Borderlands - Early Copies Locked

Dhruin

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Apparently some retailers have broken the street date on the PC version of Borderlands - but they can't be activated. Here's what 2K's Community Manager had to say:
Yesterday we learned that a fraction of the PC copies of Borderlands were accidentally sold to consumers in some countries but that gamers could not activate their copies yet. Since we learned of this problem, we have been looking into the issue to find the best possible solution for everyone.
I'm going to be completely honest with you guys right now. It is not possible for us to move the planned release date of the game forward. We could not possibly get the games into stores worldwide and out for digital distribution any earlier than planned. Less than 1% of all copies were sold, and if we unlocked the game today, illegal versions would most likely appear on torrents by the evening. I am sure all of you want our PC launch to be as successful as possible, and we simply won't be able to manage that any earlier than already planned.
I want to apologize for those of you who have gotten the game ahead of our release date, and ask for your patience and understanding. The game will be ready in the US and Canada at midnight eastern standard time on Monday, October 26th, and internationally by Friday, October 30th.
More information.
 
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...were sold, and if we unlocked the game today, illegal versions would most likely appear on torrents by the evening. I am sure all of you...
There it is in a nutshell. Don't hedge, mate, just confront the issue: you fear piracy (justifiably), hence you screw over the PC-enthusiast community by making us wait longer than the console-loving crowd.
Not, mind you, that I'm anticipating anything more than a "sandboxy" shooter akin to, say, Far Cry 2. Which is to say: shallow, repetitive and appealing strictly to those who like things that go "bang!"
Even so, just own up to it already...
 
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If they're gonna be jerks about it, they should've locked the console versions, too. At least then everyone would know the publisher is doing this kinda crap.
 
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Why? Pirate problems are MUCH reduced on consoles. If the game is only available on those platforms, sales go up. Once it hits PC, lots of dishonest folks will just download it for free that might have actually paid for it. If it weren't for marketing concerns, they would probably delay the game for months on the PC.
 
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They shouldn't be punishing legitimate buyers of the PC game because of pirates, that's why. They paid for their product, and they should be allowed to play it. It actually encourages legit buyers to pirate. The bigger issue, however, is that the retail box DID NOT state that the game would not be playable until the "official" PC release date. Some would consider that false advertising.
 
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I don't really think they are being jerks. The jerks were the retailers for selling them early. Usually, I'm all over being on the side of the consumer vs. the publisher. But in this case, the publisher is getting screwed for something that it didn't do wrong.

At least they were forthcoming about it. I actually think they reacted properly.
 
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The bigger issue, however, is that the retail box DID NOT state that the game would not be playable until the "official" PC release date. Some would consider that false advertising.
Are you serious?

They said the game will be released on X date. Most people would realise that there is therefore no right to be able to play the game before that date.

This isn't any kind of kick in the teeth for PC players or anything. A company isn't obligated at all to make a game playable before its release date.
 
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Another game doing stupid online activation. Now I might just wait for a crack to buy my copy.
 
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Aren't the people at fault here the retailers? that have sold the game before the official is out on the street? e.g. before they are allowed to sell the game?

It can't ever be the players' fault, nor the publishers', nor the developers' - the only people to blame, I find, must be the people that have broken the street date - i.e. sold the games before they were allowed to do so.

I understand why Larian Studios won't open up for activations just yet, though. It is probably a logistical nightmare or something similar to co-ordinate everything for release, so it can be done fairly to all players around the world.
 
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If I was someone being pro to and supporting piracy, I would be standing in the first line argueing against DRM and "withholding stuff from honest gamers".

Because with lots of - then - my kind of people I would put kind of a pressure upon the developer/publisher to release a game in a shape so that it kind of indirectly supports piracy - read: can be widely distributed via pirates.

If I was a pirate, I would be hugely disappointed that a game would use *any* kind of DRM - and I would try to call as many people as possible to write the developers' / publishers' forums full of comments regarding the use of DRM "harming the honest player".

Because that is what I would see as effective : Disguise myself as an "honest player" and put the pressure on, so to say. The only problem would be that I mustn't let certain words or/and sentences through …
 
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The game company has done exactly what it agreed to. The game will work on the date they said it would be available.

The retailers are in the wrong for selling it early, and anyone who purchased it *knowing* that it wasn't supposed to be sold yet got exactly what they deserved. They tried to play the system, and they got served.
 
Considering how many issues there were with stuff like one of the Fallout 3 DLC's and most prominently DemiGod when retailers pissed all over the release date, I can't say I blame them. They published a release date, have agreements with retailers, and got boxes there early to be sure they would be ready on release day (I got my text that I can pick mine up tomorrow). No harm done.
 
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