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General discussion (archive)Games you fear are near extinction(85 posts)(85 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted November 25, 2012
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carnival73: I got this weird premonition the other day (after the daily for SiN) that after the new years some digi retailers might do some weeding and reducing the size of their catalogs.

So I went back and picked up a few titles that I've been wanting that I can't confirm rather or not they will be around forever.

Armed and Dangerous
Clive Barker's Jericho
Bionic Commando
Why would Bionic Commando disappear? Does it have licensed soundtrack or something? Capcom holds all the rights to the franchise and has published all the games in the series.

I think that Fahrenheit (Indigo Prophecy) will disappear one day, since it has a few songs from Theory of a Deadman.
Post edited November 25, 2012 by Neobr10
Posted November 25, 2012
Halo 2 :(

/sarcasm





In all honesty, probably Second Sight.
Posted November 25, 2012
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Neobr10: I think that Fahrenheit (Indigo Prophecy) will disappear one day, since it has a few songs from Theory of a Deadman.
And at least one song by Martina Topley-Bird (in fact the game was the reason why I found interest in her music ^^).
Posted November 25, 2012
Has any game every actually been removed from a major digital store for something as abstract as "weeding and reducing the size of their catalogs?" I've never heard of it, and it seems pretty unlikely to me.
Posted November 25, 2012
Soldier of Fortune 1 & 2
Hitman Contracts
Prey
Ghostbusters - The Video Game
Silent Hill 2,3,4
The Curse of Monkey Island
Posted November 25, 2012
Miss games like Witcher 1, in a way.

Witcher 2 was ok in its own way, but not a true continuation in terms of mechanics, etc; should have been a new game.
Posted November 26, 2012
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overread: I think music is normally ok, but movies and any games based upon sports or cars tend to be very quick to get the axe chop when the licence expires. Plus they tend to also be very hard to ever get back into the community again (games based of films are probably not too bad, but anything with sports or external rights into other markets is likely very hard to get back on sale ever again).

Heck I put off getting the second Battle for Middle Earth game for ages - and now its gone pretty much from the market unless you find a second hand copy.
It all depends on the licensing. Everything that has third party licensed stuff can be pulled forever. It is less noticeable with music, as music licensing is as old as licensing can get and the contracts are better. The whole "licensing cars/sport stars/movies" Is rather new and limited to gaming, therefore done with much less foresight.
Posted November 26, 2012
I have a policy that any game not being sold digitally is abandonware and thus I download them elsewhere, so I don't really care.
Posted November 26, 2012
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StingingVelvet: I have a policy that any game not being sold digitally is abandonware and thus I download them elsewhere, so I don't really care.
So what if a game is sold physically but not digitally?

In any case, proper abandonware is fine from a moral angle, but not all abandonware 'providers' as it were have the foresight to archive every single game. There are always games that will be lost.
Posted November 26, 2012
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jamyskis: So what if a game is sold physically but not digitally?
I don't buy physical games anymore. Also I doubt any modern PC game is released only in a box, so it's a moot point. Used game boxes on amazon that give no money to anyone involved in investment or creation are pointless and stupid.
Posted November 26, 2012
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jamyskis: In any case, proper abandonware is fine from a moral angle, but not all abandonware 'providers' as it were have the foresight to archive every single game. There are always games that will be lost.
There is no proper abandonware. Abandonware is a made up term. It's piracy, plane and simple.

I support it, but there is no reason to beat around the bush.
Posted November 26, 2012
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SimonG: It all depends on the licensing. Everything that has third party licensed stuff can be pulled forever. It is less noticeable with music, as music licensing is as old as licensing can get and the contracts are better. The whole "licensing cars/sport stars/movies" Is rather new and limited to gaming, therefore done with much less foresight.
Also, take note that licenses on video games often contain clauses about using the license further for adding new content, expansions, upgrades and patches.
I think that's the primary reason why such licenses have shorter lifespan - to be sure that gaming company won't use the license forever. (you can imagine new NFS games coming out as an expansion/upgrade , not a different game)

When a movie is out, it's out, and royalties are flowing.
Posted November 26, 2012
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keeveek: Also, take note that licenses on video games often contain clauses about using the license further for adding new content, expansions, upgrades and patches.
I think that's the primary reason why such licenses have shorter lifespan - to be sure that gaming company won't use the license forever. (you can imagine new NFS games coming out as an expansion/upgrade , not a different game)

When a movie is out, it's out, and royalties are flowing.
That is actually a very good point. It is very difficult with games (or any software) where a license ends and a new license begins. Is a budget release of a game the same as a the original release? How about GOTY editions. Heck, you can write a phd in this field.
Posted November 26, 2012
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StingingVelvet: I don't buy physical games anymore. Also I doubt any modern PC game is released only in a box, so it's a moot point. Used game boxes on amazon that give no money to anyone involved in investment or creation are pointless and stupid.
For a while, the only way to buy Neverwinter Nights 2 was to buy it in boxed form. Sega Rally and Outrun 2006 are still sold in boxed form new, as are The Godfather 1 and 2, and none of these are available to buy anywhere digitally.

Just because you refuse to buy a game in a certain form does not make it abandonware by a long shot.
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SimonG: There is no proper abandonware. Abandonware is a made up term. It's piracy, plane and simple.
Hence why I said it's fine from a moral angle, not from a legal one. It's not a valid legal construct, but it is a moral one.

What StingingVelvet stated was not abandonware though.
Post edited November 26, 2012 by jamyskis
Posted November 26, 2012
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jamyskis: Hence why I said it's fine from a moral angle, not from a legal one. It's not a valid legal construct, but it is a moral one.

What StingingVelvet stated was not abandonware though.
There is no definition of abandonware. Abandonware is a made up concept for people to justify piracy. SV defintion is for him as good as yours is for you. There is no "proper" abandonware. There is no "right abandonware". There simply is piracy.

Piracy is important for game preservation and I support it.
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This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussion (archive)Games you fear are near extinction(85 posts)(85 posts)
(85 posts)