Jimquisition: Online Passes Are Bad For Everybody

[dbphreakdb]

It's amazing that gamers are such entitled gits, really.

Entitled (verb); Give (someone) a legal right or a just claim to receive or do something.

Yep, we are entitled to buy pre-owned as it's legal.

It's not illegal. It's just not something to be proud of.

Something not to be proud of? I'm sorry, but I don't have $60 laying around every time I want a game. I have a car, have to pay gas and insurance, I also have bills... Should I be proud if I skip out on eating for a few days to afford a half-assed 4 hour campaign? I mean, I buy CD's preowned all the time and buy used movies. Artists or directors don't go around complaining constantly about that. They also don't try to screw us over by make 25 minute CD's with half the songs being intros/filler/outros. They also don't make movies that are only 45-50 minutes then released extended parts of it later for a fraction of the price.

If you can't afford the game, then don't buy the game. It's economics. Yes, I like all people wish that games were cheaper and every person could own every game. That would be a wonderful world. But it doesn't work like that, alas, economics gets in the way every time. If it's so "half-assed" that you can't stand to hand over ten dollars to the dev for making it (a fee that many times won't add up to the price of a new copy) then why are you buying it at all?

But if it is used, I can afford to buy it. Why do I not care much to hand money over to devs? Because games are lower quality than they used to be. Games on the PC especially are constantly shafted for the 360, same with single player campaigns for multiplayer. I don't feel bad at all spending half or less of the price to support a local game retail store.

That right there sir/madam, is a beautiful argument.

Noone should have to pay for crap quality gaming.

so, i say this. if you want to focus on the game companies, focus in a positive manner. Let it be known to them that if they split the game down into two seperate areas, and marketed them at a lower price, then you would buy the part of the game you liked. In exchange, they could sell it for 1/3 to 1/2 the price less, and then, the used game market wouldn't look so attractive, would it?

 

[TK421]

Because they apparently have customers willing to put up with their crap, unlike every other industry on Earth.

Unfortunately for us, sir, I believe you are right.

 

[LookingGlass]

One thing he didn't mention (that maybe someone in the 9 pages of this thread mentioned, although I didn't find it with ctrl+f) is that it also fucks with people who import games.

I imported Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit and I couldn't redeem its online pass because my account was only able to access the Australian PSN store, and not the one in Hong Kong. So I had to make a new PSN account with location Hong Kong, just so that I could play online.

That's just not friendly at all.

 

[ManInRed]

I think the idea of rewarding people who buy new games with something makes sense, but you don't want that feature to feel like part of the game their buying. Online multiplayer seems like a bad thing to do this with, even for games that have no reason to have online multiplayer.

I think players need to buy new games to support developers they like, but used games are a way to help get new players to want to support you. Still, I'm not sure an argument that claims it encourages squeals is going to be that popular. It would be better if players were more inform of the developers of games so they would be encouraged to buy games they made, but without the need for yearly repeats of the same game. Then again the second game delivering everything first game promised isn't that bad of a plan for publishers.

 

[dystopiaINC]

The problem with believing that used games are a good way for gamers to test new IPs is that publishers require the sales of the new IP to judge if a sequel is worth it. If everyone buys a new IP used, then it simply isn't going to get a sequel because the publisher doesn't consider it worthwhile since the first game just didn't sell. If someone made a great new IP, but most people bought it used because they are afraid of that fact, then there wouldn't be a chance to BUY a sequel because a sequel wouldn't happen.

EDIT: Also, why do people expect companies to trust them? Do you know the first rule of fucking business? It's that you NEVER trust your customer. When you give a customer trust, even just a little bit, then they will find ways to exploit that trust and fuck you over because of it. Not trusting your customer is good business. It isn't being a dick or being rude. Stop being entitled and expect publishers to trust you, because it isn't going to happen.

I hate the entitlement of so many gamers nowadays.

never trust your customers

Never trust the people giving you money? It's a shame your customers trust you enough to pay you.

This is why customer service is non existent these days, the old slogan "the customer is always right" has been changed to "the customer is a thief and a liar".

i like how you cut my whole post down to quite literally he last line. i made it clear in my original post why i said i don't trust customers, and it was because people were abusing our system, to tell the truth we always WANT to help the customer but they take advantage of that way to often. so like i was saying never trust them. if they can prove to you that they didn't get something or something was off by all means we will do what we can, but don't just implicitly trust them. because most of the time the customer really and honestly is not right. they either misread, misunderstand or are trying to pull a fast one on you by acting ignorant. because it has happened to us.

 

[Epona]

The problem with believing that used games are a good way for gamers to test new IPs is that publishers require the sales of the new IP to judge if a sequel is worth it. If everyone buys a new IP used, then it simply isn't going to get a sequel because the publisher doesn't consider it worthwhile since the first game just didn't sell. If someone made a great new IP, but most people bought it used because they are afraid of that fact, then there wouldn't be a chance to BUY a sequel because a sequel wouldn't happen.

EDIT: Also, why do people expect companies to trust them? Do you know the first rule of fucking business? It's that you NEVER trust your customer. When you give a customer trust, even just a little bit, then they will find ways to exploit that trust and fuck you over because of it. Not trusting your customer is good business. It isn't being a dick or being rude. Stop being entitled and expect publishers to trust you, because it isn't going to happen.

I hate the entitlement of so many gamers nowadays.

never trust your customers

Never trust the people giving you money? It's a shame your customers trust you enough to pay you.

This is why customer service is non existent these days, the old slogan "the customer is always right" has been changed to "the customer is a thief and a liar".

i like how you cut my whole post down to quite literally he last line. i made it clear in my original post why i said i don't trust customers, and it was because people were abusing our system, to tell the truth we always WANT to help the customer but they take advantage of that way to often. so like i was saying never trust them. if they can prove to you that they didn't get something or something was off by all means we will do what we can, but don't just implicitly trust them. because most of the time the customer really and honestly is not right. they either misread, misunderstand or are trying to pull a fast one on you by acting ignorant. because it has happened to us.

So you really believe that most of your customers are thieves and liars? I've worked in fast food and retail and the scammers are in the minority. Most people don't remove the pickles and then complain because they asked for extra pickles, for example.

 

[FranckN]

Loved this episode

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

I love how people are trying to paint poor people as inconsiderate, greedy consumers who want to actively screw over developers. The Republican Party would be proud.
I buy new most of the time. If I like a game enough, it goes in my collection, otherwise it gets traded in to fuel further purchases. Someone explain to me what exactly is wrong with what I'm doing?

 

[Mirrorknight]

I have bought two games used. Saint's Row 2 and Call of Duty World at War. I would have never bought them new. I actually got both through GameFly. Ended up liking them and buying them from them. Then I bought all the DLC for both. That's about 30 and 40 bucks respectively. Money THQ and EA would have never had from me if I didn't buy those games used. While I haven't bought another CoD since, I've already got Saint's Row the Third pre-ordered which would have never happened if didn't buy the second used. More and likely I'll buy all the DLC for that as well. Which means THQ probably is going to get all together 120 bucks they would have never seen from me otherwise if I hadn't been able to buy Saint's Row 2 used.

So screw online passes.

I commend your exceptionalism.

As that is apparently not a real word, i will point out to you that the root of it is exceptional, which the root of that is exception.

As in, the exception rather than the rule.

You are indeed a new convert from a used game, and that is to be commended. The crux of the ordeal is that the margins for used to new conversions are very load. Most people who buy used, stay used.

I would like to see the figures and charts and facts that you used to come to that declaration. Not being a smart ass. If you actually have some sort of research you can provide that points to that being true, I'd really would like to see it.

 

[soulsabr]

I boycotted EA at about the release time of DeadSpace. I have yet to regret my decision based on their actions.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

I'd like to nominate Jim Sterling as the official truth speaker for this site. He's a voice of reason in sea of pretension and sycophancy.

 

[cookyy2k]

How is it that someone like me who makes $6.00 per hour can still buy new games and collectors editions of various games (most recent collectors editions were Disgaea 4 and Space Marine). Do you want to know the last time I bought a used game. I have no clue, maybe last generation or the one before.

If you choose to buy new then fine, I however choose not to as pre-owned is cheaper. Just because I can afford new doesn't mean I should have to buy new or that I'm going to. It's not just the can't afford argument it's lots of various factors, oh and not wanting to pay twice for something, that's always nice.

 

[Versuvius]

I'm not too sure what peoples arguments are when it comes to game pricing. The US pays 60 dollah per new title, the UK pays 50 quid pew new PS3 title (Less for PC, dont know about xbox). They are still unreasonable. Anyone who says "Well a third world country pays 100 dollars per game!" is missing the fucking point. That is also unreasonable; but just because your prices are MORE UNREASONABLE doesn't mean anything cheaper is automatically an unreasonable issue to complain about. What it implies is that people can only complain if they live in a third world country, who cares if business is screwing them over? That is a silly stance to take, you should be agreeing with us, like we would agree that the pricing in some countries is EVEN WORSE, which again i point out, doesn't make the fact 50 quid for an 8 hour triple A title is far too fucking much (Unless it's Skyrim, i'd pay a kidney for skyrim)

 

[cookyy2k]

How is it that someone like me who makes $6.00 per hour can still buy new games and collectors editions of various games (most recent collectors editions were Disgaea 4 and Space Marine). Do you want to know the last time I bought a used game. I have no clue, maybe last generation or the one before.

If you choose to buy new then fine, I however choose not to as pre-owned is cheaper. Just because I can afford new doesn't mean I should have to buy new or that I'm going to. It's not just the can't afford argument it's lots of various factors, oh and not wanting to pay twice for something, that's always nice.

From what I remember, I was burned badly by used games so problems like that will affect my purchases and since games are disk based chances are I will get some disk that will be so scratched up that it can not be played (like a copy of Spawn on the PSX I got from Funco Land). Because of tha, for security sake, I only get new.

Ah, I've never had such problems. My local game retailer always sticks it's pre-owned games through a resurface cycle while you wait and then they give you chance to look at the disk and make sure you're happy, plus you get a 30 day warranty.I know people who've been stung by different retailers though so I suppose it's hit and miss. As I posted earlier though £20 for 3 games is more attractive than £60 for 1.

 

[ecoho]

I like how Mass Effect 2 handled used games. Hate how THQ and EA do

EA published Mass Effect 2.

true but they had a different and in the end much better system with the Cerberus network.

 

[BanicRhys]

The one thing I got out of this episode was that I accepted that I'm going to end up poor, ugly and alone once I move out.

 

[Corsion]

I'm not too sure what peoples arguments are when it comes to game pricing. The US pays 60 dollah per new title, the UK pays 50 quid pew new PS3 title (Less for PC, dont know about xbox). They are still unreasonable. Anyone who says "Well a third world country pays 100 dollars per game!" is missing the fucking point. That is also unreasonable; but just because your prices are MORE UNREASONABLE doesn't mean anything cheaper is automatically an unreasonable issue to complain about. What it implies is that people can only complain if they live in a third world country, who cares if business is screwing them over? That is a silly stance to take, you should be agreeing with us, like we would agree that the pricing in some countries is EVEN WORSE, which again i point out, doesn't make the fact 50 quid for an 8 hour triple A title is far too fucking much (Unless it's Skyrim, i'd pay a kidney for skyrim)

I think the argument is that if we're paying more for the game then things like online passes are even more annoying.
To buy a game, I either save for a month or spend half of my paycheck on it. Not exactly a good idea when you have bills to pay and can barely get yourself essentials.