140°

Ownership or Lack Thereof in the Digital Age: The Truth About Digital Downloads

Do you really "own" the games you download from digital stores like Steam, the Playstation Store, and so forth? GP Editor Marcus Estrada examines the conditions that every user agrees to when buying digital games and discusses what they should know about it.

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gamepodunk.com
skyfire22614371d ago

You don't own the games you buy in a brick and mortar either.

All we are (and have ever done technically) buying is the right to use/play the game.

I would rather pay less with Digital Distribution and keep a game forever on my hdd than pay more, play the game and pawn it back for some store credit.

knifefight4371d ago

RE: "I would rather pay less with Digital Distribution and keep a game forever on my hdd than pay more, play the game and pawn it back for some store credit."

^ You know there's nothing requiring you to trade it in, right? I ask because you speak as if you *have* to. I mean, you *can* if you want to, but it's not like you *must*.

Firebird3604370d ago

How do we not own physical games bought from brick and mortar stores? Your comment makes no sense, I have all my games physically in hand and I can do whatever I please with them. How do I not own them? I can lend them out, sell them, trade them, whatever I choose to do I can, because I physically own them. Games on your hdd you do not own and the rights to use them can be taken away at any time. Not possible with physical media.

ACEMANWISE4370d ago

What he is saying is that we don't own the game itself, just the license. It has always been this way but many consumers in the physical age never noticed the difference...on consoles at least.

Developers have been going after used game retailers for years. In the developer's eyes the used game retailer and the used game buyer are pirates. However, the law stated this was not so. I'll tell you why in a minute.

The data doesn't belong to you. The physical disk does. This physical property allows two things to occur:

1) Possession
2) Ageing

Possession is 9/10ths of the law and it has become the developer's fault for handing the actual game code to consumers. If they wished to make the license enforceable then they needed to find a way to give consumers just the license and not the game code itself. The only way to do that is to take away the disk and sell it in a digital format.

By taking away the disk, the game code becomes an ageless format. Anything ageless will always be considered in new condition. That fact alone will prevent used game retailers from selling used titles. By taking possession away from the consumer they prevent the used game buyer and, at the same time, they can enforce their "license" without giving you the game code.

The article fails to mention PSN so I'll add that tidbit here:

"Use of the terms "own," "ownership", "purchase," "sale," "sold," "sell," "rent" or "buy" on or in connection with SEN First Party Services shall not mean or imply any transfer of ownership of any content, data or software or any intellectual property rights therein from SNEI or its licensors to any user or third party."

Hicken4370d ago

Oh? I'd like to see Sony revoke my right to play my copy of Legend of Dragoon. Or Nintendo stop me from playing Donkey Kong Country.

Until this generation, very few console games had no EULA you had to agree to before you could play. And even now, that's limited almost entirely to games with online components.

Just to be on the safe side, I'm gonna go read through the manual that came with Breath of Fire III when I bought it... and there's nothing. Front Mission 3 was nearby, though, so I took a look at it. This is what it says, word for word:

This manual ad the software described in this manual are copyrighted. All right in the manual and the software are reserved. No part of this manual or the described software may be copied, reproduced, translated, or reduced to any electronic medium or machine-readable form without the prior written consent of SQEA. The described software may not be reversed engineered, decompiled or otherwise disassembled.

The typo in "reversed engineered" is as written, and I'm pretty sure I broke the law just typing it up. But that's the extent of the rights Square(now Square Enix) has regarding my copy of Front Mission 3: I can't copy it.

But ownership? Still mine. Playability? Still mine. Square(Enix) can do nothing to stop me from playing FM3, so long as I don't violate the copyright.

If it were a digital game, they could revoke my right to play whenever they liked. That's a pretty big difference.

It's a difference anybody with good sense would recognize, and instantly dislike.

Yet there are too many people that are too happy to give up their rights because "Digital is the future." Please. I'll stay in the past, if that's the case.

KYU21304370d ago

When it comes down to it we will never own digital distribution purchases in the console market until they create a way for you to transfer/backup your download off of the main system. as it stands right now if you change out your hard drive in a console and the provider just so happen to pull a game or piece of media off of their servers then you not only lose your money you loose your game as well.

DD is just a way for providers to say give me your money and ill let you borrow the game..cuz eventually you'l get tired of playing it or move on to another game and delete it off your drive to get more space and we will have your money and you'll have nothing.

while if your buying hard media, all you need is a working console and the disc.

ACEMANWISE4370d ago

Well said. I can say from experience on the PS3 that the backups will not allow copyrighted content. Now, using common sense, that's everything you wanted to backup in the first place. They even consider game saves copyrighted.

I've tried the backup and the old PS3/new PS3 transfer using a link cable. Here's what I've found. The PS3 backs up the copyrighted games and saves in a deactivated form, meaning it's all useless without server reactivation. So, you can restore your backups as long as the PSN service is still around AND they still have the game on the store.

70°

Why Are Steam's Recommendations Dogpoop?

Blindfolding myself and clicking a Steam page at random would serve me better recommendations than Steam’s algorithm

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thegamer.com
UltimateOwnage14d ago

Hmm, not sure I agree with that. The recommendations I get are usually pretty good, but then again I have pretty large library of games on Steam and hundreds of them in my wish list, along with lots of curators I follow for it to build recommendations off of. On occasion it will throw me a random FIFA game or something I've never bought or shown interest in, but mostly its decent IMO.

80°

5 Best Metroidvania Games on Steam (March 2024)

Dive into the best Metroidvania games on Steam, from hidden gems to top-rated classics, and embark on unforgettable adventures!

jznrpg24d ago

Skul is a metroidvania ? It’s on PS+ soon I’ll check it out. If it’s good I’ll buy a copy physically if they have one

Nacho_Z24d ago

If Pseudoregalia is one of the best I'd hate to see what the worst look like.

330°

Dragon’s Dogma 2 releases to mixed user reviews, as microtransactions criticised

Players can pay to edit their character, resurrect the dead and other actions.

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videogameschronicle.com
AdonisIsBeast32d ago

Who cares as long as it’s optional

phoenixwing32d ago

paying to edit your character is kind of crap as far as microtransactions go

Xristo32d ago (Edited 32d ago )

I hate any/all MTX in a paid game (especially a full-price game)... but know that you can spend in-game currency (RC), which you get from killing mobs, to completely remake your character.

phoenixwing32d ago

@xRisto how much did it change the gameplay though? Changing your character would have probably not cost any rc if they weren't hellbent on getting money by making it inconvenient

koga8832d ago

You can literally edit your character using in-game gold, dropped from monsters or obtained from selling items, as soon as you reach the first main town. You can even use Rift Crystals obtained from other people using your pawn or dropped from monsters to change your entire character or Pawn. It's paying to avoid doing something that is literally in the game.

PRIMORDUS32d ago

They are lucky there using Denuvo or their game and all future DLC etc. would be for free. 🤣

phoenixwing32d ago

@koga you completely missed the point i was making but go ahead and act like i'm being the wrong one

lucian22931d ago

you can pay ingame currency though; why are ya so derp

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 31d ago
Crows9032d ago (Edited 32d ago )

Capcom cares quite a bit....hence why it was kept from reviewers and initial impressions.

As far as optional...yeah...ALL mtx are optional. That's not the problem. The miss the mark entirely.

Heck buying the game is "optional" too.

The fact that they were hiding this is scummy as hell. I was going to buy this day 1 or day 3. Now I'm reconsidering the purchase entirely because as the reviews point out...there are certain design decisions which have not changed but funnily enough seem to be remedied by these mtx...

In other words they may have left certain features in the game in order to monetize them. So the mtx affected the development of the game in a negative way.

garos8232d ago

I'm certainly not buying it anymore. It has affected at least one sale from me. I'll pick it up second hand

peppeaccardo32d ago

Very close to buy the game at a discounted price but not anymore.
Bad business practice and hence they do not get my support/money !

warriorcase32d ago

It wasn't kept fromreviewers s though. Twitter reviewers are saying there was mention of mtx's in the reviewers guide

-Foxtrot32d ago (Edited 32d ago )

STOP. USING. THAT. SHITTY. EXCUSE

God damn man

Look how DLC changed after Oblivions horse armour, within 10 years most developers took the absolute p***. What was said then aswell? “It’s only optional who cares?” Now look where we all are.

There’s no half measures with these things, when will people realise this.

jwillj2k432d ago (Edited 32d ago )

Oh it’s gonna get worse. Ng+ locked behind mtx, “cool downs” preventing you from playing for more than 3 hours at a time unless u pay the mtx for unlimited access, main campaign bosses, in-game music, certain dialog, difficulty modes, certain npc interactions, all locked behind mtx, etc.. etc. gonna end up being like the NBA 2k games eventually paying for cross overs and shit… They gon get mid-evil on our asses.

OMGitzThatGuy32d ago

I can guarantee most of the items you can buy with mtx and ingame currency wouldn’t exist in ANY paid form if the main goal wasn't monetization. If the goal is to give idiots who are willing to pay for basic game features as mtx a way to do things faster then the only ones the mtx hurt are the non paying players as you are now locking features behind a grind that you chose to put in the game that you are essentially admitting to creating some type of time sink. I have never heard of a game locking basic character editing behind a ingame paywall, it’s usually just an option.

Chard32d ago

Takes two to tango though - unfortunately people buy this garbage which incentivises the behaviour. It's an inevitable outcome of the profit motive

thorstein32d ago

@Mario

Yes. And so are resurrection "Wakestones." You can find them but they're rare.

victorMaje32d ago

Buying the game is now very optional too. If you don’t know why then you don’t get it.

shinoff218332d ago

Because it's only a door way. That's why we care. We've already seen some shit since Mtx was introduced.

Rimeskeem32d ago

1. DD2 is an ARPG with 8 different playable classes
2. There is no multiplayer aspect to the game
3. You can only have one character (have to pay for more)
4. You cannot delete the character unless you go into the game files
5. The game is $70 dollars upfront

Having to pay for more character slots in a game that *features* 8 playable classes is pretty much not optional for an ARPG.

Angyobangyo32d ago

Judging from steam reviews, gamers care. Not plastic gamers. Why didn’t Itsuno mention such MTX would be available in-game? Why weren’t the MTXs there for review copies?

Kiryu199232d ago

Who cares is how all this started. The many many excuses. Please keep defending these greedy publishers and unfair tactics. We be gamers are the problem

Horse armor

$10 online passes if buying a used copy

Cheat codes gone and are replaced by micro transactions

Unlocking stuff by playing games behind micro transactions and XP boosters

It’s only cosmetic

No one is being forced to spend even though publishers are literally making their games more grindy to force people to play

Full priced games have mobile game type micro transactions

$70 priced games because higher development costs while making record profits and laying off record number of employees

And to play the game early pay us extra $20-30 on top of full price

Release games now and promise to maybe fix them later only to abandon the game

Day one patches that make the games worst

If it’s your favorite game defend the publisher if it’s not hate on another publisher for similar content

SixFrvgz31d ago Show
+ Show (8) more repliesLast reply 31d ago
kenpachi32d ago

Must have picked up some EA crew to put this in the game

robtion32d ago

Yeah these are really bad ones. Directly impacting gameplay too. Super scummy move. I hope nobody buys them.

CrimsonWing6932d ago

Yet Helldivers 2 gets a pass? Y’know a GotY contender by the name of RE4 had them and so does Devil May Cry V. The funny thing is I enjoyed both of those games thoroughly without having to buy a single microtransaction.

What I do consider a valid complaint is not being able to start a new game or being able to edit your character. That’s kind of a seriously baffling decision, but then I think how I played Dragon’s Dogma 1 and I never edited my character and I just did a 100% playthrough on a single file and didn’t start a NG since. So, I don’t think these are really going to impact me, but I can see how it will others.

Crows9032d ago

Helldivers 2 is a live service game where everything is obtainable in game with incredible ease.

Not sure about re4 or DMC but nobody is giving anyone a pass ...this article is about dragons dogma 2...not those games.

What is valid are in game features made to supposedly force you to think carefully only to have a surprise online store offer solutions to built in problems for more money.

Goosejuice32d ago

Those same things they are selling can be found Ingame as well. U can buy the character editor through merchants with gold. Don't get me wrong..I dislike these mtx they are doing but you don't need to buy them to be able to get them.

CrimsonWing6932d ago (Edited 32d ago )

Oh my bad, I can’t bring up games with microtransactions that nobody had a sh*t fit over. My mistake.

I love how people move the goalpost.

Crows9032d ago

@goose
@crimson

All mtx sucks. I'd rather helldiver's not have them because it makes me wonder if the rate at which you collect materials. That said. The games features are all fully enjoyable and aren't affected by the mtx.

That's not the case with dragons dogma 2...they left in place features that are supposedly part of the challenge of the game only to let you buy your way out very conveniently. I didn't look through all of them but I've heard some are rare but can be purchased with more money now. Even more so in a game about managing weight load there's a tent, I believe, that you can pay more money for that weighs less than your typical tent...not all sure on all the mtx and I'm aware that you can purchase many through in game vendor but they're incredibly useful mtx that are obtained much more slowly in game...or even a limited amount of them.

Instead is selling fast travel...just let us don't for free....or instead of selling cosmetic changes...how about letting us do it for free...

Nothing in helldivers comes close to this abomination

Angyobangyo32d ago

One is a single player game and one is a live service game. One is $40 vs$70. And most importantly, one game is there to spread democracy.

Ironmike31d ago

It's not incredibly easy for certain things in helldivers though u still have grind quite bit but u ate correct in saying u can eventually get enough medals to purchase stuff

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 31d ago
Moegooner32d ago

Read your comment again and maybe, just maybe you might realise how dumb it was.

CrimsonWing6932d ago (Edited 32d ago )

What was dumb about it? That I pointed out the hypocrisy?

garos8232d ago

It was extremely scummy that capcom hid this from reviewers. I have no doubt this game is good but these type of microtransactions don't sit well with me. They've lost a sale from me

Lionsguard32d ago

I was going to pay full price to support this game because I've been waiting for it for forever but I think I'll wait until I get it for free from Epic or a Humblebundle monthly.

Redemption-6432d ago

I am not defending Capcom, as I am not a fan of MTX in single player games. I do however belive they were open to reviewers about having MTX in their game. The reviewers just decided to leave that part out. Which is very disingenuous. There are some companies that get away with these things. Image if this was done by EA, Ubisoft, or even Activision? I am positive those defending Capcom, would have had their pitchforks ready if the companies listed above did this

anast32d ago

That's why reviewers can't be trusted. In fact, they are not reviewers at all. They get free codes to talk about stuff they don't understand nor care about.

Sanctusone32d ago

I mean it was pretty obvious to anyone with eyes...one of the items you get from deluxe edition was in game items.
1500 Rift Crystals - Points to Spend Beyond the Rift (A)
Which honestly I figured they kept a similar mtx system like DMC5 and the optional red orbs.

Lionsguard32d ago

1500 Rift Crystals doesn't mean anything. The first game had Rift crystals too, you just earned them by people hiring your Pawn and you get it from certain quests.

anast31d ago (Edited 31d ago )

A reviewer's job is to point out the obvious of a product as though they were the consumer. This means reviewers, to do their actual job, would need to review the complete game: the edition they are reviewing, how they got the game, technical aspects, story, and monetization scheme. Since, it is obvious that MT's are a part of the game, it would need to be reviewed. This way people can be informed, so they can decide if they want to play this style of game/monetization scheme.

For example, AC Origins was bad with Mt's. I had to farm side missions or pay to advance the story. This was after I already did close to 25 or more side missions. While I was grinding there were constant reminders that I could pay to ease the grind. I would have never bought the game if it were reviewed properly.

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