EA Does it Again

[TPiddy]

So, Just dropped my money for EA Sports' NHL 11 last night... lo and behold, there is an online activation code on the back of the manual. Seems like if you buy the game used you are locked out of online play.

Why do publishers have to be restrictive instead of rewarding? At least with Bioware, if you bought new you just got more stuff, DLC you would have had to pay for, maps, etc.... People should be rewarded for buying new, not punished for buying used.

 

[Jezzascmezza]

Well, the answer's simple.
They just want more money.

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

I agree. Locking the online is a bad move in EAs current reform to surprisingly good moves.

The online locking is only sports titles I think.

I could be wrong.

But the other stuff for rewarding new buyers with free DLC is excellent.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

Well, the answer's simple.
They just want more money.

I'm calling /thread.

Yes, it's not like they have enough money after all...

 

[Uber Waddles]

They have been talking about doing this for quite a few months now, so Im not really suprised.

You see, while EA and other Triple A publishers are making fairly large profits, they seem irked by used games sales. Thats money THEY could be having, but currently arent.

To make up for that, they're going to start charging people who buy used money to access features, so its not a complete waste of money. Completely neglecting the fact that its not only annoying to the consumer, a bad business strategy, and a waste of time, effort, and space (on both the consumer and developers part).

TLR version: Triple A Publishers want more money, cause +25% profits every quarter isnt enough.

... to be fair, thats usually Nintendo who boasts +25% increases... STILL

 

[TheComedown]

Why do publishers have to be restrictive instead of rewarding? At least with Bioware, if you bought new you just got more stuff, DLC you would have had to pay for, maps, etc.... People should be rewarded for buying new, not punished for buying used.

How is that different? Bioware doesn't do multiplayer (not including that mmo thing) so they don't have multiplayer to use as incentive to buy new. You say Bioware is doing the right thing when its almost identical to EAs plan, I really don't see the harm in this. Buying second hand the developers don't see the money,some of that money is used to maintain servers etc, if you buy used really you aren't helping maintain the servers you will be using when you think about it its really not that big a deal, want the feature buy new, if you don't care, don't.

 

[icyneesan]

Hasn't EA been doing this years now?

 

[TPiddy]

I thought they had a tool to erase a Serial Code of your account, so if you sell it, someone else could re use it. Too bad.

 

[Keava]

Because they can. It's their right, and frankly i support it. Ignoring everything else, why do people that buy used games feel like they deserve to be treated like any other customer when they don't want to give their money to the publisher/developer? Go complain to those you buy used games from.

 

[infinity_turtles]

Because when you buy a used game, they don't get money otherwise? More so, they are the ones maintaining the servers, which costs money, so not getting to play on them without giving any money to the publishers/developers makes sense.(The servers are crap, sure, but that's a different issue) At least they're not asking for a subscription for online play.

 

[Claptrap]

It's because EA are greedy fucks, Even though they allready have a ton of money.

 

[TPiddy]

Could you just imagine if other used markets started doing this? Used cars? used furniture? It's crazy. I understand that Gamestop and EB Games with their $5 less than new used game racket are the real problem here, but you know what? There are other better ways to deal with this. Digital Distribution, mail orders, big retailers like Future Shop and Best Buy who aren't really out to fuck the distributor, etc. Just stop shipping your games to EB and see what happens. Or ship less copies. No, instead they take it out on the consumer.

 

[Keava]

It's because EA are greedy fucks, Even though they allready have a ton of money.

Tell me how is it greedy to want people to buy your product from you? o.o

Imagine a situation where you are carving a little figurines out of wood. You sell them for 5$. Now next to you another guy sets up his store, he buys off the figurines others bought from you but don't want them any more for 2$ and re-sells them for 4$, cutting your revenue by a noticeable margin.

Im sure you would be mighty happy about it and congratulate that guy for his marketing sense and brilliance in setting up successful business.

Could you just imagine if other used markets started doing this? Used cars? used furniture? It's crazy. I understand that Gamestop and EB Games with their $5 less than new used game racket are the real problem here, but you know what? There are other better ways to deal with this. Digital Distribution, mail orders, big retailers like Future Shop and Best Buy who aren't really out to fuck the distributor, etc. Just stop shipping your games to EB and see what happens. Or ship less copies. No, instead they take it out on the consumer.

Oh but they do use this. For ages. When you buy used toaster or car you are most likely not eligible for additional service from the producer like warranty for example. Sure you can probably buy something used that still has it's warranty valid, but so there is a slight chance you might buy a used game the previous owner haven't use the code for.

 

[TPiddy]

Because when you buy a used game, they don't get money otherwise? More so, they are the ones maintaining the servers, which costs money, so not getting to play on them without giving any money to the publishers/developers makes sense.(The servers are crap, sure, but that's a different issue) At least they're not asking for a subscription for online play.

Yeah, they don't maintain servers at all... it's peer to peer. They maintain some for stats tracking and the like, but they have plenty of DLC options for additional revenue streams. They're effectively shutting out the people who buy used from even accessing or needing some of their DLC, cutting off their own customer base.

 

[Feriluce]

They simply want some money from the used games industry, which is, in effect, legal piracy. In fact its usually worse than piracy, seeing as if you buy a used game you're very unlikely to later buy a new version of said game.

Yeah, they don't maintain servers at all... it's peer to peer. They maintain some for stats tracking and the like, but they have plenty of DLC options for additional revenue streams. They're effectively shutting out the people who buy used from even accessing or needing some of their DLC, cutting off their own customer base.

But its not their customer base. They've never seen a cent from the people who buy used games. Calling them a customer of EA would be a very long stretch.

 

[jasoncyrus]

I dont see why peple are supporting this war against used games. It's no different from buying a car from a used lot. The latest critical miss explains it perfectly.

They simply want some money from the used games industry, which is, in effect, legal piracy. In fact its usually worse than piracy, seeing as if you buy a used game you're very unlikely to later buy a new version of said game.

Yeah, they don't maintain servers at all... it's peer to peer. They maintain some for stats tracking and the like, but they have plenty of DLC options for additional revenue streams. They're effectively shutting out the people who buy used from even accessing or needing some of their DLC, cutting off their own customer base.

But its not their customer base. They've never seen a cent from the people who buy used games. Calling them a customer of EA would be a very long stretch.

So buying a ford used is piracy? So buying a non new build house is piracy? So buying a used cd is piracy? So buying a 50 yo malt whiskey from auction is piracy?

buying used is not piracy, its common occurance everywhere. People like this need to get their facts straight and stop letting the media brainwash them -.-

 

[SNIPERFOX ft. Harry P.Ness]

hope they dont do that with batllefild games. atleast it wont work for the pc because.. why buy used PC games?