EU court rules gamers can legally resell digital titles

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Hobchild

623 posts

Ultimate Geek

#105456 4-Jul-2012 22:03

What does everybody think about this?

My question is how do you sell a digital copy of a game? Unless Steam/Origin etc put used game stores up on their sites how do people go about selling their digital copies.

It also mentions that if somebody buys a used licence they then have the right to download the game from the copyright holders website. But as I understood it Steam only owns the copyright to Valve games, eg if I obtain a used licence for Batman: Arkham City does that oblige Warner Bros. to make the game downloadable from their website?

floydbloke

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#651211 5-Jul-2012 12:16

I like it, and the (paper-based) book analogy. Or any other goods really, you buy something...you no longer have a use for it... sell it to someone who does have a use for it and recover some of your initial costs.

Implementing and policing it will not be simple I suspect.

As for downloading from the copyright holder's website, I would think that if the copyright holder provides reasonably simple means of downloading it to the second-hand purchaser, e.g. via Steam or similar, that should be sufficient.

Did Eric Clapton really think she looked wonderful...or was it after the 15th outfit she tried on and he just wanted to get to the party and get a drink?

Lias

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#651238 5-Jul-2012 13:00

Now if only our government will follow this example, instead of signing all our rights away with the TPPA.

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Hobchild

623 posts

Ultimate Geek

#651454 5-Jul-2012 18:32

floydbloke: I like it, and the (paper-based) book analogy. Or any other goods really, you buy something...you no longer have a use for it... sell it to someone who does have a use for it and recover some of your initial costs.

Implementing and policing it will not be simple I suspect.

As for downloading from the copyright holder's website, I would think that if the copyright holder provides reasonably simple means of downloading it to the second-hand purchaser, e.g. via Steam or similar, that should be sufficient.

In theory I like it too but I have also become a bit of a Steam fan boy, basically IMO Steam do it right, well almost right. The regional pricing definitely lets them down.

But you can't beat a Steam sale. 75% off what is generally half the price you pay for retail in the stores is almost too good to be true. I am worried that if they are forced to put a used games store up then it will drive their prices up and their awesome sales might stop. Or even worse they could start charging a subscription fee.

As for being able to download the game from Steam, I don't think they are obliged to let you so why would they and if they did why would they not charge you a fee for the service.

jbard

1377 posts

Uber Geek

#651457 5-Jul-2012 18:39

Hobchild:
floydbloke: I like it, and the (paper-based) book analogy. Or any other goods really, you buy something...you no longer have a use for it... sell it to someone who does have a use for it and recover some of your initial costs.

Implementing and policing it will not be simple I suspect.

As for downloading from the copyright holder's website, I would think that if the copyright holder provides reasonably simple means of downloading it to the second-hand purchaser, e.g. via Steam or similar, that should be sufficient.

In theory I like it too but I have also become a bit of a Steam fan boy, basically IMO Steam do it right, well almost right. The regional pricing definitely lets them down.

But you can't beat a Steam sale. 75% off what is generally half the price you pay for retail in the stores is almost too good to be true. I am worried that if they are forced to put a used games store up then it will drive their prices up and their awesome sales might stop. Or even worse they could start charging a subscription fee.

As for being able to download the game from Steam, I don't think they are obliged to let you so why would they and if they did why would they not charge you a fee for the service.

Yeah good point the, I am a steam fan boy they have fantastic pricing. With steam sales it is often cheaper to buy the game from steam than second hand in NZ, for example I got LA Noire for $3.74 the other day :)

I wouldn't want something like this to force the price up.

Hobchild

623 posts

Ultimate Geek

#651459 5-Jul-2012 18:58

jbard: Yeah good point the, I am a steam fan boy they have fantastic pricing. With steam sales it is often cheaper to buy the game from steam than second hand in NZ, for example I got LA Noire for $3.74 the other day :)

Me too.

Hobchild

623 posts

Ultimate Geek

#651479 5-Jul-2012 19:30

http://www.gameplanet.co.nz/features/1004701.20120705.There-will-never-be-a-used-digital-market/

Worth a read.

floydbloke

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#651520 5-Jul-2012 21:10

Good points about Steam bargains, reminder to self to log on again one of these days and see what's available.

I don't think Steam or the publisher/copyright owner needs to provide the marketplace for buying/selling used games. Ebay, trademe and the likes can be used for that. Going by this law though, the copyright owner needs to provide the mechanism so that ownership of the licence can be transferred from the seller to the buyer, and make the software usable for the latter.

Did Eric Clapton really think she looked wonderful...or was it after the 15th outfit she tried on and he just wanted to get to the party and get a drink?