EA: Games purchased used will cost $10 for online play

[TheGrandMom]

Re: EA: Games purchased used will cost $10 for online play

You can’t drive a car online though.

The point is that the item belongs to me now and its up to me if I want to sell it when I'm done with it. It shouldn't be rendered useless (either partially or entirely) just because the company that made it doesn't want me to resell it. We buy/sell plenty of used items (cd's, dvd's, books, etc as Feba pointed out) that aren't penalized for being used.

[Solymir]

Re: EA: Games purchased used will cost $10 for online play

I don't care if it's EA, SE, Sega, etc it's still a dick move.

I buy a game

I decide it's not for me so I sell it to a "we buy games" store

They sell it to another consumer

That consumer does not deserve to play the game online without paying an extra 10$ because...?

You know what, take the reseller out of the equation completely. I buy a game, I give the game to my cousin. Now he has to pay 10$ to play it online. I have a problem with this.

Why does any game company deserve more money for a game that was already purchased?

I do not consider "Gamestop" angels. I used the Gamestop because it's largest reseller in my area. I could have named the one associated with Hollywood Video, but they're going out of business.

[Ufgt]

Re: EA: Games purchased used will cost $10 for online play

You can’t drive a car online though.

Maybe you can't...

I can understand EA trying to increase their bottom line, but I think attacking the used market is the wrong strategy. Punishing your customer base isn't the smartest way to go about running a business.

Imagine buying a used book to find an important plot point missing from the story.

[hexx]

Re: EA: Games purchased used will cost $10 for online play

I agree as to this being a dick move as well. The game was purchased once, EA has made their money for the production of the game disc, packaging, etc so trying to rip additional money out of a used game purchase is borderline criminal.

Not that I TOTALLY care, since I really dont play sports games, but I will reconsider buying brand new EA games or their DLC.

[Icemage]

Re: EA: Games purchased used will cost $10 for online play

The point is that the item belongs to me now and its up to me if I want to sell it when I'm done with it. It shouldn't be rendered useless (either partially or entirely) just because the company that made it doesn't want me to resell it. We buy/sell plenty of used items (cd's, dvd's, books, etc as Feba pointed out) that aren't penalized for being used.

I guess I don't really see the problem since I rarely if ever sell my games, and virtually never buy used ones (the former because I like to think I pick games that I'll enjoy / would be proud to have on my gaming shelf, and the latter because I refuse to support leeches like GameStop with respect to the entire used game industry). Case in point: I don't buy any of the once-a-year sports games for this very reason.

Besides, it's not like EA doesn't turn off their online servers completely for most of their sports games after a year or two anyhow, so again - why is this any worse? I'd think that having them turn off servers and neutering the online capability of ALL copies of a game is a much bigger concern than having to pay to activate it if you bought the game used.


Icemage

[Ufgt]

Re: EA: Games purchased used will cost $10 for online play

Used games don't only come from Gamestop.

Personally, I buy all my used stuff from locally owned and operated OR from individuals via Kijiji or Craigslist.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: EA: Games purchased used will cost $10 for online play

Hold on a second, why so much hate-training on EA? And since when are GameStop such angels?

I don't understand why we would be needing to vilify retailers, they get chump change in revenue for selling games and especially hardware new. They get pure revenue for selling used, which is good for them. They also seem to frequently put up good deals on trade-ins when you follow their website.

If you're buying a used copy, EA normally doesn't see a penny of that money - can you blame them for wanting to shut down second-hand sales?

Two words: Consumer choice.

What right does EA have to decide what's best for my wallet? All they're doing is making the hobby more expensive and giving a big middle finger to the middle man and the consumer. That and games haven't gotten better for me buying them new. They've actually gotten a lot worse and often a lot less than what I've had in prior generation.

That's pretty much my problem with everything they've been doing for the last year and a half. I was rather interested in a new SSX and Project Monster, but when they keep pulling shit like this, to hell with EA and anyone that works for them. If they hate the used purchases so much, then I'm only going to buy their games used. I think that's what all gamers opposed to this should do.

Activision might honestly be more evil, but I don't see them giving the retailers and consumers the shaft. But what happens if this works out for EA? Activision will do it too. And then anyone that follows trends based off what they do will go for it as well.

And then one day you'll wonder where all those wonderful game stores went to and why you have to go through Wal-Mart or Best Buy instead. I knew this was up EA's sleeves well before they said anything about it and you know what? I don't need any of EA's games. Or Activisions. Plenty of other fish in the sea.

[Icemage]

Re: EA: Games purchased used will cost $10 for online play

I could care a flying fig about retailers. I don't care about publishers either. I want the developers to flourish, and they can't do that if I buy a used copy of a game.

P.S. Activision doesn't give consumers the shaft? What the heck is the Modern Warfare 2 "Stimulus Package"?


Icemage

[Feba]

Re: EA: Games purchased used will cost $10 for online play

I want the developers to flourish, and they can't do that if I buy a used copy of a game.

They also can't do that if you don't pre-order the game. Seriously, pre-orders have a big impact on developers. People buying a game before it's released is a huge judge, in some ways even more than sales afterward. Apart from the obvious "GameStop preorder pushing helps developers" joke here, by the time a game is available used, chances are you're not looking at much injury to the developer, unless it's a very small one, in which case the game is probably digitally distributed anyway.

[Malacite]

Re: EA: Games purchased used will cost $10 for online play

Gamers being gamers, though, they'll do what they always do - bend over and take it.

Modern Warfare 2 Map Pack is all the evidence you need of this...


And Tak, MW2 is Activision not EA.

---------- Post added at 05:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:54 PM ----------

And since when are GameStop such angels?

Who said they were? Jack offs still charge way too much on used games and give you jack all for trade-ins. I know they have to make a profit off it, but they rig up so they almost always make at least $20 on the resale barring super-cheap oldies.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: EA: Games purchased used will cost $10 for online play

I don't see how GS screws gamers over on trade-in, especially within the last year. If you keep tabs on their site, you actually see when they've got better trade-in deals. Righ now thrigh the fifteenth they give you 30% more trade-in credit. If you trade any current system in, you get $25 bonus credit for just as long.

The GS at the Mall helped me find a copy of Monster Hunter Tri with the controller pack-in, something the GS down the street kinda screwed me on, but that was new employee error. They even hooked me up with the 500 point card I was supposed to get. I'll be able to pick it up next week.

Maybe I just have good people skills with retailers, but I don't see GS as bad just because I made some ill-timed decisions or got a bad employee every now and again.

The only thing GS really has to worry about is when consoles go fully digital download..

[Takelli]

Re: EA: Games purchased used will cost $10 for online play

And Tak, MW2 is Activision not EA.

Yes I know that. I was saying that other companies should not do it. Why the hell should a gamer get the shaft for wanting to play a used game, not wanting to pay full retail price? I hate when I buy a new game thinking it would be such a great game, only to find out its the crappiest game out there?

Also, this would really fuck up people who use gamefly as well.

[Malacite]

Re: EA: Games purchased used will cost $10 for online play

I don't see how GS screws gamers over on trade-in, especially within the last year. If you keep tabs on their site, you actually see when they've got better trade-in deals. Righ now thrigh the fifteenth they give you 30% more trade-in credit. If you trade any current system in, you get $25 bonus credit for just as long.

Star Ocean 4 brand new $70, used $5 off. Trade in value? like $30 @ best. That's how most games are, at least around here. Maybe I just have shitty luck with stores in Ottawa, idk.

[Icemage]

Re: EA: Games purchased used will cost $10 for online play

They also can't do that if you don't pre-order the game. Seriously, pre-orders have a big impact on developers. People buying a game before it's released is a huge judge, in some ways even more than sales afterward. Apart from the obvious "GameStop preorder pushing helps developers" joke here, by the time a game is available used, chances are you're not looking at much injury to the developer, unless it's a very small one, in which case the game is probably digitally distributed anyway.

I don't have any issues with GameStop's pre-ordering system (heck I pre-order most of my games through them). I just refuse to deal with used games because if I'm going to put money down on a game, I want as much of that money as possible to go to the people that made it, not the parasites and middle-men in between.

Off the cuff, I've pre-ordered all of the following games (paid in full before release date) within the last year:

Overlord II
SingStar: Queen
The Beatles: Rock Band
Guitar Hero 5
Brutal Legend
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Borderlands
Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time
LEGO Rock Band
Call of Duty : Modern Warfare 2
God of War Collection
Bayonetta
Darksiders : Wrath of War
Bioshock 2
Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2
Heavy Rain
Final Fantasy XIII
God of War III
Nier
3D Dot Game Heroes

Persona PSP
Lunar: Silver Star Harmony

Mass Effect 2


Moral of the story: I put my money where my mouth is.


Icemage

[Malacite]

Re: EA: Games purchased used will cost $10 for online play

Activision might honestly be more evil, but I don't see them giving the retailers and consumers the shaft.

Really? Really?!


$20 for a retarded flying mount in WoW.

Star Craft 2 divided into 3 separate releases at full retail of $70 each with the LE's going for $100.

No dedicated servers for PC version of MW2.

MW2 Map Pack priced @ $15, with only 3 new maps and 2 remakes.


I could go on. Kotick is the freaking Devil.


Bobby Kotick: People prefer sequels - Destructoid


Activision: People Prefer Sequels to Original IPs | Game Stooge

The Escapist : News : Game Lawyer Calls Bobby Kotick "Emperor Palpatine"


Basically people are willing to take it in the ass. Repeatedly. And many areas of their lives. So I'll end by just leaving this here;