Renting and borrowing's out: three upcoming games offer exclusive content, but only once |
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Studios and publishers don't benefit from the sales of used games, just
ones fresh off the shelves. Finding a way around this, three new games
are offering exclusive content - but only once per copy of the game.Meaning that if you want the exclusive content, you'll have to buy yourself a new copy. Penny pinchers beware! Oh wait, that includes me. I hope this trend doesn't catch on.
The three games to offer once-only exclusive content are Gears of War 2, NBA Live 09, and Rock Band 2. These games will offer a one-use download code with new copies of the game. These codes are not available for sale on any of the consoles' respective online services. You really have to buy the game - unless you find a used copy whose code hasn't been used yet. Yeah, like that'll happen.
Gears of War 2's one-use download code will give you five additional multiplayer maps pulled from the original Gears of War. Epic games describes them as their "special gifts [for] our loyal fans." Repeat: these won't be available through Xbox Live.
Rock Band 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii) will offer a one-use code that will yield 20 free downloadable songs for all three consoles. The game's AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack also has a code that will export the expansion's 18 tracks to Rock Band or Rock Band 2.
NBA Live 09's one-use code will deliver the 365 functionality, which gives daily roster and stat updates through PSN and XBL. This service will be available for new copies, but will also be offered for US$ 19.99.
Related Articles:
- AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack release and pricing details
- Tracks from first Rock Band will not be offered as DLC in Rock Band 2
- You won't have to wait long for Gears 2 DLC
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Comments [refresh]
Dead Space is doing this too, where there are console specific suits available as DLC but only for the first two weeks - I think, it may be longer or shorter; although I suppose one could still rent the game and get these suits so maybe it doesn't.....oh well, glad to see Gears 2 adding some extra maps (even if they are from the first game - and I heard Tyro Station was among the maps so that's cool.)
This is a good idea for the companies, i heard somewhere before that companies lose less money on games being traded than they do off pirated games.
i hardly ever buy preowned games, because what you save a fiver tops, its ridiculous
anyway im glad theyre starting to take back the moeny they truly deserve, in fact this is most likely a larger hit than piracy, dont forget server space for online games etc, it costs
however i think they shoud allow a quick demo of the features, you can only play it for an hour or something, just so if someone rents a game out, theyre able to see what theyre get for their money, this might actually effect sales here, but all in all it would be an increase
good for companies, bad for consumers...
IF they were to drop the prices on new games, then i could see this as being acceptable, but then probably needless...
used games already have plenty against them, they don't need to cripple their products just to make a few more quick bucks.
why do people buy used anything? they decide the it isn't valuable enough... crippling a product after the first owner is the worst way i have ever heard to increase the value of a product.
imagine if your car would lose 10mpg upon resale... i'm sure the auto industry would love it if more people bought new cars as well.
why is it with all the MBAs in this world, the whole idea of how a market actually works is lost on most industries...
give people what they WANT, and they WILL pay for it. it's really that simple.
if the industry is allowed to abuse it's position like this... i don't see anything to keep game prices in check.
i truly believe we'd of already seen a standard price of $70, if used games didn't put pressure on companies to keep costs (for both them and us) down.
if anything they should be charging the gamestops more with the same MSRP. last time i checked consumers have been hit pretty hard over the last year or so, and gamestop made a killing... and it wasn't on new games.
cuz it was slightly unclear if the AC/DC tracks are WallFart exclusive... ???
... or was WallFart merely the initiall source that we found out about the AC/DC tracks?
Anyone know?
count your self lucky theyre roughly $90 here, when converted
i do, but thanks for the reminder, they don't hurt. :)
it's an incentive: buy this new and you will be rewarded. i don't see why this such a big deal. if you don't think the extras are worth spending retail on, if that exclusive song, or costume isn't enough for you to spend the "big bucks", then don't purchase the game new, get it used, fool.
i don't really see what's so different then what is already going on now; pre-order specials anyone? buy this game before it comes out and you get a map! same idea.
the way i see it, it's just another way to give the market what they want, added value to their purchase. now if they start raising prices because of these exclusivenesses esesesesessssss ss, then ***** them.
That would suck for those with more than 1 of the console.
I mean on the 360, once you download something on your profile, it stays with your profile, so you can move to another 360 and as long as you have your profile you can download that content again.
But if you ever change profiles you're screwed.
Hopefully this stops some of the GoW2 piracy that will happen.
Xbox 360 is plastic and tin foil...Too bad Epic Games' Cliff Blabermouthinsk y is taking cash in pocket for Microsoft's bull***** exclusivity. You guys getting ready for Fable 2? Better enjoy it while it lasts..
Xbox 360 is being haulted next spring...Playstation 3 is king
all these shops like game, gamestation, and computer exchange are places where you can buy used games for cheap. now that all these companies are rewarding players for buying the game on launch or new, they will make more money and might encourage people to buy new games instead of doing things the cheap way. ahhh. i want far cry 2
cheap? $5 off for no case and book? i call that a ripoff not cheap...
this will actually drive the value of the game down after it's been used. gamestop will give less and still sell it for $5 off the new price.
the problem is not a consumer one, it's an industry problem. they are trying to address it by driving down the value of used games.
instead of working together for the mutual interest of the industry the publishers are declaring war on game stores, with the consumer as cannon fodder.
Hudler is a pathetic fanboy.
"haulted next spring"
Please give me some of what you're smoking
I think the reality check here is that it gives companies a clear indication as to what works and what doesn't. Copy protected games, games that need activation etc have all been tried and with limited success or failure.
This method of reward? offers a clear road map to companies as it will enable a risk free manner of determining what can be implemented without backlash. If something fails, well it was a freebie in a sense anyhow. By having a huge user base performing such tasks with codes to obtain content without risk of backlash due to failed implementation and outcries from a public that feel that they have been ripped off will give the companies a new tool for experiment bringing us closer to a secure form of distribution that cannot be pirated. This is in fact good but also bad as we pay. However if the companies should be so decent as to find a manner in which to halt piracy they earn mega bucks and this should be reflected in pricing. If the future of gaming should be that we need to access data via a code online then they can in fact sell a partial game with code for full content in the future as opposed to extras as they are going to do right now.
My thoughts on this are that this process is logical, it inhibits piracy and makes money for those that create the games. This process is also the perfect testing ground for the future when we will be downloading a game instead of purchasing a disc. Right now we download arcade stuff, extra maps extra game content all of which is relatively small. Some are pleased with the speed and others are not. However the internet speeds are increasing all the time.
This free reward content is cool marketing as it will increase in popularity and the user base of any console will be well used to the process and the die hard "I wanna have my disk with inside sleeve notes etc" will fade into the background and be replaced by hard copy special editions as the games have already earned the bucks that they needed to.........
I don't see how offering exclusive content to original owners is going to curb the rental and pre-owned market.
They're already doing stuff like this with pre-order bonuses. The only difference I see is that it allows people who don't have enough money to pre-order everything to still get the exclusive content, which could help a little. I certainly wouldn't be buying 4 games this month if I didn't have to in order to get exclusive pre-order content.
In the end, I'd wager that most of the people who rent games just to play them for a week, or people who buy pre-owned games probably won't have any idea they're missing out or probably won't even care. The only way this will work at all is if they make a huge deal about it on the box art.