DRM at it's finest - EA deactivating Servers

[Via]

rly?

Well - golf games, at least.

 

[KeithTalent]

I don't really understand what this has to do with DRM, it has to do with trying to get people off the older versions of games to force them to buy the new versions.

This is not really a shocking development at all and for EA makes perfect business sense. I may not be a big fan of it, but I completely understand the reasoning behind it and if I worked there would probably be fully behind the idea.

KT

 

[pontifex]

See severe nickel and dime mentality of Dragon Age to see what happens when a "good" company gets in bed with a "bad" one. Blizzard is now Activision's marketing and sales group's bitch. It's sad, but that's the only way I can see it playing out.

nickel and dime mentality in dragon age? There's only 1 DLC available for it. not sure how that's nickel and diming...

 

[pontifex]

While only crappy spots game, who is to say that if EA's plan of forcing people to dump their old games to buy new ones for online content/play works that they will stop here?

I don't regret buying DA, but I also don't regret avoiding every game with EA's taint on it since bioshock (after finding out about the install limit, gave my copy to a friend for free so he wouldn't buy it).

bioshock was 2kgames, not EA...

 

[RyanPaulShaffer]

nickel and dime mentality in dragon age? There's only 1 DLC available for it. not sure how that's nickel and diming...

Uh, there are three launch day DLCs, with different amounts and variations being included with different versions of the game. They've already announced a DLC due any day now (was supposed to be yesterday I think, but delayed), and the expansion is on track for early spring.

FYI...

 

[mindcycle]

nickel and dime mentality in dragon age? There's only 1 DLC available for it. not sure how that's nickel and diming...

They are most definitely nickel and diming. There are currently 3 DLC packs (not including the recently announced expansion) with more on the way.

Return to Ostagar - $5
The Stone Prisoner - $15
Warden's Keep - $7

http://dragonage.bioware.com/addon/

And if you want a hat for you xbox 360 avatar you can get one for only 80ms points! ($1.00 US) lol
http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/games/offers/011f0003-0000-4000-8000-0000454108c0

Seriously, you can't possibly look at that addons page and tell me they aren't attempting to nickel and dime people..

 

[CoinOperatedBoy]

dont see what all the fuss is about.
when you buy the game, its in their terms of service, that EA may shut down multiplayer servers 1 year after its release.
07/08 got bonus time. 09 got their year.

you can still play multiplayer in your living room.

IMO this is expected and nothing newsworthy.

Having it in the terms of service doesn't make it any less shitty.

 

[Mursilis]

dont see what all the fuss is about.
when you buy the game, its in their terms of service, that EA may shut down multiplayer servers 1 year after its release.
07/08 got bonus time. 09 got their year.

you can still play multiplayer in your living room.

IMO this is expected and nothing newsworthy.

I believe they also do this with the Need for Speed series, although it's been awhile since I've gone online with any of those. Last time I did, they didn't allow direct connection, but made everyone go through their official servers, which they eventually shut down, while the game was still being sold.

 

[mb]

They are most definitely nickel and diming. There are currently 3 DLC packs (not including the recently announced expansion) with more on the way.

Return to Ostagar - $5
The Stone Prisoner - $15
Warden's Keep - $7

http://dragonage.bioware.com/addon/

And if you want a hat for you xbox 360 avatar you can get one for only 80ms points! ($1.00 US) lol
http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/games/offers/011f0003-0000-4000-8000-0000454108c0

Seriously, you can't possibly look at that addons page and tell me they aren't attempting to nickel and dime people..

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

 

[mindcycle]

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

Then what would you call selling an in game hat that costs $1 US? If that isn't nickel and diming then I guess we live in different realities.

 

[ZzZGuy]

I don't really understand what this has to do with DRM, it has to do with trying to get people off the older versions of games to force them to buy the new versions.

This is not really a shocking development at all and for EA makes perfect business sense. I may not be a big fan of it, but I completely understand the reasoning behind it and if I worked there would probably be fully behind the idea.

KT

Your totally right, but keep in mind what people will do if they are known to shut down servers for games after two years. Might not make such great business sense anymore.

bioshock was 2kgames, not EA...

My bad then, I had thought EA published that.

 

[Hippiekiller]

Nickel and Diming is when you do not get what you thought with the initial sticker price.

For example: You see a FPS game shown for $50 on the store shelf. After reading the box it says in fine print "Players must pay an additional 5$ fee to unlock guns" 5$ to unlock multiplayer shown on the box etc.

Very common with cell phone plans buying cars etc.

 

[mb]

Then what would you call selling an in game hat that costs $1 US? If that isn't nickel and diming then I guess we live in different realities.

So you now want to focus on one item and ignore the rest (DLC)? I might agree with you if you had to pay for items that actually did something, or if there were lots of small, cheap new areas to download.
But a hat? You're upset about a hat? Who cares.

 

[KeithTalent]

Your totally right, but keep in mind what people will do if they are known to shut down servers for games after two years. Might not make such great business sense anymore.

We'll see. As it is, these games sell like gangbusters everytime they come out, but if that ever begins to diminish then yeah, it will give them pause, but not until it starts to affect sales which is not likely to happen anytime soon.

KT

 

[WhipperSnapper]

This is just par for the course for console games and consolization. Some companies really want to control the online multiplayer experience and what better of a way to do it than to shut down servers?

If you want online multiplayer gaming freedom, play non-consolized PC games. Many older games are still going strong online.

Consequently, the reason I have no interest in Dragon Age (for more than, say, $10) is that it completely lacks online multiplayer and the ability for people to produce custom content.

 

[mindcycle]

So you now want to focus on one item and ignore the rest (DLC)? I might agree with you if you had to pay for items that actually did something, or if there were lots of small, cheap new areas to download.
But a hat? You're upset about a hat? Who cares.

How am I ignoring the rest of the DLC? I'm not upset about a hat i'm simply pointing out how EA is quite obviously nickel and diming people. IMO the other DLC packs are just as bad as the hat for your avatar. You can disagree with what is and isn't worthwhile DLC but in no way am I ignoring anything.

Nickel and Diming is when you do not get what you thought with the initial sticker price.

For example: You see a FPS game shown for $50 on the store shelf. After reading the box it says in fine print "Players must pay an additional 5$ fee to unlock guns" 5$ to unlock multiplayer shown on the box etc.

Very common with cell phone plans buying cars etc.

Yes, that is one way you can define it. Here's another:

nickel and dime:
Traditionally used as part of the larger phrase "To be nickled and dimed to death", referring to the undesired price of upkeep for a certain item. More fundamentally, it refers simply to seemingly hidden ongoing expenses which, over time, add up to a large expense.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=nickel%20and dime

 

[Mike Gayner]

I can't help but notice this has nothing at all to do with DRM.

 

[mb]

How am I ignoring the rest of the DLC? I'm not upset about a hat i'm simply pointing out how EA is quite obviously nickel and diming people. IMO the other DLC packs are just as bad as the hat for your avatar. You can disagree with what is and isn't worthwhile DLC but in no way am I ignoring anything.



Yes, that is one way you can define it. Here's another:



http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=nickel and dime

So even if you want to go with the urbandictionary definition, how is DLC and avatar clothing "upkeep" though? The price may not be desirable to you but they are not required to play DA:O.
It's also not hidden. You can see the prices anytime. It's also not ongoing, you can pay one time for the DLC or item or you can choose not to. If you choose not to, you can still play DA:O. A better example would be if the random weapon and armor drops were weak and you had to pay for better ones, or pay for enchantments.

Cell phone or cable television service charges/fees/taxes are a better example of nickel and diming. If you don't like them and don't pay them then you're out. You don't get to keep your original product/service.

 

[wanderer27]

I can't help but notice this has nothing at all to do with DRM.

Sigh . . . .

Okay, this is not your typical Disk encoded DRM per se

This is DRM in that Authentication and Functionality changes (from no Servers) are effectively nuking the games - at least one of the games will no longer support P2P.

For that matter, once the Servers are gone, I'm not even sure if you'll still be able to even patch the game if you have to re-install.

 

[mb]

Sigh . . . .

Okay, this is not your typical Disk encoded DRM per se

This is DRM in that Authentication and Functionality changes (from no Servers) are effectively nuking the games - at least one of the games will no longer support P2P.

For that matter, once the Servers are gone, I'm not even sure if you'll still be able to even patch the game if you have to re-install.

A game hosting server costs is different than a authentication server though.
Game hosting servers cost quite a bit to run and maintain. I don't know about authentication servers but I imagine it is substantially less.

 

[CoinOperatedBoy]

A game hosting server costs is different than a authentication server though.
Game hosting servers cost quite a bit to run and maintain. I don't know about authentication servers but I imagine it is substantially less.

How much do "game hosting servers" cost?

 

[Anubis]

Uh...what? There have been ads on Battle.net since the Warcraft 3 days, well before the Activision merger.

I remember them hawking the War3 books and the point-and-click Thrall's adventure game that got canceled...heh...

there were there before WC3 fuck they existed with broodwar

 

[CoinOperatedBoy]

So even if you want to go with the urbandictionary definition, how is DLC and avatar clothing "upkeep" though? The price may not be desirable to you but they are not required to play DA:O.
It's also not hidden. You can see the prices anytime. It's also not ongoing, you can pay one time for the DLC or item or you can choose not to. If you choose not to, you can still play DA:O. A better example would be if the random weapon and armor drops were weak and you had to pay for better ones, or pay for enchantments.

Cell phone or cable television service charges/fees/taxes are a better example of nickel and diming. If you don't like them and don't pay them then you're out. You don't get to keep your original product/service.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nickel-and-dime

Both verb definitions apply to the given example. Not sure why it bothers you either way.

 

[RyanPaulShaffer]

I still fail to see how this is a DRM issue. Would WOW closing down some of its servers be a DRM thing too? No. It's not like this is preventing the game from being played...it's the official hosted servers being shut down by the company. Totally different.

 

[RyanPaulShaffer]

there were there before WC3 f**k they existed with broodwar

I didn't play Starcraft on Battle.net. I always played with direct modem connections with my buddies.

I merely used it as an example that ads have pretty much always existed on battle.net, and their existence has nothing to do with some supposed Activision scheme.