EA really punishes you for buying a game and you end up not liking it.

[Damian Mahadevan]

This is what they tell you to do if you want to resell a game:

KIETH: Unfortunately the registration code can only be used to create one account.
Since the previous owner of the game has previously created an account using the Registration code,
you cannot use it again to create a new account. Also, the account registered once cannot be unregistered.
You will need to login to the game using the same account name and password with which the previous owner registered the game.
2268341823: I see how much is the game code and promo code?
KIETH: However if you wish you can purchase new registration code from our warranty department,
please mail our Warranty department the following information:

-The [Proof of Purchase] page from the manual, or if that is not available the game disk.

Note:If you send the game disk, please send it using a traceable method,
as Electronic Arts is not responsible for products lost in transit.

-A letter explaining that you need a replacement serial number.
-A money order for $10.00 USD.
-Note: We do NOT accept cash, checks, or credit cards.
-Include full contact information:
-First and Last Name
-Return Address (Including City, State, and Zip Code)
-Phone Number
-E-mail Address

You must mail in your request to the following address:

Address:
Electronic Arts Warranty Department
9001 N I-35 Suite 110
Austin, TX 78753

Once all of the information has been received,
our Warranty Department will process your request and e-mail as well as standard mail you a serial number.
If you mailed the game disks to us, the disks will be returned to you shortly. NOTE: If you fail to include all of the requested items,
it will prevent us from processing your request.

I really dont understand why you cant do this online at the very least. Makes me wish i pirated the game to try it out first.

 

[joxer]

The account registered once *can* be unregistered, actually can be deleted on EA.
How do I know that? There were 2 cases where EA deleted player accounts because of breaking forum rules.

EA simply doesn't want you to resell any game, that's why it's complicated. You must escpecially kepp and cherish for the rest of your life those games you dared to trash the manual from.

 

[Damian Mahadevan]

Thats what it seems like. I could have lied to them about reselling and told them i changed emails, they probably would have switched the emails but i dont lie to get what i want.

 

[Corwin]

Simple, don't buy games from EA!!

 

[Damian Mahadevan]

I am not going to buy from them anymore.

 

[ChienAboyeur]

With fast loss of value of games, you might end paying someone else to buy the game from you. $10 plus traceable order is relevant when you buy a game $50.

 

[Motoki]

Is this some game that has phone home DLC like Dragon Age: Origins? If so, just go get a pirate crack for the DLC. I don't support piracy for games, but you bought it already, it's yours. Screw them for trying to disrupt that and get more money out of you.

 

[fatBastard()]

Is this some game that has phone home DLC like Dragon Age: Origins? If so, just go get a pirate crack for the DLC. I don't support piracy for games, but you bought it already, it's yours. Screw them for trying to disrupt that and get more money out of you.

And that is kind of the point. When you buy secondhand games you DIDN'T buy it as far as the developer/publisher is concerned because only the previous owner and the store saw any of the money exchanging hands. The people who made the game and/or invested money into the making of the game never receive a dime from secondhand games ... it is not so hard to understand their reluctance in helping buyers of secondhand games when you think about, is it?

 

[TheMadGamer]

With fast loss of value of games, you might end paying someone else to buy the game from you. $10 plus traceable order is relevant when you buy a game $50.

Exactly... With the $10 money order plus the cost of 'traceable shipping' makes reselling your game too expensive.

EA does everything they can to scare away potential customers... Then they blame piracy for their lost PC sales when their own business models frustrate some people into doing exactly that.

 

[Gorath]

But isn't it the same everywhere? Steam games also can't be re-sold, AFAIK.

The solution is simple:
Price this into your purchase decision.

 

[Pladio]

My solution is made out of several parts:
- Don't buy games with any payable DLC like most new AAA games.
- Only buy games that there is at least a demo to try out and that I like.
- Buy from sites like GOG or Taleworlds which allow installs over multiple computers, with no DRM or with a lot of value for the money.

Example: Mount and Blade cost me 20 dollars when I bought it and I have played it for at least several hundred hours in total, so that's less then 20 cents per hour of gaming.

I bought Gothic III and it cost me €45 or something and gave me at least 150 hours of gaming, so that's less than 45 cents per hour of gaming.

Going to the cinema costs at least €10 just for the ticket for up to three hours of entertainment, so that's at least €3+1/3 per hour.

Games are worth much more usually for me, so I don't mind spending on them. I don't buy games without demos or some kind of trial version usually though...

Also, I have no qualms with people downloading games for trying out if they actually buy some of the games they do try out, especially if no demo is available.

If only all games had demos like Mount & Blade or Gothic I...

 

[Gorath]

Demos are a complex topic. You can scare away players with a mediocre or a too demanding demo.

 

[TheMadGamer]

Demos are a complex topic. You can scare away players with a mediocre or a too demanding demo.

I agree. I get most of what I need to know before making a purchase with the following (in order of importance):

User forums (starting with RPGWatch)
User actual gameplay video (from places such as YouTube)
Last & least, web based & printed reviews

Demos tend to be rushed & botched and I'd bet money they at least scare away as many people as they draw in.

 

[TheMadGamer]

But isn't it the same everywhere? Steam games also can't be re-sold, AFAIK.

The solution is simple:
Price this into your purchase decision.

Another simple solution: don't buy EA games... Which I don't.

 

[Gorath]

How does this solve the problem that no game by any publisher can be re-sold on Steam ?

 

[azraelck]

How does this solve the problem that no game by any publisher can be re-sold on Steam ?

Don't download the Steam virus and give those scammers your CC info.

If it requires any additional software to run beyond the OS, drivers, and game itself, then it must be suspected. If a single player requires you to have an internet connection, the only reason is for fraud and identity theft. If gamers would simply file complaints with the Federal Trade Commission (or their country's equivalent), maybe then we could get rid of these scammers and viruses quickly. As it is, the scammers will eventually abandon the market as no one sane or with an IQ above that of a brick will buy their titles, and only legitimate publishers will remain selling games for the PC.

 

[TheMadGamer]

How does this solve the problem that no game by any publisher can be re-sold on Steam ?

It doesn't. It's not my problem to solve.

I just vote with my wallet with the format and publishers I personally will buy from.

I generally stay away from digital downloads and ALWAYS stay away from EA.

 

[ChienAboyeur]

But isn't it the same everywhere? Steam games also can't be re-sold, AFAIK.

Not yet. But the video game industry is pushing for this outcome as the past is going to be the fiercest concurrence to their incoming production.
As games do not wear out, the industry is building up a permanent pool of concurrent offer.

Graphics are a usual sales argument and is the most obvious side to underline the trend.

Graphics have a natural limit: photorealism.

By photorealistic standards, The Witcher 2 graphics ( not photorealistic) looks good.

In ten years, this wont change. TW2 graphics will look as good as they look good today. This is the big trouble for the game industry.

In five years, games will look better than TW2. Five years later, games will look even better than five years ago.


If photorealism is hit in seven years, it means that the games developped in seven years onwars will have a photorealistic look.

A player in ten years from now will have a three years offer of games with photorealistic outlook, meaning no graphical edge (other than art direction) one game over the other.

The bottom line: more and more concurrent offer from past games to freshly released games and as time passes by, past games coming at a discount.

That is why it matters for the video game industry to move the offer from their side.

As players cannot sell their copies, it decreases mechanically the concurrence given by past games.

In 15 years from now on, quite a number of incentives to buy newly released games, might have simply disappeared.

In 15 years, a player will have tons of game titles providing good to excellent graphics by photorealistic standards, possibly very cheap if the offer is not moved to the developpers'side exclusively.

 

[wiretripped]

Don't download the Steam virus and give those scammers your CC info.

If it requires any additional software to run beyond the OS, drivers, and game itself, then it must be suspected. If a single player requires you to have an internet connection, the only reason is for fraud and identity theft. If gamers would simply file complaints with the Federal Trade Commission (or their country's equivalent), maybe then we could get rid of these scammers and viruses quickly. As it is, the scammers will eventually abandon the market as no one sane or with an IQ above that of a brick will buy their titles, and only legitimate publishers will remain selling games for the PC.

Hear, hear.
Well put, good sir.

 

[Motoki]

And that is kind of the point. When you buy secondhand games you DIDN'T buy it as far as the developer/publisher is concerned because only the previous owner and the store saw any of the money exchanging hands. The people who made the game and/or invested money into the making of the game never receive a dime from secondhand games … it is not so hard to understand their reluctance in helping buyers of secondhand games when you think about, is it?

That's pretty much the way it is for almost every other good and item I can think of. They all have second hand markets. Books, CDs, Cars, hell even household objects. Between Ebay and Craigslist you are sure to find anything and everything being sold by someone second hand. The original producers of those items don't get money for them. That's the way it's been since ancient times, for as long as there has been currency and people making goods. It's hardly anything new.

As someone who purchases an item, I reserve the right to re-sell it at some point fully realizing that in the vast majority of cases I am going to get far less than what I paid for it. I also reserve the right to buy goods second hand, realizing they may not necessarily be in pristine condition.

The bulk of sales for a game are generally at release. If someone really wants it they will get it then. For old games perhaps they are simply not being priced competitively enough if people are resorting to buying used. For example, I wouldn't buy GOG games used because they are so cheap already there would not be a point (unless I really wanted the packaging).

To have this idea that you can digitally booby trap a game because you can stinks. Also, if I am hassled and forced to jump through hoops and pay money a second time for a game I am not going to get a favorable impression of that company and will probably not want to buy new games from them in the future.