Video games need an expiry date if they’re going to be digital only – Reader’s Feature

Not all games last forever (Sony Interactive Entertainment)

With PlayStation gamers no longer able to own the games they buy, as Sony moves to an all-digital future, a reader argues they should be given a guarantee of how long a download will last.

Digital download future only.

There I’ve said it, that dirty phrase that gets most gamers riled up whether they’re young or old. Especially these last few weeks. I happen to agree with those people, by the way.

If I were a cynical man (and I am), I would think Sony has had this little nugget of information to drop on consumers for a some time now but when they got wind that Grand Theft Auto 6 was going all-digital at launch they decided to drop the news shortly afterwards, hoping it wouldn’t make such an impact on consumers [That’s very probably true, according to the latest information – GC]

On another note, those people that were complaining about Grand Theft Auto 6 being delayed? I imagine this digital-only news would have come a lot sooner to us gamers, had it not been delayed so much, so be careful what you wish for.

I was going to go into a whole monologue about gambling laws and getting nothing back for your money, then comparing it to buying games digitally and not knowing if you would own the game for 10 days or 10 years.

I’m sure there is probably some get out of jail clause they have put in the small print, that means we legally have no leg to stand on in that respect.

If we do go download-only there is going to be more small print than ever and, let’s face it, nobody reads it before clicking on the accept page anyway.

So I propose, just like buying an item off a supermarket shelf – a loaf of bread or some short life chilled item – that there is a ‘use by’ date, not in the small print but visibly clear and very big for consumers to read ,that guarantees that this product will stay consumable (I hate that word) to that very day. Then the person buying it can make a decision of whether it’s worth their hard-earned money or not.

Sony has upset fans around the world (Credits: Getty Images)

It might sound petty but at least it gives the consumer the knowledge and option of when and whether to purchase it.

I’m sure these pages will be filled in 25 years’ time, with gamers who aren’t even born yet complaining about their favourite game being taken off the store front from them.

At the very least we can try to provide them with the knowledge and understanding that a game might not last them through their whole gaming life.

Who knows, it might even spark up a new generation of gamers that don’t have time to build up a back catalogue of games, because they simply don’t have the time or money. That would be interesting to see indeed – a bit like the early 90s

Whatever happens, it’s apparent that soon a game will not be for life, it will be just for Christmas. Boy how times have changed.

By reader freeway 77

Sony must’ve known GTA 6 was going to be digital-only too (Rockstar Games)

The reader’s features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

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