting their investments has always been an issue. I doubt it's ever going to change.
But the end rule always applies. The protection only hurts paying customers. Kinda make a person not want to be a paying customer!
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Also, NO you can not just get a keygen. You have to CRACK the game to get it to not go online to authenticate.
You can crack all games so they don't call home.
As for consoles...oh well! Quit buying bullshit locked down consoles if you have a problem with that.
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No, it's not. From what you are saying it sure beat playing on a locked down console.
"so it is a bit stupid to tell people not to use consoles"
I see you failed to read AGAIN. I said LOCKED DOWN console. I have no problem hacking, cracking and doing whatever I want on my consoles.
"the complete fuck-on you have to go through for Pc gaming."
That is, hands down, just plain ridiculous.
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"it sure beat playing on a locked down console."
You just contradicted yourself...
"I see you failed to read AGAIN. I said LOCKED DOWN console. I have no problem hacking, cracking and doing whatever I want on my consoles."
You might, but how about others?
"That is, hands down, just plain ridiculous."
No, it takes quite a bit of configuring, getting updated drivers, getting updates, reading and accepting terms, and entering serial numbers to do.
Not to mention it costs quite a bit to get a good gaming PC if you don't or can't build one.
Not to mention the fact that most(I assume) PC games now require Steam, Origin, and whatever else to play them.
So, it's a lot of stuff most often that you have to do in order to play a PC game.
On a console, most often you can just put the disc in and play if you aren't connected to the internet.
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How the hell did I contradict myself? I Said PC gaming does not "horrible", "complicated" or "expensive". Then I said it sure sounds like PC gaming beats playing on a locked down console. In no way shape or form is that a contradiction. Having trouble reading today?
"You might, but how about others?"
What do "others" have to do with a conversation I had with Terrapin? He's the one that brought up cracking. He's the one that told "ME" to just go get a keygen and to crack my PC games to get them to work. So how about you ask HIM what about other people?
"No, it takes quite a bit of configuring, getting updated drivers, getting updates"
No, it does not.
"reading and accepting terms, and entering serial numbers to do."
Reading and inputting a serial number? Are you serious?
"Not to mention it costs quite a bit to get a good gaming PC if you don't or can't build one."
Going back to the PS3 in it's prime...you can get a damn good gaming PC for $600 today.
"Not to mention the fact that most(I assume) PC games now require Steam, Origin, and whatever else to play them."
False. You do NOT have to buy games from them. In fact I specially refuse to use them.
"On a console, most often you can just put the disc in and play if you aren't connected to the internet."
Here is where you FAIL to understand my conversation with Terrapin:
1. According to this article and Terrapin himself, console devs are switching to turning you off whenever they want.
Do you call that a good thing?
2. Since there's no "easy" way around it also according to you and Terrapin then why the HELL would you want a console?
So when I state, it would seem you're better off on a PC then a LOCKED DOWN CONSOLE THAT WILL BOOT YOU OFF AT WILL, you come back and bitch about how hard it is to use a PC.
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You are saying that it's not difficult, but then you go on to basically say that PC is less worse in terms of that.
"What do "others" have to do with a conversation I had with Terrapin? He's the one that brought up cracking. He's the one that told "ME" to just go get a keygen and to crack my PC games to get them to work."
Well, not everyone knows how to actually "hack" a console, and your stance on the subject of game expiration dates is backed by the fact of your ability to hack your consoles.
Also, while your conversation is with Terrapin, the subject, that it's about, involves more than the both of you.
"Reading and inputting a serial number? Are you serious?"
Have you read any of them lately?
They take up like 5 pages.
On top of reading those you have to insert a serial number?
"Going back to the PS3 in it's prime...you can get a damn good gaming PC for $600 today."
You find a pre-built PC under $700, that can handle all of the games console users can play, with the graphics set to medium, without frame-rate issues, and then I'll believe that.
"False. You do NOT have to buy games from them. In fact I specially refuse to use them."
I said play not buy.
You can "buy" a game from who knows where, but being able to play them is a different story.
"1. According to this article and Terrapin himself, console devs are switching to turning you off whenever they want.
Do you call that a good thing?
2. Since there's no "easy" way around it also according to you and Terrapin then why the HELL would you want a console?"
No, it's a bad thing, however, consoles -were- a great alternative to PC gaming due to the ease that they had(before all of this online pass, day -1 content, unfinished game carp)
"you come back and bitch about how hard it is to use a PC."
I don't find it hard to use a PC, I've been using PCs since I was 4...
However, I find that you have go through a lot of carp to install and play games on a PC.
P.S. It's impolite to shout.
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nonono. I said how I feel about it then I stated the end result based on what HE said.
"Well, not everyone knows how to actually "hack" a console"
Well yeah. Not everyone. But if he is going to claim how easy it is to crack a game then cracking a console would also be on the table.
"They take up like 5 pages."
I have no clue what you're talking about. You install a game and input the serial. Done.
"You find a pre-built PC under $700..."
ATI or Nvidia? Take your pick:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883229287
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883229293
"I said play not buy."
Like I said, I specificly refuse to USE them. That means i do not buy from them and I do not use them. No game I own requires them.
"No, it's a bad thing, however, consoles -were-..."
Right, "were" being the key term there. What happens when consumer product turn to junk? People stop buying them.
No one has the right to a console. No one has the right to unlocked gaming.
"P.S. It's impolite to shout."
P.S. Caps isn't shouting. I'll highlight my words with caps until QJ allows for text attributes.
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You haven't read the stuff before you press [I Agree], huh?
"ATI or Nvidia? Take your pick:"
I see, thank you for recommending a cheap gaming PC while you were at it.
"Like I said, I specificly refuse to USE them."
My original point was that most games use those services, not all but most.
"P.S. Caps isn't shouting."
Capitalizing a whole word is perceived as shouting on the internet, but I can see that you would need to do that for emphasis since there probably is no bold or italics on QJ.net as you said.
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"My original point was that most games use those services, not all but most."
No way. Not even close most. Hardly any.
"Capitalizing a whole word is perceived as shouting on the internet"
Only to stupid kids. In the real world, exclamation points are used for shouting!!!!
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Both of them pretty much mean you are using your voice in a loud manner.
Though, in proper writing, it isn't.
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http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100006550&IsNodeId=1&Description=CyberpowerPC&bop=And&Order=PRICED&PageSize=100
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1. You are bitching about consoles being locked down and them killing access to your games.
2. You are bitching about PCs and how hard they are to use.
3. ????? What other options do you have. All I hear is people bitching and crying about both. At least with a PC you can play your damn games. Even if there is a little work involved with having to crack them.
This is what I'm talking about! People crying and bitching over everything yet coming up with ZERO solutions. Even though someone like me gives you solutions it's never good enough. You want everything handed to you on a silver platter.
Dumb kids.
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Um...you know, it's not easy to actually -crack- them.
I assume you are referring to the programs and modified executables that others made for everyone to use.
"yet coming up with ZERO solutions."
Stop buying games and consoles that go against what you want, that is my solution...eventually the companies will realize something is amiss in their finances and maybe realize what the cause is.
"Even though someone like me gives you solutions it's never good enough."
What's your solution?
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Exactly what you said above. Just quit buying them. But that's good enough for QJ users. They demand they receive "their" games completely open because it's their constitutional right.
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False. There is no console definition that describes the security of a console.
Also, you're the one above that started talking about cracking AND claimed that it's impossible on consoles unless hacked. Well, plenty of consoles are hacked. In fact ALL consoles are hacked. You wont be online with the PS3 but other then that, ALL consoles are hacked. I simply cleared up your confusion and point out that it is NOT impossible.
"boot up your Pc which depending on how messy it is can take 5 minutes"
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That depends...if you are actually talking about "ALL" consoles, then you missed that Wii U, PS Orbis, and Xbox Loop(names subject to change) are not hacked...
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I can foresee a world where no hacker is gonna engage in a profitless and time consuming experience with a lot of risks to assume for people who doesn't even care, anymore. Games companies are gonna fuck us all and the only choice is gonna be to like it.
"...Pc which depending on how messy it is can take 5 minutes ..."
Never seen that, but you can try: "Hibernation"
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Which is why OPEN systems will remain completely crackable. The PC is the only thing that's open.
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Now you're just babbling stuff... Are you lost?
"so whether it is or isn't is beside the point"
You're the one that brought it up. Now that's no longer convenient, you no longer want to use it? Ok.
"and what imaginary world do you live in where it's funny for a Pc to take over 5 minutes to boot? "
Maybe the same imaginary world you live in that a computer takes 5 minutes to boot.
Computers must really confuse you. I only say that because you don't seem to know how to respond to someone as you keep making new threads.
"I've often seen them take double that with people who just keep installing stuff for years without a fresh windows reinstall."
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Also, I don't think computers take over 5 minutes to boot unless they are over 10+ years old, have a lot of start up programs, and/or have viruses.
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I pointed out exactly where you went wrong. For example, key generator. Go back and read if you are still confused.
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