Renting Games?

[MeTechulous]

Just throwing this out there, but why can't we rent games?

I'd be happy to pay a dollar or two per hour of gameplay just to make sure my potential investment doesn't result in immediate buyers remorse. Maybe if you wanted to get real fancy, you could implement a "rent to own" feature too.

I just think if we're purchasing licenses to play a game instead of purchasing the full game (at the full price of the game I might add), maybe there should be more features.

[MeTechulous]

And before someone decides to bring it up:

1) I get I'm "technically" renting the game because licensing blah blah herrrrr...

2) I get this has been asked many times before.

My issue is that there hasn't been any really definitive answers as to why this isn't already a feature (in the traditional sense). 'Just a whole lot of, "According to the Terms of Service and blah blah bleee blahh.

If I'm paying $60 for a license granting me to privilege to play the game instead of a genuine copy of the game, I expect more from them.

I personally feel the Steam community is entitled to something like this.

[Spawn of Totoro]

Then a game that takes 8 hours only cost you $4 vs $40.

Rent to own: Make a payment, beat the game, don't make any more payments.

When you purchase a game at the store, you are purchasing the license to play it. It just happens to come with a physical disk. Same when you buy on Steam, only you get a digital download instead of a physical disk. The download is a better value as you can get a new copy any time where as a physical disk can break/wear out.

Originally posted by Lraushtsen:

If I'm paying $60 for a license granting me to privilege to play the game instead of a genuine copy of the game, I expect more from them.

Because you are purchasing the license to the content in either case and that content is what cost money. Doesn't matter the medium it is on.

[MeTechulous]

Originally posted by Spawn Of Totoro:

Then a game that takes 8 hours only cost you $4 vs $40.

Rent to own: Make a payment, beat the game, don't make any more payments.

When you purchase a game at the store, you are purchasing the license to play it. It just happens to come with a physical disk. Same when you buy on Steam, only you get a digital download instead of a physical disk. The download is a better value as you can get a new copy any time where as a physical disk can break/wear out.

I totally agree with you. Maybe you shouldn't be able to continuously rent it until you beat it. You can easily address this issue by limiting the time you're allowed to rent a game. 1 hour, for example.

This idea only came to mind because I purchased a game under the impression it had features it actually didn't (no coop or splitscreen for Divinity Original Sin II). I had to purchase the game, request a refund, and wait 2 weeks before I saw that money again. I could have just paid a buck or 2 to figure that out, and that a really good example of the buyer's remorse issue.

[Black Blade]

Originally posted by Lraushtsen:

I totally agree with you. Maybe you shouldn't be able to continuously rent it until you beat it. You can easily address this issue by limiting the time you're allowed to rent a game. 1 hour, for example.

This idea only came to mind because I purchased a game under the impression it had features it actually didn't (no coop or splitscreen for Divinity Original Sin II). I had to purchase the game, request a refund, and wait 2 weeks before I saw that money again. I could have just paid a buck or 2 to figure that out, and that a really good example of the buyer's remorse issue.

So for next time i recommend you ask on the forums before buying
I do not think that paying to see what the game has or dose not have, will be the best way to do these

[Spawn of Totoro]

Originally posted by Lraushtsen:

I totally agree with you. Maybe you shouldn't be able to continuously rent it until you beat it. You can easily address this issue by limiting the time you're allowed to rent a game. 1 hour, for example.

This idea only came to mind because I purchased a game under the impression it had features it actually didn't (no coop or splitscreen for Divinity Original Sin II). I had to purchase the game, request a refund, and wait 2 weeks before I saw that money again. I could have just paid a buck or 2 to figure that out, and that a really good example of the buyer's remorse issue.

Ask the developer to make a demo available.

Use wallet funds to make a purchase or refund to wallet instead. This usualy happens with in 24 hours after approval.

Two weeks would be due to banks being slow with transfering money.

[MeTechulous]

Originally posted by Black Blade:

Originally posted by Lraushtsen:

I totally agree with you. Maybe you shouldn't be able to continuously rent it until you beat it. You can easily address this issue by limiting the time you're allowed to rent a game. 1 hour, for example.

This idea only came to mind because I purchased a game under the impression it had features it actually didn't (no coop or splitscreen for Divinity Original Sin II). I had to purchase the game, request a refund, and wait 2 weeks before I saw that money again. I could have just paid a buck or 2 to figure that out, and that a really good example of the buyer's remorse issue.

So for next time i recommend you ask on the forums before buying :D:
I do not think that paying to see what the game has or dose not have, will be the best way to do these

Yup, I sure could. I could also watch Twitch live streams or YouTube videos.

It doesn't address if a renting feature would be a good or bad idea. I don't think my personal example of what made me think to bring it here covers what other people would want to use the feature for.

[Black Blade]

Originally posted by Lraushtsen:

Yup, I sure could. I could also watch Twitch live streams or YouTube videos.

It doesn't address if a renting feature would be a good or bad idea. I don't think my personal example of what made me think to bring it here covers what other people would want to use the feature for.

I do not think i said it dose
I was just pointing to your reason

Over all i think the more paths one can take the better for all

[MeTechulous]

Originally posted by Spawn Of Totoro:

Originally posted by Lraushtsen:

I totally agree with you. Maybe you shouldn't be able to continuously rent it until you beat it. You can easily address this issue by limiting the time you're allowed to rent a game. 1 hour, for example.

This idea only came to mind because I purchased a game under the impression it had features it actually didn't (no coop or splitscreen for Divinity Original Sin II). I had to purchase the game, request a refund, and wait 2 weeks before I saw that money again. I could have just paid a buck or 2 to figure that out, and that a really good example of the buyer's remorse issue.

Ask the developer to make a demo available.

Use wallet funds to make a purchase or refund to wallet instead. This usualy happens with in 24 hours after approval.

Two weeks would be due to banks being slow with transfering money.

I've been using Steam for years. I'm well aware of these features.

Renting a game for a week for, what, $10-$15 dollars never made a gaming company go bankrupt. Even in an online platform, you can adjust how the feature would work in such a way that promotes fiscal growth.

[MeTechulous]

Originally posted by Spawn Of Totoro:

Originally posted by Lraushtsen:

If I'm paying $60 for a license granting me to privilege to play the game instead of a genuine copy of the game, I expect more from them.

Because you are purchasing the license to the content in either case and that content is what cost money. Doesn't matter the medium it is on.

See I thought that, too. I ended up finding that Steam can disable your account which would prevent the license owner's access to the game. Because of that, in my personal opinion I don't view it as the same.

I mean I'm not going to do anything that would get my account disabled due to "suspicious activity". I'm just saying that I personally don't view the distribution medium as being the same.

[MeTechulous]

Regardless of what I think or what I could do instead, I'd like to know your opinions about it. Surely I'm not the only one who hasn't really found information on my Google searches.

I want to know if Valve plans to implement something like it. Maybe they had plans and bureaucracy got in the way.

[Spawn of Totoro]

Originally posted by Lraushtsen:

I've been using Steam for years. I'm well aware of these features.

Renting a game for a week for, what, $10-$15 dollars never made a gaming company go bankrupt. Even in an online platform, you can adjust how the feature would work in such a way that promotes fiscal growth.

That is because those renting out the games payed more then the retail cost. They also paid for rights to rent out the games.

Blockbuster, for example, payed about $500 - $1k for a copy of a game with the rights to rent it out. There was a lot going on in the back ground that people are not aware of when it came to those game rentals.

Originally posted by Lraushtsen:

See I thought that, too. I ended up finding that Steam can disable your account which would prevent the license owner's access to the game. Because of that, in my personal opinion I don't view it as the same.

I mean I'm not going to do anything that would get my account disabled due to "suspicious activity". I'm just saying that I personally don't view the distribution medium as being the same.

Same could happen with a retail copy, unless you violate copyright law, as the games are tied to an account these days.

Valve doesn't remove access to games though. Worst they have done is prevent further purchase/adding of games to said account.

Originally posted by Lraushtsen:

Regardless of what I think or what I could do instead, I'd like to know your opinions about it. Surely I'm not the only one who hasn't really found information on my Google searches.

I want to know if Valve plans to implement something like it. Maybe they had plans and bureaucracy got in the way.

As Valve does not own the games on Steam (other then the ones they made) and the developers would rather get paid in full for their work, renting is an unlikely option an one Valve most likely lossed aside long ago, if it was even on the board.

You wouldn't fine evidence if Valve had ever thought of it as they would not have announced it unless they implemented it.

[MeTechulous]

Originally posted by Spawn Of Totoro:

That is because those renting out the games payed more then the retail cost. They also paid for rights to rent out the games.

Blockbuster, for example, payed about $500 - $1k for a copy of a game with the rights to rent it out. There was a lot going on in the back ground that people are not aware of when it came to those game rentals.

See, that's an actual reason! Valve doesn't seem to be hurting for money in any capacity, but renting out a digital copy of a game would probably cost Valve a metric ton of money.

Originally posted by Spawn Of Totoro:

Same could happen with a retail copy, unless you violate copyright law, as the games are tied to an account these days.

Valve doesn't remove access to games though. Worst they have done is prevent further purchase/adding of games to said account.

Most box copies of computer games you get will work without requiring some launcher (MMOs not included in that). You can do whatever you want with the game at pretty much time, but you may be hard pressed to use the key again.

I'll see if I can find some more information about Steam disabling access to a users games and post a link when I do.

[Spawn of Totoro]

Originally posted by Lraushtsen:

Most box copies of computer games you get will work without requiring some launcher (MMOs not included in that). You can do whatever you want with the game at pretty much time, but you may be hard pressed to use the key again.

I'll see if I can find some more information about Steam disabling access to a users games and post a link when I do.

Most box copies of PC games won't work unless you activate them these days. Any way that bypasses that is a copyright violation. That is a $250,000 fine and five years in jail.

No, you can't do what you want with the game as you don't own the game, just a license to play it and the media it is on. You are still subject to their terms of service.

The only time a user may lose access to games on the account is if he purchased the account and the original owner reclaimed it or they fail to provide proof of ownership for the account when ownership is disputed.

I've see many claim they lost access to said games, but it always comes to light why they realy don't have access anymore...most are due to being logged in on the wrong account.

[Hextravert]

Give you an inch and you'll take a mile.

They have always sold so-called licenses — and refunds weren't even a thing until 2015.

Now all of a sudden you feel we're entitled to a rental service.

Originally posted by Lraushtsen:

If I'm paying $60 for a license granting me to privilege to play the game instead of a genuine copy of the game, I expect more from them.

I personally feel the Steam community is entitled to something like this.

[:ekoe]

I don't really care, but reading this thread it seems like all of you are assuming that there's either no rentals at all or steam forces every game to be rentable.

What about letting the developers/publishers of the games decide if they want to allow rentals or not? Not every game has to do it.

Also, for the record I remember renting plenty of games from blockbuster when I was a kid that I was able to completely finish just off the rental. I don't think those companies lost any money because I at least payed something for a lot of games that I probably would otherwise have never payed a cent for at all.