Nippon Ichi plans to release games on Steam

[Jmustang1968]

I don't know why you guys have a problem with Inazuma central point. He's just upset about the direction of the industry that is moving towards consumers leasing games instead of owning them, but still paying the same price of owning them.

From a consumer standpoint, GOG's DRM-free model is really much better than Steam's online check-in system because it grants you ownership. You can download, backup, and store your games without having to worry about losing acces to your games from either being banned (whether justified or not) or from the company going out of business.

I say this as someone that likes Steam. But I like them with a clear understanding that I only own my games in theory from Steam and it all depends on if they follow a promise to unlock the games if Valve goes under for some unforeseen reason. This is a promise that is only mentioned in message boards and not written into the EULA.

I don't take Inazuma's hardline stance, but I think he makes good points. I have my own breaking point for when DRM is heavy enough for me to boycott the product, that line is just drawn slightly after Steam DRM. Maybe it should be drawn before, though it's a little late for that given my huge Steam library.

The DRM/piracy issue has become a big deal in recent years. It is important for companies to have a means to protect themselves from piracy because if they can't turn a profit, then no games get made. At the same time, their solutions rarely include any concern for the consumer and as consumers we shouldn't be happy about that. It all boils down to the fact that I shouldn't be paying money for a limited product so that the company can protect themselves from pirates. They are so bent on punishing and preventing piracy that there is collateral damage spilling over and punishing their paying customers. Activation limits, online check-ins, CD Keys, disc checks, anti-piracy splash screens, and all other forms of DRM do nothing for me as a customer. I'll tolerate a little because I understand their benefit for the company, but they only create a hassle for me. These companies need to know when it gets to be too much of a pain and we are not ok with it.

I pretty much agree with all of this. I think my biggest issue is the way inazuma comes across and his approach. Trying to shame us for using steam or anything else similar. Championing for consumer rights while neglecting to consider our freedom of choice to purchase what we want. I have had considerable amount of fun gaming time from steam games and have definitely got my moneys worth. Steam is usually cheap enough to offset the risk of losing permanent access to the games.

[Inazuma]

I pretty much agree with all of this. I think my biggest issue is the way inazuma comes across and his approach. Trying to shame us for using steam or anything else similar. Championing for consumer rights while neglecting to consider our freedom of choice to purchase what we want. I have had considerable amount of fun gaming time from steam games and have definitely got my moneys worth. Steam is usually cheap enough to offset the risk of losing permanent access to the games.

Your wallet speaks louder than your words. It's great that you care about consumer rights and would like to see the video game industry improve, but it doesn't mean much if you turn around and tell the game companies the opposite by giving them money. I think you should feel ashamed.

You know how badly I want to download the DLC for the PSP game Hatsune Miku: Project Diva? I would absolutely love to play those songs and also be able to enjoy the HD version on the PS3. But I just can't bring myself to do it, because I care about rights and video games too much to do something that would harm them. I have to make personal sacrifices like this for the small hope that it will help make a difference. If you really care about this stuff, you would do the same because it's the right thing to do.

[Jmustang1968]

I pretty much agree with all of this. I think my biggest issue is the way inazuma comes across and his approach. Trying to shame us for using steam or anything else similar. Championing for consumer rights while neglecting to consider our freedom of choice to purchase what we want. I have had considerable amount of fun gaming time from steam games and have definitely got my moneys worth. Steam is usually cheap enough to offset the risk of losing permanent access to the games.

Your wallet speaks louder than your words. It's great that you care about consumer rights and would like to see the video game industry improve, but it doesn't mean much if you turn around and tell the game companies the opposite by giving them money. I think you should feel ashamed.

You know how badly I want to download the DLC for the PSP game Hatsune Miku: Project Diva? I would absolutely love to play those songs and also be able to enjoy the HD version on the PS3. But I just can't bring myself to do it, because I care about rights and video games too much to do something that would harm them. I have to make personal sacrifices like this for the small hope that it will help make a difference. If you really care about this stuff, you would do the same because it's the right thing to do.

To me there is grey area. The main factors include how much I want the game, how intrusive the drm is, and the cost. While drm really annoys me, I don't mind dlc. It is extra and optional. If there were no dlc then I think it is something we would just not get at all. I like the option and have yet to get an incmplete game that needed dlc. If it is a game I like enough, and I think it adds value then I will get the dlc. Usually I get the expansion pack types of dlc if any at all.

I think we have a right to choose to buy or not and the publisher/developr has a right to protect their ip from theives and to make the product the way they want. I wish there was a middle ground to be reached. No one forces me to buy their games, I put it upon myself to be an informed consumer.

[Stark]

Falcom should start paying attention; re-releasing the Ys series on its native platform would be huge among RPG fans.

Nono, Falcom needs to go talk to GoG.

If newer releases go to Steam and classics to GOG, I think we can agree it'd a good enough solution!

I'd like to see a US edition of Ys: Origins

[AmishSamurai]

I know that via Steam I either received everything as a gift, or bought it on sale, so I feel I've gotten my money's worth. Additionally, Valve is trying to prevent your dystopian vision of game companies stepping on the consumer's faces forever. When EA wanted to exclusively sell DLC on their site, Valve said they couldn't. When they pulled the games off of Steam in retaliation, they made sure that if you had purchased the game before it was pulled, you'd still be able to download it.


Regardless, most DLC I've seen doesn't add much, so it's not like you're missing out by not buying it. It's mostly vanity stuff or getting a little more mileage out of a game.

[AmericanMuffin]

Once again. You have no idea what you are talking about.

If it depended on me, you would be able to buy a used copy of the game. It would be cheap, contain 100% of the game and you would actually own it. Look at all of the old physical games. Most of them are this way. If there are download games, they would have no DRM.

If it depended on you, games would only be available as downloads for a limited time, and they would cost whatever the publisher set the price as. Also, you wouldn't own them. They could be changed or shut down at any time and you would have no say in the matter. You would have no rights.

Now I see what you mean, but my problem is, If I could any game I want as a physical copy, I would. Why? Because I have the worst download speeds you can imagine. I would go to Best Buy, but there isn't one within about 50 miles of me. Walmart, which is by far the worst store ever in my opinion, sucks when it comes to PC Games. So my only options are GoG and Steam, but I just have to wait over night for my download to finish. I'd rather get a game online than make my family waste $300000000000000000000000 of gas to get 10-50 dollar game. With Steam I can use my Debit Card, no problem, nothing gets in my way. It's not that we don't support Consumer Rights, it's just easier for me to use Steam, and I bet some people are in my, or similar, situations.