Selling Or Trading Download Keys In The Future For Games

Ok...

Here is another thought...I wonder since downloading of games are now the thing of the future....If...It would come to be where you can sell a download key that is just for you ,and no one else....Where you can either sell the key or trade the key for a download to another person....

I think this would be a good thing....

What do you think ?

I will never ever download a game again had one very bad experience it downloading games is the future I will have to quit playing diane

I don't know but do you really think that a publisher or developer is going to be OK with that?

dianne..I had a bad experience a couple of years ago....I can't remember the name of the game....But....You had to download disk 1 through 4....My whole download got messed up <sigh>

Greyfuss ...If you bought the game for full price on a download, Why would they object....

Darleen, it's not happening on GameBoomers Trading Post because it's not legal and I am not seeing it being legal here or anywhere else in the US in the future. It's already been an issue that you can't will your electronic properties either like your ebooks etc. It is licensed to you and only you.

I think they wouldn't allow it for the simple reason that by letting "you" sell the game and then download from their servers then they lose a sale let alone now have the burden to provide support for another user but not not have any profit. And what about the added cost of the traffic for downloading on their site. I have never read the ULLA (?is it) but it may say right in there that it is for your use only. These are all off of the top of my head and I have no real proof but if I was a developer I wouldn't want my game downloaded from my site 20 times and only get one sale.

The EULA's do indeed say it licensed for you only. YOu are buying the right to play it, not distribute it.

Thats it, EULA not ULLA lol. ULLA sounds like some kind of virus or body part.

I do remember reading about some developers who were getting tired of being constantly bothered by people requesting support for a game they bought from someone else and this was back in the days of boxed games only. Besides is it really fair to them?

Ana....

I know GB's would not allow it, but Change is coming to the Internet downloads...

If the publishers want to reap the benefits of full price on a download sooner or later they will have to find a way to make their customers happy.....

Less, and less hard copies are available lately...

I see no harm in selling or trading a key that a person paid full price for...

Thats just my opinion...

Also when you sell or trade a hard copy ...You go through the same thing ..Worried if it works on your computer....

If you trade a key customer support should not be available to you ..I think....

Yes, I thought of an uvula when I read it.

Developers need to earn a living. We have seen enough close up shop because they can't. If you love adventures you need to not look for ways to cut the developers profit. I personally have contributed to a Kickstarter of games I may never have time to play, but I want the developer to succeed because I love the genre.

I also want the developers to succeed, but unfortunately I don't have lots of money to support them all....

Everyone knows I am guilty of selling my hard copies of game and I certainly don't want anyone to think that it is right and I really do understand what you are saying Darlene. I am actually doing this without the developers/publishers blessing or knowledge, is it wrong...probably, that is a subject that has been beat to death. As far as the downloads it seems like they would be giving permission if they allowed anyone to be able to access their downloads at their cost. If you just multiply times ten the number of emails both you and Dianne sent when you had download trouble to the support site for those games. They have to pay people to answer those and resolve the issues and this doesn't even involve the game itself.

Lets say for grins they sell 10,000 downloads of their game and each of those games keys were sold only 2 times, that would be 30,000 people they are providing support for and only profiting for 10,000. When you look at downloads that way it looks a little different than just selling a key. At least it does for me.

Darleen, I don't have money for a lot of them either trust me. But I do not believe I have to have everything either. Just because I "want" something does mean I can have it. I remember when I started gaming and I bought 3 games a year tops because that is all I could afford and it took me months to play because there were no hints.

The games are cheaper now than they were back then also. Bottom line is, people complain there are not enough adventures being made, they get upset when a beloved developer like Kheops and others shut their doors, but we want to play the games without making sure the developer gets paid for it. You can't have it both ways.

GreyFuss....

If you buy a key from someone lets say....The person has to register to use that key for download....

Ok....So if you sell or trade the key you will have to register that computer to download the game....So ....in that case the publisher knows the key is used, and being registered by another user....Then there is no support for that key...

What is so complicated about that...

Ana....I do agree, but times are changing....

Look at the TP here...Its getting less, and less newer games for trade...Thats Sad..

Wouldn't it be simpler to just sell the game the old fashioned way on a disk? It's the only way it works for me!

Actually I'm not sure it's illegal.
This is what Frogwares' The Hood wrote on this forum on Testament of SH (sorry, don't know how to link to it):

It means that you can uninstall from one comp and install on another, it gives a better range for lending the game away, or resell it, because activations will continue to work through time.

Well forgive my French and I am sorry if I get emotional, but I must say something!

You can't have your cake and eat it too boys and girls!

Ana is right! We should stop whining and stop trying to beat the system. If you want a game, reach into your pockets and stop complaining. My god, games are only $5-$40 USD and distributors are always running special! You can pay that or more going out to dinner and it will all be down the drain the next day! In the old days, games were $40 to $50 USD, no sales and it was $10 USD extra for a walkthrough guide!

And Yes it is sad and pathetic to see so many developers go out of business. Not because they didn't make games people loved, but because they didn't get paid enough to pay the rent!

I was stultified and actually ASHAMED that such Super Stars of Adventure Gaming, like Jane Jensen and Ragnar Tornquist would have to resort to "Kickstarters" to fund the production of their works!

What is a "Kickstarter"? Basically Begging! Sad but true!

For a new developer working out of his basement is one thing, but for such heavy hitters to have to do it is a very sad state of affairs!

If we don't start curbing pirate distributors (like Lace Mamba) and trying to cheat the system ourselves, there Won't BE ANY Adventure games 10 years from now!!!

And then we will be reduced to trying to get our old discs (if computers even accept discs then) to work on Windows Version 23 or whatever!

Won't that be fun!

No disrespect to you, Darleen, but if "times are a-changing" in the way you want, there will be no more games to play whether you can afford them or not. In my opinion, cheating the game developer in that way is no better than those who pirate games. I am a total stickler when it comes to being legal with ALL my software. But I really go out of my way to support game developers. Like Ana, I have even supported some Kickstarters which are games I will probably never play.

I can relate to not being able to afford all the games I want, but all I have to do is put away $1 every week and it doesn't take long before that $15 or $20 or $60 is saved up. One thing I won't do is cheat game developers. I love my games too much!

Sorry if you all are taking what I said on the topic as "Cheating"

No way I would ever cheat any of the developers or writers of games...

All I am saying is that if you pay for a digital download, and you get a specific key to open , and play the game you should be able to trade or sell that key...

Just like with DVDs on a game ...Some games you get a key to play the disc on your computer...

Well I, for one, never took it that way Darleen

However, I believe the way things are set up at the moment with regards to digital downloads means that in some circumstances you could legally trade a key as long as it hasn't been used. For example, steam allow you to buy a download 'as a gift' and pass the key to whomever you like. All legal and above board. Whether that includes selling it on to a stranger, I don't know, I've never tried. Whatever, you can't use it yourself first.

Personally, I don't see why an individual shouldn't legally be able to trade an unused key whereas an online company like Amazon or whoever can. That's just stacking the odds in favour of the rich middle men and as a 'European socialist' I really hate that

An unused key, yes. One that has already been used, no. That is what is cheating the game developer out of a sale. As Greyfuss said earlier, 20 downloads, but only one sale to the developer as the key gets resold from one person to the next is cheating the developer out of hard earned revenue. A bit of an exaggeration perhaps, but a good illustration of what reselling already used keys means to a game developer.

But how is reselling a used key different from reselling a used disk? Selling disks is generally accepted and supported on this site. And how I understand Frogwares (see 6 posts above this) they don't have a problem with it either.

A disk, particularly one that is required to be in the drive to run, has limited potential to spread. A key code that is allowed on multiple computers unlimited has the potential to cease further sales. A download keycode that has limited 6 activations, can potentially be sold with no more activations because you never really know how many times it has been used.

Regardless of if it is legal or whether or not the developer approves, the trading or selling keycodes, or of a game that requires a keycode is not permitted here. This is a private website and the rules are decided by the administration and that is what we abide by. If other websites permit it, that is their prerogative.

thehood, I thank you for your explanation. I always appreciate your input.

Ana