Mike Hayes has said that SEGA is looking at EA’s stance against used games, charging people that buy the game used a fee to play their games online.
“It is a very clever idea and is something we are certainly taking a look at”
Personally I think the system needs a way to transfer the license online before I get behind the idea. I don’t mind ‘Gamestop’ shoppers having to buy the license, but if I give my copy to a friend, I’m not cool with that. Personally I like EA’s own ’10 dollar project’ more, giving early buyers free DLC.
[Source: MCVUK]
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I think it's a pretty good idea. I don't buy anything used, so it's not really going to effect me at all. One of the main reasons that I don't buy used games is to support whatever company made the game. I don't rent games for the same reason.
It seems like a very sensible way for the game companies to actually get some revenue from the used game market.
To be honest, Sega did this ten years ago with Phantasy Star Online. Nobody was annoyed back then.
@ Soup: If I'm not mistaken, don't publishers get a cut in the sale of each rental? That's usually how it goes with movie rentals at the main chain retails, so I figure it's the same for games. Anyone know more about that?
If it's something being run off an official Sega server, then fine, but if not I don't see it as any different than having people pay out the ass for "additional content". Of course, that part is optional as people pay as they see fit, but if they're charging to play online title-for-title, that's sum cooold shit.
I think it's a pretty fucking terrible idea.
I'm all for supporting the industry, but quite frankly, what is legally paid for by someone is purchased goods, the idea of trying to screw extra revenue out of goods that have already been paid for can fuck-right-off.
Companies rights, what about consumers rights?
People WERE annoyed back with PSO, even after PSO became free to play… Broken Dreamcast? Fuck you buy the game again. Part of the reason you didn't hear about them being annoyed was because they were sitting looking at a screen telling them they couldn't log in.
Also SEGA have this massive issue with online games where THEY DONT KEEP THE SERVERS RUNNING.
Would you trust SEGA to keep a service like this running?
Would you trust SEGA to make you breakfast in the morning?
Would you trust SEGA to get semen stains out of your underwear?
The answer is no.
Why is that you never hear any other industries whining about used sales but when it comes to the gaming industry all of the publishers seem to go ass crazy? Most of the time I buy new anyway but regardless, I'm not interested in buying half of the game's features and then having to pay the other half later just because I bought the game used or a friend let me have their copy. Hell, today's games already come loaded with only half their content anyway with the scheme that is DLC which is done quite expertly by the fine folks at places like EA and Capcom.