Why does Steam allow this scam?

[Padds]

There is a growing practice for games to be released , but the standard full price edition to be held back just so they can charge you again to remove the delay they inflicted.

i do not see how this is any better than the mob selling protection.

I think Steam should not allow this deeply anti - consumer and soon hopefully illegal scam to be used.

a publisher should offer the game at a single clear price for us to make our purchasing choice..

[Wolfpig]

Publicado originalmente por A no-brainer:

It is anti-consumer. The consumer has more cost and gets nothing of value for it and is pressured by peer pressure ...

If you let yourself pressure into buying a game just because others do that.....please stop buying games at all and research if you might need professional help.

BTW: I sometimes pre order games with early access.....not because of the early access, but dlc stuff i would want to buy either way for it (like on the forza games).
The early access is more of a bonus which i would not pay for itself.

[Taebrythn]

It's literally vote with your wallet. choose what you want to do with it. pick the versions that matter to you. Some people will never spend money in a mmo. Some might preorder/early access or wait years before picking it up. Not everyone will jump on the bandwagon. I let anyone know hey i didn't play this and they respect that.

If your friends pressure you to buy or spoil it then you don't have great friends. if you feel like you must be in with the crowd well that is your choice. Many people lack patience or attention span lately. a lot would rather stick their face in their phones. Age of mythology just came out with pay early or wait 6 days.

i looked and with an increased cost just to play early i just said nah i can wait. I don't need to pay extra to play it.

[Caduryn]

Publicado originalmente por A no-brainer:

Publicado originalmente por Crazy Tiger:

Consumers get provided with options. They can choose what they purchase.

I don't see the "anti" outside the "I don't like it". Which is, as I said, fine. I wouldn't pay for advanced access either, or at release for that matter. But options existing that some people don't like doesn't make something "anti-consumer".
People misuse such words a lot. There is a reason they're completely devoid of any actual meaning nowadays.

You do know that this is exactly what the gaming industry is saying. Loot boxes are optional while the game does everything to make you want them and preys on the vulnerable. Skins are optional, save slots are optional, the game working at release is also optional because we have a roadmap... it is totally optional if you want to play this game early when all your friends already play and spoil the story to you...

When something becomes the default then it is not optional anymore. This is becoming the default. For multiplayer games three days make a huge difference if you are a competitive gamer - for them it is not optional anymore. Just because something isn't tempting you, doesn't mean FOMO isn't getting to people, it doesn't mean it is optional for everyone.

It is anti-consumer. The consumer has more cost and gets nothing of value for it and is pressured by peer pressure and FOMO and it is becoming the industry standard if we do not fight it back.

And no it is not just "vote with your wallet" it is normal people who believe in the "play early" lie and get hyped until FOMO takes over their brain, by a system that has psychologists and tons of data to find the exact ways on how to make them buy vs. a handful of people to keep their wallets closed.

This has become a case for pro-consumer organisations and lawmakers.

If your own argumantation starts to look like it is out of the handbook of the gaming industry I think you should think about it twice.

Food for thought:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i59eC-rJfvE&themeRefresh=1

Next step: Early Access tiers, pay more and play 6 days early in tier one, 4 days in tier two and 2 days in pesky tier three.

Yeah.... ALWAYS blame the OTHERS your your own stupidy.... the classic behavior

[KalGimpa]

Publicado originalmente por A no-brainer:

Publicado originalmente por Brian9824:

Its not a scam when its clearly advertised. I see no issue with games offering a head start or ealy access for those buying premium versions. Its no different then early boarding or checkin many services offer.



Not anti consumer at all

I see it differently. The game is finished and can be played and the game gets released. There is no such thing as "play early" there is only "get punished by playing 3 days later" when you do not pay the ransom fee, which no one should pay.

I definitely think it is anti-consumer.

But gladly they are shooting themselves in the foot more and more. Newest example:

https://www.ign.com/articles/ubisoft-gives-annoyed-star-wars-outlaws-players-who-paid-to-play-early-but-lost-all-progress-a-trinket-and-some-loyalty-points-no-one-wants

So you not only paid for the excuslivity to punish every other gamer who can't or doesn't want to pay for nothing in return you also get punished by incompetence, lose game progress and get turned into a work-for-free Q&A tester.

I feel that we are at a point where pro-consumer organisations need to look at this and stop it.

But of course the old rule still is golden: WE DO NOT PREORDER! WE DO NOT PAY A RANSOM FEE TO PLAY EARLY!

if anything, it is pure consumerism

"pay for early access"

also, punished?

really, you are being punished?

let's be real

it is a game. buy it when it hits the price you want to pay

or don't

i know i am waiting for a sale for outlaw

[Aluvard]

Publicado originalmente por Wolfpig:

BTW: I sometimes pre order games with early access.....not because of the early access, but dlc stuff i would want to buy either way for it (like on the forza games).
The early access is more of a bonus which i would not pay for itself.

Same.

[Tito Shivan]

When everything is a 'scam', nothing is.

Anticipated access for preorders is nothing new. People have always paid premium prices for premium access.

Publicado originalmente por wesnef:

Patience is a virtue, after all.

I'll wait for it to be on deep sale before buying. Patience and a very large backlog to kill the time between are indeed a virtue.

[Kargor]

Geez... I generally buy games years after release...

Publicado originalmente por A no-brainer:

Again, what will you say when the next step is tiered Early Access where you can pay even more money for 6 days early (Starfield was already a week) or 12 days or.... what about "get 12 days early if you make 5 friends pay for EA too". I could go on and on and I wonder where you will draw the line. I drew it here at the beginning, but that's also because I realize it is only a beginning.

So, let people pay to play 12 days earlier than you. How exactly is this a problem? You're not the first to reach level 100, or whatever the max is?

Hate to break it to you, but even if you start the game the second it is released, you might not be the first either. There can only be one. In fact, since leaderboards are cheated anyway, you're definitely not the first according to the leaderboard.

[Doctor Zalgo]

Publicado originalmente por A no-brainer:

Publicado originalmente por Brian9824:

Its not a scam when its clearly advertised. I see no issue with games offering a head start or ealy access for those buying premium versions. Its no different then early boarding or checkin many services offer.



Not anti consumer at all

I see it differently. The game is finished and can be played and the game gets released. There is no such thing as "play early" there is only "get punished by playing 3 days later" when you do not pay the ransom fee, which no one should pay.

I definitely think it is anti-consumer.

But gladly they are shooting themselves in the foot more and more. Newest example:

https://www.ign.com/articles/ubisoft-gives-annoyed-star-wars-outlaws-players-who-paid-to-play-early-but-lost-all-progress-a-trinket-and-some-loyalty-points-no-one-wants

So you not only paid for the excuslivity to punish every other gamer who can't or doesn't want to pay for nothing in return you also get punished by incompetence, lose game progress and get turned into a work-for-free Q&A tester.

I feel that we are at a point where pro-consumer organisations need to look at this and stop it.

But of course the old rule still is golden: WE DO NOT PREORDER! WE DO NOT PAY A RANSOM FEE TO PLAY EARLY!

Finished and released aren't synonymous. Things like ad copy, review blackouts and the contracts with physical stores are based around the release date, not the 'play eaely' date or some arbitrary "finished date".

Ironically, this means people are paying more to buy the game unreviewed, but that's people for you.

[AROCK!!!]

Publicado originalmente por A no-brainer:

Publicado originalmente por Crazy Tiger:

Consumers get provided with options. They can choose what they purchase.

I don't see the "anti" outside the "I don't like it". Which is, as I said, fine. I wouldn't pay for advanced access either, or at release for that matter. But options existing that some people don't like doesn't make something "anti-consumer".
People misuse such words a lot. There is a reason they're completely devoid of any actual meaning nowadays.

You do know that this is exactly what the gaming industry is saying. Loot boxes are optional while the game does everything to make you want them and preys on the vulnerable. Skins are optional, save slots are optional, the game working at release is also optional because we have a roadmap... it is totally optional if you want to play this game early when all your friends already play and spoil the story to you...

When something becomes the default then it is not optional anymore. This is becoming the default. For multiplayer games three days make a huge difference if you are a competitive gamer - for them it is not optional anymore. Just because something isn't tempting you, doesn't mean FOMO isn't getting to people, it doesn't mean it is optional for everyone.

It is anti-consumer. The consumer has more cost and gets nothing of value for it and is pressured by peer pressure and FOMO and it is becoming the industry standard if we do not fight it back.

And no it is not just "vote with your wallet" it is normal people who believe in the "play early" lie and get hyped until FOMO takes over their brain, by a system that has psychologists and tons of data to find the exact ways on how to make them buy vs. a handful of people to keep their wallets closed.

This has become a case for pro-consumer organisations and lawmakers.

If your own argumantation starts to look like it is out of the handbook of the gaming industry I think you should think about it twice.

Food for thought:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i59eC-rJfvE&themeRefresh=1

Next step: Early Access tiers, pay more and play 6 days early in tier one, 4 days in tier two and 2 days in pesky tier three.

there is a group of regulars here that vigorously defend billion dollar corporations, and the gaming industry, especially Valve / STEAM, over their own, no to mention the consumers, best interest.


It makes you wonder if they do this because they have a dog in the fight, or they are simply not too bright.

[Crazy Tiger]

Ah, I see it already goes in the accusations route. To be expected when people, always the same ones, can't handle different opinions.

[Tsubame ⭐]

You are not forced to preorder games, nor the most expensive bundle just because it is available.

You do not want to? Wait until release. Others may think otherwise.

[ShelLuser]

Publicado originalmente por Padds:

There is a growing practice for games to be released , but the standard full price edition to be held back just so they can charge you again to remove the delay they inflicted.

i do not see how this is any better than the mob selling protection.

That's because you don't know what you're blabbering about and never have been under the tyranny of a mob. "Unhindered by any factual knowledge", is what I like to call it, in other words.. well, let's not go there :P

Publicado originalmente por Padds:

I think Steam should not allow this deeply anti - consumer and soon hopefully illegal scam to be used.

Translation: I think people who really like this game should not be allowed a preview into what is coming up. Who are you to tell me that I can't enjoy my Madden 3 days ahead of schedule?

Ironic... you claim tiranny, yet easily try to practice it yourself too.

Jealous much? Did someone finally tell you "nope!" and now you're upset that you can't play the game ahead of others? Because that's definitely the vibe I'm getting.

Not to mention stupid... Calling legit issues out as a scam only devalues the issue of scamming, making it painfully clear that you couldn't give a damn about people who actually got scammed. Way to go... good on you... "Me, myself and I" in the flesh right there ladies and gentlemen.

Arrogance and hypocrisy is dangerous mix... just saying... combine it with karma and you'll get some really interesting results

Publicado originalmente por Padds:

a publisher should offer the game at a single clear price for us to make our purchasing choice..

So now we also can't have our deluxe versions anymore?

It's obvious that you didn't give this any thought what so ever... because this pee brain mentality works both ways. "Single clear price" also implies that devs should not be allowed to sell their game combined with optional DLC for a discounted price.

Way to go genious! I'm sure EA loves you

[Chika Ogiue]

Publicado originalmente por I block trolls, idiots & liars:

there is a group of regulars here that vigorously defend billion dollar corporations, and the gaming industry, especially Valve / STEAM, over their own, no to mention the consumers, best interest.

Explaining that people don't have to buy games on day one and don't have to pay more for the X days "early start", isn't even CLOSE to defending publisher decisions. But we get it. It's easier for you to lash out at others when you cannot cope with your own inability to exercise self-restraint.

[76561199540158642]

what about when you lash out at those like me with excessive self-restraint who wait for those games to be absolutely free?

i mean come on now you are complaining about this guy who wants to buy a product but not have to mess around to get it, where he is getting nickle an dime'd to death and then you complain about free users like me who don't bother even falling for the game pay lure.

is there some happy medium where people aren't turned into prey by a predatory game store and the developers who are all trying to get rich quick over robbing the game stores unsuspecting users.

[Chika Ogiue]

Publicado originalmente por Golden Unicorn:

he is getting nickle an dime'd to death

You people really need to learn the meanings of things like "scam" and "nickle and dimed" as they don't mean what you think they do.