Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Aklyon]

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/12/22/direct2drive-2be-eaten-by-gamefly/

More of a heads up than anything.

[Bdthemag]

People use GameFly?

[Aklyon]

People use GameFly?

Apparently.

[Hanzoku]

Well if you use(d) Direct2Drive, you're sort of going to be forced into it.

I think I might want to take up Direct2Drive's suggestion of making sure I have game files downloaded since I only have one or two games through them, and the next step after merger is the merged company also failing.

[G-Flex]

If you’ve used Direct2Drive to get any games, then you might want to pay attention to this. The service is being merged into GameFly, and that means that not everything you bought will necessarily survive the transition.

Any of you guys remember the days when buying something meant you got to own/use it indefinitely?

[Sirus]

If you’ve used Direct2Drive to get any games, then you might want to pay attention to this. The service is being merged into GameFly, and that means that not everything you bought will necessarily survive the transition.

Any of you guys remember the days when buying something meant you got to own/use it indefinitely?

Video games aren't sold, they're Licensed. That's what those EULAs that you have to accept for pretty much everything are for. The publisher is charging money to allow you (the consumer) use of their property. About the only things you actually own are the box the game came in and whatever was printed inside the box.

Now, whether that's a good system or not can wait for another topic. This is just the way it is right now.

[G-Flex]

Video games aren't sold, they're Licensed. That's what those EULAs that you have to accept for pretty much everything are for. The publisher is charging money to allow you (the consumer) use of their property. About the only things you actually own are the box the game came in and whatever was printed inside the box.

Now, whether that's a good system or not can wait for another topic. This is just the way it is right now.

I'm aware of that, but does anyone else remember when buying a license for a game meant you got to own/use it indefinitely? Whether you're "buying the game" or buying a license isn't really the point, here, it's that new distribution methods frighten me a little, since purchasing a game doesn't necessarily mean I'll always be able to actually use it.

[MrWiggles]

Purchasing any media, never meant you could always used it.

Vinel records could get broken, worn down. Books can get worn out, or lost. Cartridge games can be sold off, their sequel comes out. Movie formats changes, which outmode your previous copies of said media.

Even before digital disruptions and digital intelectual property, buying wasn't really buying ownership of said IP, but a licenser to it, to that one copy. If I bought a harry potter book, then lost it, however you'd like, I was never entitled to a free replacement.

[Croquantes]

I actually like services like Steam and GamersGate because it's really easy to lose DVDs and CDs. I bought Neverwinter Nights 2 years ago, and first I lost CD 4 so I (illegally) downloaded the game using bittorent. Then eventually I lost the serial keys, so I had to do something even more illegal and crack the game... All these illegal things just to play a game that I had legally acquired.

With Steam, I just have to worry about not getting my username and password hacked, and even then, there's some guarantee that the account can be saved. All in all, I trust these game services more than I trust myself with physical media.

[Mini]

Video games aren't sold, they're Licensed. That's what those EULAs that you have to accept for pretty much everything are for. The publisher is charging money to allow you (the consumer) use of their property. About the only things you actually own are the box the game came in and whatever was printed inside the box.

Now, whether that's a good system or not can wait for another topic. This is just the way it is right now.

I'm aware of that, but does anyone else remember when buying a license for a game meant you got to own/use it indefinitely? Whether you're "buying the game" or buying a license isn't really the point, here, it's that new distribution methods frighten me a little, since purchasing a game doesn't necessarily mean I'll always be able to actually use it.

It still does, losing a game because of this is basically the same thing as losing the CD somewhere in your house. If you want to be safe then burn the files the site gives you to a CD, and then you can have the same feeling when you lose that. (Unless it needs a launcher to play the games, but afaik D2D doesn't use one of those.)

[MrWiggles]

And where is the end user responsibility?

Isn't a little bit silly to assume that a company would always remain in business?

[G-Flex]

It still does, losing a game because of this is basically the same thing as losing the CD somewhere in your house. If you want to be safe then burn the files the site gives you to a CD, and then you can have the same feeling when you lose that. (Unless it needs a launcher to play the games, but afaik D2D doesn't use one of those.)

Yeah, you're probably right. What I said is more true of services like Steam.

And where is the end user responsibility?

Isn't a little bit silly to assume that a company would always remain in business?

Of course it's silly to assume that, which is why I don't like buying products that needlessly rely on that company staying in business indefinitely.