EA: New Online Gaming Content Codes Could Expire Before Even Being Used

[qubit]

this news is very useful if people would stop playing the victim for a minute.

we now know of a possible problem with EA games purchased from online vendors. this is how you should deal with it.

#1 if you have an EA game and have not activated it yet, spend 5 minutes and do it now to avoid a hassle down the road.
#2 if you purchase a game code and it happens to be expired when you receive it contact a rep and explain the issue. since EA knows and recognizes the problem be polite and you will surely receive a shiny new game code

/life lesson

Yes, those work (inconvenience aside) but what about the scenario I pictured where the game has been bought from the shop when it's getting on a bit and the service has been pulled? You can't expect someone looking at the box for the first time to be expected to know that an internet announcement was made about its closure six months ago. That then makes it fraud.

Also, I hate to say it, but I don't completely trust EA to necessarily honour their promise, either, given the kind of customer service stunts they're known to pull. I'm stressing that this last bit is purely my own opinion/feeling on this, so please don't bite my head off! lol

 

[Easy Rhino]

Yes, those work (inconvenience aside) but what about the scenario I pictured where the game has been bought from the shop when it's getting on a bit and the service has been pulled? You can't expect someone looking at the box for the first time to be expected to know that an internet announcement was made about its closure six months ago. That then makes it fraud.

EA explained clearly that you only have to contact THEM in that case. remember, EA doles out the licenses. it doesnt matter where you buy the game from. since they are fully aware of the issue i imagine contacting them and giving them the gamecode you purchased will be enough. they will know if it is truly expired and will give you a new code. they will probably want the reseller information as well so they can get in touch with them.

i dont trust EA either nor do i think they are worth defending. but that's at least what i would do. stay calm and act polite and understand that not everyone is perfect.

 

[Animalpak]

Fuck off EA

That is all

yeah burn EA bunch of lazy pigs... money pigs

 

[qubit]

EA explained clearly that you only have to contact THEM in that case. remember, EA doles out the licenses. it doesnt matter where you buy the game from. since they are fully aware of the issue i imagine contacting them and giving them the gamecode you purchased will be enough. they will know if it is truly expired and will give you a new code. they will probably want the reseller information as well so they can get in touch with them.

So you mean that before the licence expires, the onus is on the shop to either pull the games from the shelf, or clearly label them as having a disabled feature? Yeah, I'll buy that. Still, I wonder how many shops just won't bother or are too disorganized...

i dont trust EA either nor do i think they are worth defending. but that's at least what i would do. stay calm and act polite and understand that not everyone is perfect.

Yeah, +1. It's amazing how staying calm and collected when talking to these companies helps you get what you want, even if it takes a helluva push to get there.

 

[Easy Rhino]

So you mean that before the licence expires, the onus is on the shop to either pull the games from the shelf, or clearly label them as having a disabled feature? Yeah, I'll buy that. Still, I wonder how many shops just won't bother or are too disorganized...

probably a lot of the smaller ones are disorganized and don't care all that much. that is why i personally stick to the buying games from large vendors like steam. although, not even steam is immune to expired game codes. i had that happen once to me and it took a day but i was able to get a new one.

 

[STCNE]

Yeah I had this happen. The code in Dragon Age Origins never worked. I've always had problems with anything that involves EA. I bought it new and close to release, so it should have worked.

 

[csendesmark]

That happesn If you not buying games on steam

 

[Widjaja]

This is only a guess, but highly likely their product key database is HUGE to say the least.
Thee maybe olny be product keys and a miniscule size of space taken up on their database but it would be a lot in the long run with so many people all over the World.

So in order to get rid of the unused product keys within the database and crate more space instead of purchasing new space, they make the product keys expire.

 

[Frizz]

Sounds like another dumb move, aka Crysis DRM and limited PC Authorization. Although I was able to renew the amount of authorizations I had by contacting their support which surprisingly didn't take that long thanks to live chat being available at the time so I was able to get all my authorizations back, I'd imagine anyone would be able to do the same with these keys if it ever gives them issues. Let us hope it is just another passing fad for EA. ie CD-key expiration dates is the new black.

 

[LiveOrDie]

Damn. Good find. I have that BF3 voucher I got with my 2700K CPU the other day. I guess I'd better activate it sooner rather than later.

And you know what? That EULA I pointed to doesn't show this! Your screenshot looks like a photo of the back of the box, perhaps?

Nope its off the BF3 Voucher heres a scan of it

 

[Completely Bonkers]

I'm OK with copyright enforcement. I'm against pirating games, BUT

HOT DAMN... if I paid full dollar for a physical copy of a game, I want it to work on my PC, where ever that PC is. At any time in the future. Without the need for internet connections or calling up some company and paying a fortune in international call costs.

"code expiry" is a very clever way to move toward software subscription. TODAY, they might give you a code if your code expires... but there is NO guarantee of commitment to do this in the future.

THIS just deserves to be cracked/hacked. Remember, not for pirating, but to improve my ownership experience. (Just like the NoCD hacks I used on older games)

 

[qubit]

Nope its off the BF3 Voucher heres a scan of it

http://img.techpowerup.org/111204/img001509.jpg

Thanks for that - oh you forgot to show the bit with the code on it. j/k

But seriously, my voucher is still sealed in its brown A5 size paper envelope, waiting for me to open it when my new PC build is ready. I'm sure it looks just the same as yours (with a different code, of course, lol). I'm certainly not gonna wait until it expires before activating it...

 

[bat]

ah, another excuse for kids to make themselves out to be the victim of something so lame. any adult would simply write a nice email to EA rep department and receive a new game code on verification. remember, people are not perfect. sometimes you dont get instant gratification. no need to play the victim or bitch about EA.

You mean another excuse for you to belittle people who you disagree with?

Actually I am 33 years old and would be widely considered a "man" as I own my own house work 40+ hours a week and pay all my bills on time. At the same time I know I would be very upset if I bought a game at the store whether for me or as a gift and had to jump through any hoops to be able to play it considering for consoles they're supposed to just work out of the box. To suggest otherwise and to call anyone who feels such as "kids" is very rude and misguided at best.

 

[LiveOrDie]

Thanks for that - oh you forgot to show the bit with the code on it. j/k

But seriously, my voucher is still sealed in it's brown A5 size paper envelope, waiting for me to open it when my new PC build is ready. I'm sure it looks just the same as yours (with a different code, of course, lol). I'm certainly not gonna wait until it expires before activating it...

Yer i would create a account and just active it so you don't need to worry about it growing mold , This code i have here is unused and is a spare ill be selling it to a friend i think

 

[Easy Rhino]

You mean another excuse for you to belittle people who you disagree with?

Actually I am 33 years old and would be widely considered a "man" as I own my own house work 40+ hours a week and pay all my bills on time. At the same time I know I would be very upset if I bought a game at the store whether for me or as a gift and had to jump through any hoops to be able to play it considering for consoles they're supposed to just work out of the box. To suggest otherwise and to call anyone who feels such as "kids" is very rude and misguided at best.

you buy a game code and it doesnt work because it is says it is expired...
a) a child bitches and moans on internet forums and sends hate mail to EA playing the victim.
b) an adult sends a nice calm email to EA explaining the circumstances and gets a new code.

adult wins, child loses. every time.

 

[Completely Bonkers]

Can someone please explain the need and business rationale for an "expiring code". I'm not saying it is wrong, I'm asking what the product management strategy is behind this. How is it going to evolve and be used as a sales method?

@Easy Rhino, you are repeating yourself so often you sound like a bot.

 

[Mr McC]

you buy a game code and it doesnt work because it is says it is expired...
a) a child bitches and moans on internet forums and sends hate mail to EA playing the victim.
b) an adult sends a nice calm email to EA explaining the circumstances and gets a new code.

adult wins, child loses. every time.

Do you honestly see no ground for legitmate complaint here? Is blind acceptance of every hurdle and inconvenience placed before you as the paying customer the "adult thing" to do? If that is the case, at 38 years of age, I proudly affirm my deep-seated immaturity.

 

[Mussels]

F*ck off EA

That is all

for once, i approve of swearing in a news thread.


this is a terrible, terrible idea. you're buying a physical item that should never expire, and they're doing exactly that.

 

[cdawall]

It makes sense what they are trying to do. With codes that expire you can't have a leaked game code hit the internet and be good forever. Admittedly I would probably call the help desk fucking pissed especially if it was saturday/sunday and they were not open.

 

[Mussels]

It makes sense what they are trying to do. With codes that expire you can't have a leaked game code hit the internet and be good forever. Admittedly I would probably call the help desk fucking pissed especially if it was saturday/sunday and they were not open.

these are single use codes, that expire.


so you go buy crysis 2 next year in the bargain bin at your local store, take it home... and it doesnt work. its expired.


you can buy a brand new product off the shelf or from an online store, discounted or full retail doesnt matter - and it wont work. your new purchase is completely legit, but it past its use by date, so its dead.



yes, this atm is used for free vouchers like those that come with video card bundles - but you know it wont stop there. DLC codes will be next, then full game install codes for retail packages.

 

[cdawall]

these are single use codes, that expire.


so you go buy crysis 2 next year in the bargain bin at your local store, take it home... and it doesnt work. its expired.


you can buy a brand new product off the shelf or from an online store, discounted or full retail doesnt matter - and it wont work. your new purchase is completely legit, but it past its use by date, so its dead.


yes, this atm is used for free vouchers like those that come with video card bundles - but you know it wont stop there. DLC codes will be next, then full game install codes for retail packages.

Crysis 2 is one of the games they are trying to prevent. A simple keygen and that game is good to go. Single use registered codes are the next step in preventing that. It's dumb, it's a waste of money and I dislike it. The money the waste on crap like that could go towards a better product which would sell more and make more money however they think they need to fight those devilish pirates what a loosing battle. Unluckily crap like this is part of the loose and we have to deal with it.

 

[Mussels]

Unluckily crap like this is part of the loose and we have to deal with it.

pity it wont stop pirates. they'll just crack an already installed version of the game and bypass the installer completely.


i just want to headbutt a wall when they do this... this is what happens when someone is paid to prevent piracy, and they have to come up with new ideas all the time.

 

[Mr McC]

pity it wont stop pirates. they'll just crack an already installed version of the game and bypass the installer completely.


i just want to headbutt a wall when they do this... this is what happens when someone is paid to prevent piracy, and they have to come up with new ideas all the time.

This is what happens when someone is paid to attack the second-hand market, screw paying customers at the same time and employ piracy as an excuse...

 

[cdawall]

pity it wont stop pirates. they'll just crack an already installed version of the game and bypass the installer completely.


i just want to headbutt a wall when they do this... this is what happens when someone is paid to prevent piracy, and they have to come up with new ideas all the time.

Oh I know exactly what you are saying, but its not going to accomplish anything this will keep up and keep getting worse.

 

[digibucc]

/life lesson

wow rhino, you are just full of adult wisdom in this thread

in all honesty, no the repercussions aren't THAT bad - and i'm not complaining or asking for anything for free - but how does this make sense to you? first off, what possible reason could they have for making codes expire?

i'm sorry, is this not a tech forum meant to discuss these type of actions? they are a major player that just made a ridiculous move, and your wisdom is to just wait until it affects you, and then call the company. politely.

well thanks rhino, i never would have thought of that but the fact as i see it, is it should never come to that. i can accept having to place a call to support months or years after, to get more installs or whatever - but immediately after you bought a game to get the code in the SEALED box to work? that makes absolutely no sense. i truly cannot understand why you would defend this decision.