Cross posted from https://feddit.org/post/31333476
Existing EU consumer law already provides for important safeguards protecting the economic interests of consumers. Video game providers must inform consumers about the duration and the conditions for terminating the contract before the consumers signs up for the video game. […]
However, to address players’ concerns, the Commission has committed to taking several steps.
First, it will initiate an exchange with the video game industry and consumer representatives with the aim to draw up an industry code of conduct on managing video games’ ‘end of life’.
Second, the Commission will work with consumer organisations and authorities to raise awareness about the applicable rights that protect consumers, including on safeguards protecting the economic interests of consumers
Edit: edited title for more clarity.
This isn’t the end of the movement in Europe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgoODQFrPgw&t=734s
tl;dw: There is a much broader support for SKG in the European Parliament, the other legislative body besides the EC. Only the EC can introduce new legislation, but the EP has the authority to modify existing legislation. In this case, SKG intends to modify the Digital Fairness Act to extend it to protecting video game preservation.
Time for a new movement, stop buying killable games.
Unfortunately it often takes a lot of research to find out which ones are which. Store pages can be really bad at conveying that sort of thing.
Steam at least lists stuff like Denuvo or requirement for third party account or launcher on the game page. I’m not sure if everything is covered on the Steam game pages, but that is a good first starting point. Useful resources for general PC games are also https://steam.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_DRM-free_games and https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/The_big_list_of_DRM-free_games_on_Steam For consoles there is https://www.doesitplay.org/ , which lists if games are playable offline or do require additional downloads by checking stuff like additional log-ins and such. On that site there is also a filter for PC (Arch and several Windows versions), but there is only a handful of games there; the main focus is consoles (and handhelds).
I’m not sure if everything is covered on the Steam game pages, but that is a good first starting point.
It’s worse than that, actually. They technically provide all of the resources to inform the customer of this stuff, but it isn’t enforced. Palworld used to say that it requires an internet connection in the Steam Deck verified section, but that wasn’t actually true. Every Borderlands game except for BL1 GOTY edition has LAN play, meaning that series will survive a server shutdown, but two of them don’t list it; my guess is that the person managing the page doesn’t know or care. I’ve got a friend, as we speak, looking into which features of 007 First Light still work without an internet connection, which I wouldn’t even know was worth checking if it wasn’t for IO Interactive pulling new shenanigans with the latest Hitman games (he’s being more thorough, but the initial assessment is that it might restrict access to the challenge rooms).
UPDATE: My friend confirmed the challenge rooms are locked without internet. Bastards.
Just an example: for First Light on PS5, a download is required to play the game, as only the first mission is on disc. And for those of specific PS5 consoles (listed in the link I will provide) one needs to activate the game to play in the first place. These information can be found here: https://www.doesitplay.org/game/007 First Light/ps5/PS5 Pro?region=PEGI&version=Specialist+Edition
Without laws enforcing this, and just bringing awareness to consumers, will continue destroying games.
I don’t have a PS5, and I only play on PC, so every game requires a download to play it. But I do think that if this criteria matters to other folks and this site still doesn’t cover the part that matters to me, it’s demonstrative of all the ways that studios have compromised the products they sold to us.
I’m also on PC only. I just mentioned that above that even for games on disc its problematic and was just an example. At least they cover everything for console players.
Don’t people look into games before buying them?
You have to first understand the ways in which you can be burned, which takes lived experience.
Yeah, now I don’t buy anything from devs I haven’t heard of until its been out a while to see if people still care about it. No more jumping on what ever is popular this week only to never play it again.
If I have played a game of theirs before then I am more willing to buy early on.
Looks like the EU Commission is in the billionaires’ pockets. Go ask the French what to do with that info
As pointed out by Ross Scott himself in this videothis kind of answer was basically expected.
That’s why the current strategy is to get MEPs to amend the digital fairness act, which doesn’t require the Commissions approval.
