EU considers mandatory 2-year warranty on games

[XZeroII]

Originally posted by: Kalmah
Maybe a 3 day would suffice.. but you would have to prove that you
A) Didn't make a copy
B) Didn't actually enjoy the game

How do you prove that it's bug ridden? Maybe your video driver is bug ridden? Maybe part of your direct X install got virused/corrupted..?

So then.. you would also have to prove
C) Your computer meets the minimum requirements and that it's properly maintained.

Exactly. There are many reasons why a game will crash that is not the game's fault. This would be an aweful law. I would definitely not develop or sell software in the EU if I were bound by this restriction.

 

[fleabag]

Originally posted by: her209
Have you guys ever played Sim City 4? That shit crashes randomly.

This.. It's a great game but man that game has a lot of serious errors in it..

 

[The Boston Dangler]

i'm against laws in general, but i sure would have liked such a law when i picked up Age of Conan. the $90 Collector's Edition, no less. i was completely defrauded by the contents of the box as well as the content of the game.

 

[se7en]

Good idea in theory but I dont see any way possible for it to ever work.

 

[Fenixgoon]

2 years is ridiculous, for one. secondly, you have idiots who will probably complain when they try and run crysis on their intel 4500 xtreme HD integrated graphics and wonder why the hell it doesn't work.

 

[PingSpike]

I think it should be made possible to actually return games within a short period of time since they are often completely broken to start with or have wacky EULA things you can't read until you've voided your ability to return. But this is completely retarded in scope. And it would create a huge burden to entry into the market, which is not something I want to see.

 

[DrPizza]

It probably goes a little too far (especially the 2 years), but it's nice that it addresses the problem of "You can't install this software unless you agree to these terms" which pops up during installation and "you are not allowed to return software to the store" at the other end.

I really don't think the intent is to allow users to return the software for a minor bug - you guys are exaggerating the reach of the law in that regard. But, maybe it'll have the effect on the market that fewer games are available in Europe, leading to European kids actually going outside and not becoming fat asses like American kids. 😛

 

[Hacp]

2 year warranty for the CDs, sure. But to return the game cause of bugs.. its socialism at its finest.

 

[TruePaige]

I only bring this up because I don't see it addressed, but this is another way of killing small businesses.

The big guys have huge Q&A teams or can take the fines that will come with it, but the small guys will end up closing shop in the EU.

This is just like after the lead toy scare where new toys had to be certified to be sold and it had a (IIRC) 5k or so certification shop and it was putting small woodwork makers out of business.

 

[shortylickens]

Originally posted by: TruePaige
I only bring this up because I don't see it addressed, but this is another way of killing small businesses.

The big guys have huge Q&A teams or can take the fines that will come with it, but the small guys will end up closing shop in the EU.

This is just like after the lead toy scare where new toys had to be certified to be sold and it had a (IIRC) 5k or so certification shop and it was putting small woodwork makers out of business.

Thats kinda what I was talking about. There are way too many small developers out there who cant distribute to the world unless they go through a service like STEAM. Not all of them wanna do that because they dont want to deal with Valve.
If they get smothered we wont see nearly as much innovation. Many of those small companies are in Europe.

 

[coloumb]

Impossible considering how many different PC configurations there are.
Possible if it's a console game - but only returnable if it's BUGGY - not because the game sucked.

 

[RagingBITCH]

Originally posted by: coloumb
Impossible considering how many different PC configurations there are.
Possible if it's a console game - but only returnable if it's BUGGY - not because the game sucked.

Yep. How do you enforce what's a bug? With PC's it's impossible. On a console - how do you prove what's a bug and what's not? How many bugs can it have before you can return it? What a JOKE.