Yeah, but it shouldn't be. Once a product is put together, nothing should stop its continued sale. I can understand not being able to add anything new to it, but that's all.
I'm shocked! This adds to my long list of reasons why I hate current digital games implementations. They should be patching the game to remove unliscenced songs and keep it as a download option for completed purchases and simply remove option to buy. The day videogames go 100 % digital will be the day I stop buying games.
It's also an issue with movie streaming. They lose the right to a song and then it gets swapped for something else. If that ever happens with physical copies, you can always buy a used copy. If it happens with a streaming only film then the only way to get the original version would be to pirate it.
If you'd have read the article they are removing it from sale, they are not removing it from the Xbox service. Basically if you've bought it you will always be able to download it again.
Perhaps in the future read an article before commenting on it, just saying.
If you own it you can still download it after the date. With the original music etc, nothing patched. It’s just you cant BUY it digitally after that date.
Along with all the dlc... Its just not available for sale. Physical discs wont be manufactured further... The problem with existing physical copies on shelves is you will only get the game... No DLC or additional cars which is worse unless there is a complete edition.
Do you not think this is more likely minor teething issues while the industry as a whole move towards a digital distribution method? It's not like movies/TV get removed due to licensing issues. This will be a non issue in 1-2 years time, as most licensing contracts will take into account the changing dynamics in the video game industry.
I wouldn't count on licensing issues going away in 1-2 years. They've been an issue in movies for decades now. Not that it won't get remedied at some point, but 1-2 years is being generous.
The reason most of these games do licensing like this is because its cheaper to use such things for a shorter period of time. If its longer, you have to pay more, and possibly pay royalties after initial printings.
Movie/TV are a different animal, they can be streamed and run on basically any device. This particular problem may be a teething issue, but there could be many similar problems with digital-only that we haven't even faced yet.
Hell there are already problems I can foresee. Price control being one of them. Movies make most of their money from theaters, after that people rent/pirate/stream whatever they want so no one complains. They don't try to make money from movies 5 years after releasing. With games digital only means publishers can keep the game at a steady price for years and years. There are 5 year old games on the xbox store for $50, that I can buy physically for $10 at any time.
The OPTION to have a digital library great, but forcing it down our throats is not. Not saying digital-only won't happen, just saying this is why I'm against it.
If you bought the game physically then you have no problem, if you have the game digitally then you have no problem. You can still download and play as usual, you just wont be able to buy it digitally. They are even give the game away free for gold members. The only people this affects are people who decide that they want to buy the game digitally 4 years later, and that is the fault of the person, not because the game is digital.
... except they could force an update on your existing game that removes content, like they did with GTA4 a while ago, where they ripped out a whole bunch of songs...
How is this different to physical media? If you purchased it previously you can still download it until Live is shut down. You definitely won't be able to find a new copy (physical) of this game. It is weird for a first party game to be taken off the owners purchase platform for sure
Love whenever you bring this up as an issue for an "all digital future" there's never really a counter argument, they just give you disagrees like it'll matter.
All those people fussing about preserving gaming history I suppose. Been kind of a hot topic the past week or so. Otherwise, on a game like this, which sees yearly or bi-yearly releases, it's probably not that big of a deal since people move on. However, there could be other games which do this which may not fall into that category, and people may want to play them further down the line. Like recently, I got the new Mirrors Edge for $5, so it would suck if it had to be removed before I decided to get it to try it out.
@Jinger
I'm sure that FH2 would be easily found 2nd hand. Its a good game,but that doesn't really matter in the 2nd hand market for 99.9% of the games out there. It's and older title, and is a bi-annual release. Games like that tend to be in the bargain bin at gamestop. It's currently $25 used at GameStop, and when the next one comes out, and with it now being free for XBL owners, it'll like go down even more.
Really... You say this as an issue. I own this game digitally. Tell me what are the problems that i will be facing in after two months.
My friend owns a physical copy of base game. What are the problems he's going to face in two months? I have down voted you as you say this as an issue. I will tell my reasons for down voting if you can explain in detail what that or those issues id experience.
"Really... You say this as an issue. I own this game digitally. Tell me what are the problems that i will be facing in after two months." It's a problem even if you won't be facing it personally. Do you own every game that has released 4 year ago? What if it happens to every other game from the past, soon enough you might want an old game that you can't buy anymore.
"My friend owns a physical copy of base game. What are the problems he's going to face in two months? " That's because we are not in a digital-only future yet lol, you just proved the point. If we went all digital 4 years ago no one would be able to buy the base game in two months. Prime opportunity for the publisher to re-release it in some "complete edition" and charge full price again. Do you not see the problem with that?
It's an issue. That doesn't mean the sky is falling. Customers rightly don't trust cooperate enitities to have their best interests at heart. What do these companies what the all digital future to be? Do they want people freely using the products they buy or would they rether restrict usage to create demand? Remmeber how Disney would only have limited runs of their VHS/DVD movies so that their would be months or even years between when you could buy The Loin King or Aladin or whatever? There's reason behind peoples concerns, they're not just screaming fire in a movie theater because we saw a Bic lighter. They're saying they don't trust, which is reasonable.
Litrally no such thing as legacy with Xbox. At least with Sony and Nintendo they're proud of their back library and their value. Imagine if Sony said you'd never be able to buy infamous again. Unthinkable.
I don't understand this. Why make it unavailable to buy? Normal companies don't do this. This isn't a thing.
Welcome to digital only for those of you pushing so hard that's what physical media is and will always be king
Here's bright shiny digital future for You. Damn
Love whenever you bring this up as an issue for an "all digital future" there's never really a counter argument, they just give you disagrees like it'll matter.
Good that anyone who already owns it will still be able to download and play it.