Ubisoft: I Am Alive cancelled on the PC cause "so few people are paying for PC games"

[Aikouka]

Some of my thoughts on piracy, DRM, etc...

In almost all cases, DRM is just a huge mess. The only DRM setups that seem to provide a benefit to users are the online services such as Battle.Net and Steam. Everything else just hinders how the paying customer is allowed to use the software, but the pirated copy has all of these restrictions removed.

Piracy is a hard loss to quantify. The knee-jerk statement that gets made is typically, "well, if the person didn't pirate it, they would have purchased it." The problem is that this is a counterfactual argument, which are illogical in nature. You cannot prove what someone would have or would have not done if they were unable to pirate the game.

 

[mindcycle]

Not only better informed but less willing to put up with bullshit. Plenty of them pay for games and download cracks so they can enjoy the same privileges the pirates do, like less or no hassle when trying to play.

Yes, i've found myself doing this on multiple occasions when I buy retail discs and not off Steam or something similar. Especially to get rid of the 2 minutes of intro vids!

 

[shortylickens]

Yes, i've found myself doing this on multiple occasions when I buy retail discs and not off Steam or something similar. Especially to get rid of the 2 minutes of into vids!

Well, those can USUALLY be removed with a command line parameter or editing an INI file.
But not always.

 

[mindcycle]

Well, those can USUALLY be removed with a command line parameter or editing an INI file.
But not always.

Yeah, i've removed intro vids that way on occasion. The benefit of them being removed through a crack is you no longer need the disk either. I think all games should have the option of turning off the intro vids through a menu setting once you've watched them once. Or at least be able to skip them!

 

[Childs]

Fortunes? I don't know, the PC market is not lucrative unless you have a hit MMO or really, really lucky. Games that have sold 10+ million on consoles barely squeak 200k on PC's and that is counting DD.

BFBC2 sold more on PC than 360 or PS3. BF3 probably did the same type of business on the different platforms. Fallout 3/NV, Dragon Age, and the Elder Scrolls probably pretty good business as well. Generally, when the game is released at the same time as the console versions, and not crippled in some way, it will sell in the same ballpark.

 

[blackened23]

BFBC2 sold more on PC than 360 or PS3. BF3 probably did the same type of business on the different platforms. Fallout 3/NV, Dragon Age, and the Elder Scrolls probably pretty good business as well. Generally, when the game is released at the same time as the console versions, and not crippled in some way, it will sell in the same ballpark.

ORLY???????????????????????????????????

http://gamrreview.vgchartz.com/sales-data/31439/battlefield-bad-company-2/

Xbox 360 BC2 sales: 3,121,345
PS3 BC2 sales: 2,460,000
PC (including steam): 650,000

Unless you're telling me that BC2 PC sold 2.4 million via the EA store and direct2drive (NOT LIKELY)

 

[zerogear]

ORLY???????????????????????????????????

http://gamrreview.vgchartz.com/sales-data/31439/battlefield-bad-company-2/

Xbox 360 BC2 sales: 3,121,345
PS3 BC2 sales: 2,460,000
PC (including steam): 650,000

Unless you're telling me that BC2 PC sold 2.4 million via the EA store and direct2drive (NOT LIKELY)

As of March 2010, 2.3 million copies of Bad Company 2 had been sold in Europe and North America.[63][64][65] By May 2010 it had sold more than 5 million copies,[66] which had grown to "almost 6 million" by November. As of June 30, 2011 over 9 million copies of the game have been sold across all platforms.[67]

Doesn't add up with your numbers.

 

[Childs]

ORLY???????????????????????????????????

http://gamrreview.vgchartz.com/sales-data/31439/battlefield-bad-company-2/

Xbox 360 BC2 sales: 3,121,345
PS3 BC2 sales: 2,460,000
PC (including steam): 650,000

Unless you're telling me that BC2 PC sold 2.4 million via the EA store and direct2drive (NOT LIKELY)

I dont know about VGChartz, but PC always sold more than either 360 or PS3.

http://kotaku.com/5487038/battlefield-bad-company-2-players-prefer-pc-to-console

That was the first week. And it was also sustained with the Operation Hastings teamwork competition:

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/281797/bad-company-2-operation-hastings-map-open-to-all/

Even using something like http://bfbcs.com shows over 3.4 mil PC users, which is less than 4 mil for 360, and more than PS3. But remember, 360 and PS3 has the used market, so its unclear how many are actual sales vs used sales. PC figures are all actual sales. All three platforms can create multiple accounts, but I'm not sure why someone would want to do that, so assume the same percentage for all platforms.

Now, I will leave it at that, as I'd like to play tonight instead of looking up sales figures. :biggrin:

 

[PrayForDeath]

[citation needed]

Umm there's a link in my previous post which you quoted. But just in case you wanted more:

Joystik: The Witcher 2 approaching a million sales

IGN: The Witcher 2 Sells Nearly 1 Million

Gameinformer: The Witcher 2 Closing In On A Million Sales

GameSpy: The Witcher 2 Nears 1 Million Copies Sold

Gamasutra: Report: The Witcher 2 Sales Close To 1M

Industry Gamers: Witcher 2 Assassinates Almost 1 Million [Report]

Warsaw Business Journal: 'The Witcher 2': nearly 1 million copies sold

Bear in mind, these news stories all came out in August.

 

[-Slacker-]

I dont know about VGChartz, but PC always sold more than either 360 or PS3.

http://kotaku.com/5487038/battlefield-bad-company-2-players-prefer-pc-to-console

That was the first week. And it was also sustained with the Operation Hastings teamwork competition:

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/281797/bad-company-2-operation-hastings-map-open-to-all/

Even using something like http://bfbcs.com shows over 3.4 mil PC users, which is less than 4 mil for 360, and more than PS3. But remember, 360 and PS3 has the used market, so its unclear how many are actual sales vs used sales. PC figures are all actual sales. All three platforms can create multiple accounts, but I'm not sure why someone would want to do that, so assume the same percentage for all platforms.

Now, I will leave it at that, as I'd like to play tonight instead of looking up sales figures. :biggrin:

If PC bc2 really sold right between xbox360 and ps3 then, considering that digital distribution is much more profitable than retail and that most of the PC market is digital, the PC version of the game must have raked in the most net profit of every platform.

DICE didn't just make an expensive, great looking PC oriented game out of the goodness of their hearts - they're not stupid; They knew there was a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

 

[LumbergTech]

Some of my thoughts on piracy, DRM, etc...

In almost all cases, DRM is just a huge mess. The only DRM setups that seem to provide a benefit to users are the online services such as Battle.Net and Steam. Everything else just hinders how the paying customer is allowed to use the software, but the pirated copy has all of these restrictions removed.

Piracy is a hard loss to quantify. The knee-jerk statement that gets made is typically, "well, if the person didn't pirate it, they would have purchased it." The problem is that this is a counterfactual argument, which are illogical in nature. You cannot prove what someone would have or would have not done if they were unable to pirate the game.

thats what people don't seem to get in these piracy arguments...the type of people who just download everything for free arent necessarily going to just buy everything in sight...I do agree that there is a real loss to the companies, but you can be sure that console piracy is going to become worse as the world economies continue to have difficulty....but then again thats business..all about snagging that revenue at the time....now now now...give give give....kinda reminds me of pirates eh?

 

[Sentrosi2121]

All it takes is a software/hardware hack and an external drive and you can play .iso's of any of the consoles games. There are plenty of places on the Internet that cater to console pirates as much as they cater to PC pirates. Console piracy doesn't get the same scrutiny as PC does because PC Piracy is the buzzword of the year(s). Take away PCs and you'll see how quickly console piracy rises.

 

[PowerYoga]

pirated game does not equal lost sale. Those people are cheapskates and won't buy the game anyway. Plus ubisoft's draconian DRM hurts normal users more than pirates. Pirates will always crack the DRM, and normal users are stuck with the bullshit. The only one suffering is the customer.

Also what's this I am alive game, never heard of it.

 

[Aikouka]

All it takes is a software/hardware hack and an external drive and you can play .iso's of any of the consoles games. There are plenty of places on the Internet that cater to console pirates as much as they cater to PC pirates. Console piracy doesn't get the same scrutiny as PC does because PC Piracy is the buzzword of the year(s). Take away PCs and you'll see how quickly console piracy rises.

I believe that consoles do have one advantage when it comes to piracy, and that's their closed nature. Hacking your console can run the risk of it being banned from the online service (XBOX Live, PSN, etc.), and I assume that most users don't want this. On a PC, you might find some way around the lack of "official multiplayer" (hacked servers, etc.), but I don't know how common this is on consoles.

Although, if we're talking about PC piracy vs. console piracy strictly on an install basis, I think grandma who only checks her e-mail gives us a slight edge.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Yeah, exactly what I was saying. I have a friend who just downloaded Command and Conquer (it has been free for a number of years). He called me to help him unzip it and mount it via virtual drive. Yeah, he would not be able to figure out how to download or play a cracked copy of anything. Lots of people out there just like him.

I agree with you guys. The average console gamer seems clueless. I have had guys on XBL that did not even know they could install the game to the HDD. Forget about anything remotely tech related, they will just reply "what's that?/I don't know what that is."

If the console does not do it auto, or beat them over the head endlessly with the instructions for a "how to" they know jack shit about it.

 

[PrincessFrosty]

I hope they cancel all the titles and GTFO of PC market.

It would be better for both UBISOFT and PC Gamers.

Couldn't agree more.

 

[AdamK47]

Couldn't agree more.

I disagree. It's better to be than not to be.

 

[Liet]

Are we still talking about Ubi? Fuck those guys. Good riddance.

Games have gotten shitty over the years, THAT'S why I won't spend $60 on their 8-hour campaign game. Give me a perfect remake of Tie Fighter, just update the graphics, and I'll drop $100 on it instantly.

 

[jordanecmusic]

Why is this even a topic?

Consoles gamers can buy used games. Devs don't get any money on that.

Pc gamers can torrent. Devs don't get any money on that.

Gamestop has been in business for how many years now?

ALSO games should be cheaper when its off of steam or orgin because there are no shipping costs on games, no copying the games to cds, no booklet reproduction. At most, the PC games should cost 30-40 dollars. Consoles it would have to remain the same because they have to reproduce cases, booklets, and cds. Then again...we are given higher resolution textures and more eye candy than consoles.

One more thing, Devs don't release a demo, games get torrented. End of story.

 

[BallaTheFeared]

I demo PC games all the time, I have other things to buy than the crap they're trying to pass off as games (diapers/formula anyone?).

The fact of the matter is if I had to buy every game I "demo'ed" I'd be out of gaming. There just aren't enough good games coming out to spend $30-$60+ for without knowing if you'll actually like it or not.

Every game I finish I've bought.

The PC market has a unique station here, we can find out what the flip we're getting into before we spend huge chunks of cash on products. Make better quality products with dynamic gameplay and alluring online facets and more people would buy your crap rather than stealing it off the internet just to play the turd for an hour or two before deleting it.

Discussion of piracy? We'll allow it. Advocacy of piracy? We're not one of those forums. In the future keep your illegal activities to yourself
-ViRGE

 

[Nebor]

"Torrenting" and "demoing" are advocating piracy in the previous two posts. Not allowed here IIRC. Here's hoping SOPA, PIPA and the DMCA catch up with you thieves.

 

[jacc1234]

"Torrenting" and "demoing" are advocating piracy in the previous two posts. Not allowed here IIRC. Here's hoping SOPA, PIPA and the DMCA catch up with you thieves.

If only SOPA made trolling illegal.

 

[Raduque]

I will give in to one exception on Piracy.... If you lost your job and put in for 100 jobs last few months and still can't get hired. Then yeah! PIRATE ON.

This is not an excuse for piracy.

If only SOPA made trolling illegal.

Wouldn't that be nice!

 

[BallaTheFeared]

Would you pay $60 for a book if you only knew the title, while you were unable to see the content or context of said book? In fact said book was encased in wood, so not only would you not be able to sample it, you'd be unaware of how long or short or how poorly written it was. The only information you had on the book was the clever CGI used to market the product and hearsay.

Would you pay $60 for that mysterious book, how many duds would you have to buy before you became jaded?

 

[stag3]

Again...you can't say it's PC, console is the same(almost all of them).

console is just as bad if not worse