So, the download only future comes with an expiry date....?

[Psychosplodge]

Apparently EA is selling games with an expiry date (http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/games/897925-ea-disabling-paid-for-copies-of-rock-band-iphone), Anybody got the iphone rock band game to confirm this?

[Emerald Rose Widow]

I am not surprised, it was only a matter of time, legally you are only technically buying the rights to use the game, not the game itself. It was only a matter of time before they would decide to rent all their IP.

[Psychosplodge]

If it's not explicitly spelled out though that there is an expiry date, it seems misleading, at least if you know when you purchase it you can make an informed decision.

[Wolfshade]

Have you come across a company called On-Live? This is basically their business model, you buy or rent access to their servers and just stream games directly to wherever you are, so you don't ever own the games you play and as all the processing is done on their servers you can you don't need to upgrade. There is a little bit of server lag, but it is nothing significant

[Psychosplodge]

I haven't but at least you know that's what you're getting when you deal with them if that's their business model.

[Wolfshade]

Yes that's true, its one of the reasons I don't play online MMOs as I dislike the idea of having to pay to play a game I have brought.

I do like the quote from the article:


This is of course the perfect example of why so many fear a download-only future: if you'd bought the game on a disc or cartridge, unless EA crept into your bedroom and stole it off you it would be yours forever.

[Psychosplodge]

Yeah that's essentially why I've never got into them.

[Wolfshade]

Well it seems that it is an effort to move everyone to their lastest incarnation. Also, apparently the server will stay active 'til 2012

[Psychosplodge]

an update to the original article...



Update:

EA has insisted that the message received by Rock Band owners, and repeated on their own customer service website was an 'error', and that the game will continue to work beyond May 31.

Although previously the FAQ for the game confirmed that it was being shut down at the end of the month it now reads the following:

Rock Band for iOS will remain live - the in-app message users received on Tuesday, May 1 was sent in error. We apologize for the confusion this caused. We're working to clarify the issue that caused the error and will share additional information as soon as possible.

We're not sure anyone has a chin large enough to adequately indicate our doubt at the idea this was all just a mistake - nobody at EA wrote those message by accident - but at least the online outrage has convinced EA to change their mind.

It's still not clear what the original issue was though, with developer Harmonix speculating it may have been the presence of the MTV Games logo on the game, which could have upset lawyers at either EA or Viacom.

[Uncle Nutsy]

I had enough of EA because they made the same stupid mistakes every time they made a new need for speed, and off by chance, I checked to see if they made a new one. they didn't but they put out one patch for an nfs game they made about.. a year earlier.

absolutely terrible company that just doesn't care about their buying public. at all. so I'm really not surprised they'd do this.