EU Rules You Can Resell Downloaded Games

[Jmaa]

This article just got posted on Rock Paper Shotgun:

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/07/03/crikey-eu-rules-you-can-resell-downloaded-games/#more-114473

I am now really worried about this and other indie games, that don\'t have the money to do this and will quit EU fully.

What will the KSP team do with this requirement?

[Kreuzung]

You can resell them once, not copy. There is no difference to bought games with this, don\'t see your problem.

[Jmaa]

Well as i understand from the article the EU wants people to be able to resell downloaded software.

I then am worried that companies like valve will remove their Download Platforms from Europe.

[Kreuzung]

Yes. But only once, not as often as you want.

[Jmaa]

Yes but few indies will have the a resell system.

Only one i know of is Project Zomboid.

And Steam do not even have one.

[invalid8]

I then am worried that companies like valve will remove their Download Platforms from Europe.

There\'s no chance in Hell of that happening. It wouldn\'t be so much shooting themselves in the foot as swandiving on a mine.

[Jmaa]

Yeah properly.

Im just a little worried, but what about the small indies that don\'t use steam or desura?

[Kreuzung]

You can give away your store acc, can\'t you?

[Moach]

i find any reselling of games is only a concern for devs putting out games that have that little long-term value.... :

i mean, why on earth would you wanna resell a game you\'ve bought if not for being completely 'done' with it?...

and in my book, a good game is one i can never be 'done with' :cheers:

[Jmaa]

You can give away your store acc, can\'t you?

I don\'t think they will let you do that.

i find any reselling of games is only a concern for devs putting out games that have that little long-term value.... :

i mean, why on earth would you wanna resell a game you\'ve bought if not for being completely 'done' with it?...

and in my book, a good game is one i can never be 'done with' :cheers:

I agree but better be on the safe side. You never know when some scumbag dude comes along and sue a company, for not letting one re-sell the games.

[MaxMurder]

This is less about getting the EU to ban steam for not having a 'resell' option in their platform and more a move to let consumers retain their rights. As of late game companies have been moving to implement a 'you can only buy from us' system, where owning a physical copy of the game means absolutly nothing. By cutting out resales companies stand to make alot more money from the games. This is done mostly under the guise of retaining intelectuall property. The EU is basically saying that reselling a copy of a game does not violate the intelectual property rights of the developer.

This in my view is a good thing for consumers, as the software industry (particuarally games) is the wild west as far as consumer rights are concerned. Imagine if car companies got away with the kind of things that are commanplace in games; one time activation code for your car, no used car sales, have to be connected to thier servers to operate (im looking at you bizzard).

[Bluejayek]

I don\'t think they will let you do that.

I agree but better be on the safe side. You never know when some scumbag dude comes along and sue a company, for not letting one re-sell the games.

I don\'t see this happening. The publisher is under no obligation to provide a means for resale, or facilitate it, they just can\'t prevent it. I would think that the only way a company would be sued is if they intentionally made their software so it could under no circumstances be resold, eg nasty DRM (which kerbal doesn\'t have).

Sueing a game developer for not having a method to resell the game would be like sueing Barnes & Noble for not running a used book store.

[samstarman5]

I would expect that this applies only to digital distribution platforms that can track and control how games are sold and traded. I wouldn\'t be too worried about other developers who distribute digitally, as there wouldn\'t be any realistic way to enforce it. Without going in and reading all the details, I have to wonder if the EU might be biting off more than they can chew and pulling a ignorant maneuver. It wouldn\'t be their first.

This is less about getting the EU to ban steam for not having a 'resell' option in their platform and more a move to let consumers retain their rights. As of late game companies have been moving to implement a 'you can only buy from us' system, where owning a physical copy of the game means absolutly nothing. By cutting out resales companies stand to make alot more money from the games. This is done mostly under the guise of retaining intelectuall property. The EU is basically saying that reselling a copy of a game does not violate the intelectual property rights of the developer.

This in my view is a good thing for consumers, as the software industry (particuarally games) is the wild west as far as consumer rights are concerned. Imagine if car companies got away with the kind of things that are commanplace in games; one time activation code for your car, no used car sales, have to be connected to thier servers to operate (im looking at you bizzard).

Hate to upset you, but there have already been a lot of proposals close to this as far as cars. However, they seemed to disappear about when GMC went practically bankrupt.

True, it shouldn\'t be about Steam not having a 'resell' option in their platform, as once it has been downloaded and unlocked for play, it is practically there for the person to do with as they please. Any amateur from there can easily run the game on its own without the need for going through Steam, and Valve knows that. It is only when you haven\'t downloaded the game you paid for yet the first time can you use it to trade for another game or gift it to another person. It\'s possible for Valve to actually put in more control to enforce using Steam, but that is more restriction than what Valve wants to implement. For one, it would probably require an always-online element, and another could create difficulties in multiplayer content between PC and Mac users.

That being said, allowing for resale of a game already on a person\'s system is farcical, as it would pretty much be just selling a copy of the game, and not the game itself.

You want to see Bobby Kotick or John Riccitiello have an aneurism? This would be the fastest way to do that.

[drwolf]

rule one of europe club is the purchaser ownes the thing thay buy, its been the law since medieval times. this is just reinforcing that low.

[Khrissetti]

rule one of europe club is the purchaser ownes the thing thay buy, its been the law since medieval times. this is just reinforcing that low.

it depends what you signed up to. If you read the T&Cs it states precisely what you can and can\'t do with software. if you don\'t agree then don\'t purchase it, refuse to give them your financial lifeblood.

If you went to buy a car and the owner said 'Ok, when you purchase this car, the contract you sign will say that it has to be kept here and you can only drive it at designated locations/times' Would you buy it? (Like the Ferrarri FXX)

You enter a contract willingly, if you don\'t like the terms of the contract then don\'t accept them. Contract law has been like that for centuries.

[drwolf]

hm well as far as i now the contracts for videogames ar not legal Contract, as you pay for a game befor you agre to the contract, EU low says you have to see the contract ferst for it to be a legal Contrac.

sorry for my bad spelling.

[Vanamonde]

Imagine if car companies got away with the kind of things that are commanplace in games;

Congratulations on the purchase of your new automobile! Right now it can\'t turn left, the headlights only work during the day, it shuts itself off every couple of hours in the middle of whatever you\'re doing, and there are no seats. But we\'ll mail you fixes for those things in 3-12 months, honest!

This why I have refused to buy new games for about 6 years. I either wait for a goldbox version that\'s as debugged as it\'s going to get, and/or wait for it to show up in the bargain bin for $10. Often they still suck or don\'t work, but at least I\'m not out much time, money, and aggravation.

Except, of course, for KSP, where the guys were honest and told me right up front that the game is not yet in finished form, and only charged me $15 for it. Bethesda will take your $50 for a game whose final version has a list of glitches as long as your leg. If they keep up business practices like this, I foresee Squad building up a fanatically loyal fanbase.

[Sigma117]

it depends what you signed up to. If you read the T&Cs it states precisely what you can and can\'t do with software. if you don\'t agree then don\'t purchase it, refuse to give them your financial lifeblood.

If you went to buy a car and the owner said 'Ok, when you purchase this car, the contract you sign will say that it has to be kept here and you can only drive it at designated locations/times' Would you buy it? (Like the Ferrarri FXX)

You enter a contract willingly, if you don\'t like the terms of the contract then don\'t accept them. Contract law has been like that for centuries.

As I believe law overrules the T&C. At least in the EU.

An example of which is thee ability to get refunds on steam thanks to an EU law that says you can get a refund on an item withing 1/2 weeks and you don\'t have to give reason either. Not that I\'ve done it myself, just seen it done once or twice.

[rkman]

it depends what you signed up to. If you read the T&Cs it states precisely what you can and can\'t do with software.

Only insofar that it is not in conflict with the law.

Corporations do not have the autority to decide what rights consumers have.

[drwolf]

Only insofar that it is not in conflict with the law.

Corporations do not have the autority to decide what rights consumers have.

like this one 'We reserve the right to change these terms and conditions at any time' + 'you must agree to the terms and conditions to continue to use this XXXX'

it my be there when you patch your xbox or wow and so on but it dont mack it legal in low.

sorry for the bad spelling?.