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#Gaming

Edited by SquirrellyOtter: 6/7/2013 4:57:52 PM
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In Defense of Everything You Hate

This post addresses everything from used game fees, to DRM, to always online, pretty much everything that people are currently hating on about the direction of the electronic entertainment industry. Trigger warning: It's a long read, and I agree with everything the industry is doing. When you buy a game, you’re not buying a physical object, you’re not buying an item with a measurable depreciation value. When you buy a game, you’re buying an interactive experience. Many aspects of that interactive experience will be unchanged over the course of years, such as the physics sandbox and the singleplayer modes. Unlike physical objects that experience a deterioration in quality over time, the quality of a game remains the same so long as the medium in which it is stored remains in good condition. The cost of bringing a video game experience to Consumer A is identical to the cost of bringing that identical experience to Consumer B. So why should Consumer B pay less because he bought it “used” from Consumer A? In what measurable way did Consumer B have a lesser experience playing his game used compared to Consumer A buying it new? What degradation in quality of experience did Consumer B have that would justify a price drop, that would justify denying proper financial restitution to the creators of the experience? Sure you can get tired of games; sure you can abandon old games for newer, shinier, sexier games. But does that make the old game lose actual (not subjective/emotional) value? All games will experience the point when they are no longer the cutting edge in technology, when they are no longer mainstream, and the playerbase dwindles into tiny cult followings. But does the passage of time make the experience of the game measurably lower in quality compared to its quality on release? I say no. You say no every time you fire up an old game instead of a new one. And now for the first time, the industry is saying no. And we're right to say no. We have to treat the gaming industry differently than other industries because it is inherently different. The top of the industry, the console makers and developers, are realizing this, and shifting their strategies accordingly. And they are right. Developers who own their IP, their interactive experience, have a right to make money selling access to that experience. People who don’t pay, shouldn’t have access to that experience. So why are you complaining about DRM? If you buy your games legally, it's not a problem. If you don't get your games legally, get your priorities straight because you paid a few hundred dollars for a console, and you pay for internet, and you probably pay for a lot of other things, so pony up like the rest of us or you don't get to enjoy, boo freaking hoo, cry me a river, build me a bridge and get the hell over it. Again, developers have the right to make money creating and sharing their experiences. People who don't pay, shouldn't play. Why are you complaining about "used game fees"? The game isn't really "used" like you buy a car used, or a house used. Why are you complaining about "always-online"? You're online playing with friends all the time anyway. It's not going to inconvenience or affect your life in any way that it isn't already. So suck it up. All the industry is doing is making sure everyone plays by the same rules. If you've got a problem with that, you're part of the problem as to why the industry has to do this in the first place.

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  • [quote]When you buy a game, you’re not buying a physical object, you’re not buying an item with a measurable depreciation value. When you buy a game, you’re buying an interactive experience. Many aspects of that interactive experience will be unchanged over the course of years, such as the physics sandbox and the singleplayer modes. Unlike physical objects that experience a deterioration in quality over time, the quality of a game remains the same so long as the medium in which it is stored remains in good condition. [/quote]So if i go into my local game store, I should expect to be able to buy Halo CE for $60? No, games devalue like everything else (you could argue they devalue faster because of the industry works), and this is especially true for physical copies because, you know, they're not immune to the effects of time/wear and tear. [quote]The cost of bringing a video game experience to Consumer A is identical to the cost of bringing that identical experience to Consumer B. So why should Consumer B pay less because he bought it “used” from Consumer A? In what measurable way did Consumer B have a lesser experience playing his game used compared to Consumer A buying it new? What degradation in quality of experience did Consumer B have that would justify a price drop, that would justify denying proper financial restitution to the creators of the experience?[/quote] It's this little thing I somewhat mentioned above called depreciation, you should learn what it is. [quote]Sure you can get tired of games; sure you can abandon old games for newer, shinier, sexier games. But does that make the old game lose actual (not subjective/emotional) value? All games will experience the point when they are no longer the cutting edge in technology, when they are no longer mainstream, and the playerbase dwindles into tiny cult followings. But does the passage of time make the experience of the game measurably lower in quality compared to its quality on release?[/quote]Again, games are not immune to depreciation. [quote]I say no. You say no every time you fire up an old game instead of a new one. And now for the first time, the industry is saying no. And we're right to say no.[/quote] I say yes, because the game industry is not immune to depreciation, I don't know why people suddenly think this way. [quote]We have to treat the gaming industry differently than other industries because it is inherently different. The top of the industry, the console makers and developers, are realizing this, and shifting their strategies accordingly. And they are right. Developers who own their IP, their interactive experience, have a right to make money selling access to that experience. People who don’t pay, shouldn’t have access to that experience. [/quote] Why? what is it that makes the game industry so radically different from every other industry that it is suddenly immune to even the most basic effects of economics? is it because M$ told you so? is it because the AAA side of things has such a monopoly that people just roll with it? why? [quote]So why are you complaining about DRM? If you buy your games legally, it's not a problem.[/quote] "If you're not a criminal you have nothing to hide" Please keep your big brother mentality away from us, we consumers have this little thing called rights, they're kinda important. [quote] If you don't get your games legally[/quote] used games are legal, try again. [quote]*A whole lot of insults*[/quote]Cool. [quote] Again, developers have the right to make money creating and sharing their experiences.[/quote]I'm going to stop right here and go on a slight tangent: If used games really are loosing them that much money, then why don't they do something about gamestop? why don't they force them to sell new games more aggressively?, why don't they threaten to stop doing business with them?, why don't they just sell their own games directly, be it brick and mortar shops or digital distribution? Well, there are two possible answers to that: 1. They are honest to god trying to shove a square peg in a round hole, in which case they need to change their business strategy and adapt to the changing times(maybe by doing what i listed above) 2. They're lying and trying to nickel and dime us, in which case they can go -blam!- themselves with Echidna >.> [quote]Why are you complaining about "used game fees"? The game isn't really "used" like you buy a car used, or a house used.[/quote] Once again, games are not magically exempt from depreciation. [quote] Why are you complaining about "always-online"? You're online playing with friends all the time anyway. It's not going to inconvenience or affect your life in any way that it isn't already.[/quote] Now we're not, not everyone uses online all the time, millions of people who own a 360 don't even have gold, yet alone online; and you're completly ignoring the concept of single player games. Let me ask you this, as a consumer, how does 'almost always online' benefit you? (remember that there is no such thing as the mythical "cloud gaming will revolutionize everything" that people are suddenly talking about) I'll answer that, it doesn't. [quote] So suck it up. [/quote] I'd really rather not. [quote]All the industry is doing is making sure everyone plays by the same rules.[/quote] No, they're really not. [quote] If you've got a problem with that, you're part of the problem as to why the industry has to do this in the first place.[/quote] Pot. Kettle. Black.

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