BF3's second hand buyers decision

I know it doesn't affect many of us here in the PC forums, but for those that are, for some reason, boycotting Origin, if you buy the game used you have to buy a 10 dollar pass to play online. I can see how DICE wants to be compensated, I just can't fathom why a developer would be uneccesarily greedy for no reason, I feel like they would only do this if they had just cause, and they see loss of income from second hand buyers making accounts on EA servers through BC2. Thoughts?

It'd not DICE, dude. It's EA, they introduced the online pass even for Mass Effect and Fifa 10. EA probably to cut the second-hand market, and basically introduced cd-keys even for consoles. Yeah, the online pass is even for consoles. To be honest, it's a stupid move for us gamers, but a good move financially.

Its a good move for DICE/EA but console gamers can't seem to grasp there brains around the fact that Developers dont like second hand sales and think they're entitled to buying the game cheaper at the expense of the developer. Kinda childish IMO. I welcome the PayToUseOnline feature, as it doesnt bother me and will further help DICE get more funds for future products.

Its a good move for DICE/EA but console gamers can't seem to grasp there brains around the fact that Developers dont like second hand sales and think they're entitled to buying the game cheaper at the expense of the developer. Kinda childish IMO. I welcome the PayToUseOnline feature, as it doesnt bother me and will further help DICE get more funds for future products.

Ikuto_Tsukiyomi

Have no problem with it, buy the game new

My CD key would have been tied to my EA account anyways. That's how PC games have worked for decades more or less.

Buy the game new like the rest of us, or wait a few years for the price to drop.

Well they made they game, why wouldn't they be mad for the sales of it? I find it understandable, plus buying them used isn't helping developers. Plus i was in Alpha, Origin isn't that bad. I liked it and the battle log worked well. When the game comes around i can only imagine it being better. Yes its not on steam, but thats no reason not to buy it.

Its a good move for DICE/EA but console gamers can't seem to grasp there brains around the fact that Developers dont like second hand sales and think they're entitled to buying the game cheaper at the expense of the developer.Ikuto_Tsukiyomi

It's not the developer being greedy, it's just smart business practice. Anyways if you buy a used game and then use their servers, the devloper actually loses money because of you.

Have no problem with it, buy the game new

kozzy1234

Like how PC gamers can't grasp the fact that they are not entitled to dedicated servers or other features like LAN capabilities? The used game market has been around for so long we have become accustomed to it just like PC gamers have with many of the features they have been slowly losing lately. I would call it childish to believe console gamers inferior to yourself. I think we grasp the idea that this is more of a move of the publishers than developers. I have no doubt in my mind the publisher benefits far more from these online passes then the developer does. Obviously the developer does get some money from it, but I would be in shock if the publisher didn't take a bigger cut. I understand that the used game market hurts developers and publishers, but I just can't recall a time when developers have complained about it. I can only recall when publishers have. Of course that could be my mistake and I just missed when the developers did.Agent_Kaliaver

You're talking apples and oranges here. A gamer wanting dedicated servers because they're proven to be better than P2P connections in FPS games isn't the same as someone complaining about having to pay the full-price for a game.

My CD key would have been tied to my EA account anyways. That's how PC games have worked for decades more or less.

Wasdie

My problem with this is that if my younger brother tries to play a game that I purchased new he wont be able to without the online pass. This is on top of the cost of xbox live.

Do car companies cry like a baby when people sell their cars and trucks after owning them for a while?

Do television companies cry like a baby when people sell their TV's after owning them for a while?

Do movie studios cry like a baby when people sell movies after they have owned them for a while?

The answer is no, they do not, because they realize how idiotic it is to suggest that they should continue to get money every time their products get bought and sold throughout the years. Sadly, game developers and publishers think they are "special", and they continue pushing this nonsense.

The video game industry rakes in an obscene amount of money every year, so they can just drop the poverty act and start accepting the fact that people should be able to purchase a used game without facing a penalty.

Their entire argument is just ridiculous and lame.

I don't know if I sounded ambiguous, but I am 100% FOR this! See SS below =0

Buy the game new like the rest of us, or wait a few years for the price to drop.

airshocker

For the last time, developers and publishers make NO MONEY from second-hand/used games. If all they're asking is $10 so you could play online, then you should do the right thing. You putting down the money for the used copy is your call and totally on you. They don't get any of that money. It's extremely simple to understand but I see that many people still dont get it and live in their little bubble.Elann2008

[QUOTE="Ikuto_Tsukiyomi"]Its a good move for DICE/EA but console gamers can't seem to grasp there brains around the fact that Developers dont like second hand sales and think they're entitled to buying the game cheaper at the expense of the developer.Agent_Kaliaver

Like how PC gamers can't grasp the fact that they are not entitled to dedicated servers or other features like LAN capabilities? The used game market has been around for so long we have become accustomed to it just like PC gamers have with many of the features they have been slowly losing lately. I would call it childish to believe console gamers inferior to yourself. I think we grasp the idea that this is more of a move of the publishers than developers. I have no doubt in my mind the publisher benefits far more from these online passes then the developer does. Obviously the developer does get some money from it, but I would be in shock if the publisher didn't take a bigger cut. I understand that the used game market hurts developers and publishers, but I just can't recall a time when developers have complained about it. I can only recall when publishers have. Of course that could be my mistake and I just missed when the developers did.

There's a major difference there.

What PC gamers have become accustomed to is what has kept games alive for so long. Tell me that CSS would still be here if it weren't for the modders, the dedicated servers, the actual mods themselves, that's what kept CSS a viable product for Valve for the past 7 years. The same can be said for several other older games like BF2, Call of Duty 4, Planetside, so on and so forth. These are things that keep making them money, and pulling these features makes the game less attractive, which decreases sales, which decreases income. So, in essence, the end effect of them being lazy is the same as someone buying a game used.

Now, I'm not personally against buying used games because I know that as time goes on the IP isn't worth as much, but comparing the two of them (features vs used game purchases) is a little unfair of a comparison.

Do car companies cry like a baby when people sell their cars and trucks after owning them for a while?

Do television companies cry like a baby when people sell their TV's after owning them for a while?

Do movie studios cry like a baby when people sell movies after they have owned them for a while?

The answer is no, they do not, because they realize how idiotic it is to suggest that they should continue to get money every time their products get bought and sold throughout the years. Sadly, game developers and publishers think they are "special", and they continue pushing this nonsense.

The video game industry rakes in an obscene amount of money every year, so they can just drop the poverty act and start accepting the fact that people should be able to purchase a used game without facing a penalty.

Their entire argument is just ridiculous and lame.

AR-15

It's slightly different because most of the games that incorporate these rules have an online component that costs them money. Why should somebody who gave no money to the developer get access to these things that cost them money?

cain006

I'm sorry, but it's very hard to accept that devs and publishers are struggling due to online costs when they are taking in MASSIVE amounts of money from the sales of their games. They made their money when they sold the game at full price, and crying poverty while lighting their cigars with hundred dollar bills is laughable at best.

The issue is one of greed, plain and simple. They see a huge used game market and they want a piece of it. Why settle for billions, when you can make trillions...

Yeah, hopefully they will learn from that.

Used game sales are a bigger problem than piracy to publishers (EA), so this is understandable. However, this probably applies mostly to console gamers. PC gamers have to buy the game new, there's no other option.

Game Publisher's Business Model (a.k.a "Free Money"):

- release unfinished games

- offer no demo

- offer no refund, and prevent any resale

Despite the principle of it, I don't think it makes much of a difference to gamers unless they are new.

Whether I buy a "new game" for 20 bucks or a used game, I'm still not paying full price.

Do car companies cry like a baby when people sell their cars and trucks after owning them for a while?

Do television companies cry like a baby when people sell their TV's after owning them for a while?

Do movie studios cry like a baby when people sell movies after they have owned them for a while?

The answer is no, they do not, because they realize how idiotic it is to suggest that they should continue to get money every time their products get bought and sold throughout the years. Sadly, game developers and publishers think they are "special", and they continue pushing this nonsense.

The video game industry rakes in an obscene amount of money every year, so they can just drop the poverty act and start accepting the fact that people should be able to purchase a used game without facing a penalty.

Their entire argument is just ridiculous and lame.

AR-15

i remember a few years ago the fiml industry would play a sob story before the previews about the little guys of the film industry who are affected by piracy and used sales. painters, camera men and so forth

Do car companies cry like a baby when people sell their cars and trucks after owning them for a while?

Do television companies cry like a baby when people sell their TV's after owning them for a while?

AR-15

So I really don't care to hear whining from console gamers on this one. Buy it new or pay the fee.

Red Faction Armageddon lost THQ $34 million last quarter. Sounds pretty bad to me.theafiguy

Ah, Battlefield 2 anyone? The conception of paying for a key then validating it has been around for an extremely long time - and is more common than it ever has been at the moment. skrat_01

true,but the idea is just now starting to transfer over to the console world.

[QUOTE="skrat_01"]Ah, Battlefield 2 anyone? The conception of paying for a key then validating it has been around for an extremely long time - and is more common than it ever has been at the moment. lawlessx

true,but the idea is just now starting to transfer over to the console world.

People who go to GameStop to buy a used copy of a game that just came out, only to save $10, kind of piss me off. I totally understand why EA and other publishers are doing this. However, at the same time, a lot of publishers are trying to push their "permanent Internet connection required/online activation" crap on us. By supporting one, you support the other.

The difference being when you buy a game second-hand and it has multiplayer or have some kind of network integration, you are using the Publisher/Dev's services without giving them a single cent.SerOlmy

Someone already paid for that game. One person bought it, and one person is using it. There is no difference as the publisher is supposed to be offering those services to the original owner. If it hurts their profits because they banked on people getting sick of the game they paid for (in a relatively small amount of time) then that is completely their problem.

[QUOTE="theafiguy"]Red Faction Armageddon lost THQ $34 million last quarter. Sounds pretty bad to me.Elann2008

Well they made an announcement that they were putting RF on the back burner because of how much RF:A lost.

I think it is fair for them to charge $10 to play online. You are using their infrastructure, so you shold pay them something.

So much hate towards Devs/Publishers about this, and no one mentions all the retailsers who are making millions out of it at the expense of the people who actually make the games.

[QUOTE="AR-15"]

Do car companies cry like a baby when people sell their cars and trucks after owning them for a while?

Do television companies cry like a baby when people sell their TV's after owning them for a while?

SerOlmy

So I really don't care to hear whining from console gamers on this one. Buy it new or pay the fee.

Its a day 1 buy for me anyway so I don't really care. And the MP will be fantastic so you SHOULD pay for it. The online pass never bothered me for Dead Space 2 either (even though I bought it new) cos the MP in that game sucked a hairy one

[QUOTE="Ikuto_Tsukiyomi"]

Its a good move for DICE/EA but console gamers can't seem to grasp there brains around the fact that Developers dont like second hand sales and think they're entitled to buying the game cheaper at the expense of the developer. Kinda childish IMO. I welcome the PayToUseOnline feature, as it doesnt bother me and will further help DICE get more funds for future products.

Bruin1986