Is there a reason for the recent EULA notifications?

[Alpha-methyl]

I'm just curious why the EULA has to be agreed to again for games I've been playing for a very long time - and if this is because there is some substantial change in them. I read through one as best I could (it's hard to actually process that legalese) but I don't notice anything that stands out or that I have not seen before - I could easily be missing something.

These days, when I'm forced to re-read a privacy policy or the like, I expect there's something in there giving corporations or developers access to my computer a la microsoft and apple. I certainly hope this isn't the case - as I'm seeing it for every game, I'm guessing it's not developer specific...

...any insight on this would be great, thanks.

[Paratech2008]

Because they can do whatever they want. If you disagree to the new EULA, they revoke your game(s), so they can either take away your game(s) or force you to another EULA. That's corporate rules.

[anrkyuk]

Originally posted by Paratech2008:

Because they can do whatever they want.

They can sure say whatever they want, however, statutory rights which vary country to country always trump any EULA / TOS. Companies love writing these things knowing that 90% will never read them and 90% of those that do think they are enshrined in law, agreeing to a TOS / EULA does not mean that you are waiving your lawful rights.

[Chompman]

When in doubt google it to see if there is any news and none of the games I have played recently have had this issue so it may be a game issue.

[Alpha-methyl]

Originally posted by Paratech2008:

Because they can do whatever they want. If you disagree to the new EULA, they revoke your game(s), so they can either take away your game(s) or force you to another EULA. That's corporate rules.

What I am asking is if anyone knows of anything like I mentioned within the EULA - I know the purpose behind them, I am just wondering why every game I own is suddenly making me agree to them again. I didn't see anything in particular that isn't normally in them, but I also get lost in the text walls when it's cookie cutter corporate/legal jargon, so...

I did actually do an internet search or two to see, but I have not found anything recent regarding this yet - maybe it's because I am using other search engines and not google. I try to not go to google when I do not absolutely have to, but I guess I'll have to try to run a search on it for this because there's nothing showing up on a couple other search engines.

I know I don't have a choice but to agree or not play the game anyway, but all this datamining and spy nonsense permeating the tech industry today is ridiculous, and I want to know if any developers whose games I play are actually taking more information than necessary or accessing things they have no reason to. At the very least, I'd be writing numerous letters expressing my discontent.

With all the stuff in news about apps (especially around google / facebook / social media in general) recording and sending off every bit of information it can about everything you do throughout your day to advertisers and their own databases to sell, I would not put it past anyone. It'll be a sad day when that happens in the video game industry and it's viewed as standard, so I hope that day hasn't come.

[Alpha-methyl]

Originally posted by Chompman:

When in doubt google it to see if there is any news and none of the games I have played recently have had this issue so it may be a game issue.

huh, perhaps it's just a steam issue then - because I'm getting it on every single game in my steam library.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

Probably another side effect from the 0kb updates they started rolling out a few weeks ago.

Just deal with it... And maybe read them this time...?

[Alpha-methyl]

...I stated that I did read through one and didn't notice anything that stands out. It is difficult to glean actual information out of that legalese, at least for me, which is why I asked my question in the first place.

Given that a number of responses to my post don't appear to have read it, I'll shoot that suggestion right back at you. It's baffling that you would reply to something you didn't read.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

I wasn't saying that there was a change IN the EULA that prompted them to pop up again.

[Alpha-methyl]

Originally posted by cSg|mc-Hotsauce:

I wasn't saying that there was a change IN the EULA that prompted them to pop up again.

:qr:

I didn't say you said there was a change, I WAS ASKING IF THERE WAS, OR IF ANYONE ELSE NOTICED ONE. I read it. You told me to read it. Do you see where my problem comes from now? Christ.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

Originally posted by Alpha-methyl:

Originally posted by cSg|mc-Hotsauce:

I wasn't saying that there was a change IN the EULA that prompted them to pop up again.

I didn't say you said there was a change, I WAS ASKING IF THERE WAS, OR IF ANYONE ELSE NOTICED ONE. I read it. You told me to read it. Do you see where my problem comes from now? Christ.

Then, I repeat...

Originally posted by cSg|mc-Hotsauce:

Probably another side effect from the 0kb updates they started rolling out a few weeks ago.

Just deal with it...

[Alpha-methyl]

We seem to have a word comprehension problem on our hands. Does that actually answer my question? Telling me to "deal with it" or that an update went with the change (which is how it will always be, it's the nature of digital gaming. Every change, however minor, comes with an update) isn't really what I asked or want to know. I noticed the update, and then this began, but what I'm wondering is - why?

I am trying to see if someone knows if there's a reason FOR that update. Sometimes, an EULA or TOS change has some badness related to government and/or big tech monitoring slipped in. Right now that kind of crap is being done all over the internet, and I'm HOPING this isn't some prelude to censorship or spying coming to my main gaming platform. I didn't SEE anything myself, but it's very easy to miss such things in a big wall of legal jargon, especially when one accompanies every single game.

It would be wise to start questioning things like that, because the authoritarian BS is closing in from every direction regardless of which country you live in. Don't think video gaming is safe from these politics, either. This is most definitely not the case.

[Paratech2008]

It may not be anything, or it may be something, the only way to tell would be to compare the previous EULA to the current one.