Call of Duty Demo Open Letter

Though we don't really offer much in the way of downloads here, Blue's News is supporting the sentiments in the following open letter, which demonstrates to Activision (and hopefully the rest of the industry) what the undersigned sites feel are the general sentiments of the community about the downsides of exclusive demo releases. As a result, these sites will not be carrying the Call of Duty demo, even after its FilePlanet exclusivity (story) is over. Update: To be clear, this does not mean we will not carry news of when the demo is released, exclusive or not. Here's the letter:
After discussions with Activision, the following websites will not be carrying the Call of Duty playable demo, even after its exclusivity is over. This is due to Activision's decision to not accede to the reasonable request of making the demo freely available to all game enthusiasts at the same time.

3D Downloads
3D Gamers
AusGamers
Blue's News
EdgeFiles (Callofduty.org)
FileFront
FileShack
GameGossip
Gamer's Hell
Loadedinc
Tiscali Games
WorthPlaying

The above-listed websites hope to show Activision that the enthusiast industry is strongly opposed to the idea of exclusive demo releases.

Feedback from our users shows that gamers hate to be forced through a single point of congestion if they want a demo right away. While these websites are actually competitors, this competition provides the freedom of choice that enthusiasts want by offering the widest possible distribution of any demo (a sample intended to interest as many gamers as possible in the full product, after all) rather than the most restricted one.

Therefore, something this disrespectful of the industry as a whole has inspired all of these websites to stand together in this open letter.

Deals like this hurt the industry much more than they could possibly enhance a single relationship, and we ask for your support in sending out this message.
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411 Replies. 21 pages. Viewing page 12.
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191.
 
Re: Welcome to a Free Market
Aug 28, 2003, 21:18
Re: Welcome to a Free Market Aug 28, 2003, 21:18
Aug 28, 2003, 21:18
 
Oh yes Rictor, poor you, you fight the man by stealing things. Please.

Do you think it is right to profit from something to basic?

And since when was a game demo something necessary for survival or, as you put it, basic? It's a luxury item, a commodity, a material possession, an item that makes your life prettier and, if you believe it to be so, more fulfilled. Nothing more. Comparing an absolutely critical sustenance for life like air to a GAME DEMO of all things is ludicrious! It's a thin argument.

m19

Avatar 11406
190.
 
Bah...
Aug 28, 2003, 21:16
Bah... Aug 28, 2003, 21:16
Aug 28, 2003, 21:16
 
I refuse to pay for a product if I can't even get the blasted demo of it for free. Thank god for newsgroups.

189.
 
Re: Welcome to a Free Market
Aug 28, 2003, 21:15
Re: Welcome to a Free Market Aug 28, 2003, 21:15
Aug 28, 2003, 21:15
 
Curse not editing... To clarify, come up with a real-world example where someone was given exclusive rights to something without having to give anything in return. It's an incredibly unrealistic situation, so I'm curious what you're thinking of.

m19

Avatar 11406
188.
 
No subject
Aug 28, 2003, 21:15
No subject Aug 28, 2003, 21:15
Aug 28, 2003, 21:15
 
Simple question. Why is air free? Where is it defined that air is free? You just take it to be free since it is the expected norm right? Well, would you ever pay for air? Do you think it is right to profit from something to basic? Would you support a company that markets air, and everyone who won't/can't pay for it get shafted?

Exactly. The Internet is getting too commercial. I resent that everything nowadays is part of a corporate agenda. I resent that cofee costs 5$ cause it comes in a fancy cup. I resent that pretty much anything is open to commercialization, and if you don't have the money to pay for it: too bad. These companies are rich enough, without having the screw me for their daily bread. This is why I download music. This is why I download films. This is why I will not pay for demos. And you know what? The vast majority of people under 30 think like me. Companies have the right to try to profit from you, can't blame a guy for trying right? But you are advocating letting them get away with it. And thats no gonna happen cause, evidently, people won't stand for it.

187.
 
Re: Welcome to a Free Market
Aug 28, 2003, 21:14
Re: Welcome to a Free Market Aug 28, 2003, 21:14
Aug 28, 2003, 21:14
 
Would you feel the same way about this if FilePlanet was not paying anything for the right to premier this demo exclusively?

Give an example of something like that actually happening (I can't think of any off the top of my head), and then I'll think about that. Honestly, that's hardly likely to happen, so that situation doesn't hold much water. They *do* pay for it, so that's not debatable.

m19

Avatar 11406
186.
 
Re: Welcome to a Free Market
Aug 28, 2003, 21:11
Re: Welcome to a Free Market Aug 28, 2003, 21:11
Aug 28, 2003, 21:11
 
I've also got to go with Fileplanet on this one.

You're more than entitled.

Chill out guys and pick something worth fighting for next time.

Call it David versus Goliath... too much of this stuff goes by without someone taking a stand, and Goliath's influence will grow stronger, and gamers will have fewer options in a greater number of cases.

BTW, I don't know what the facts are in this case, so I'll ask my question in a speculative way: Would you feel the same way about this if FilePlanet was not paying anything for the right to premier this demo exclusively? Would that make you concerned about the quid pro quo?
Stephen "Blue" Heaslip
Blue's News Publisher, Editor-in-Chief, El Presidente for Life
Avatar 2
185.
 
Re: No subject
Aug 28, 2003, 21:11
Re: No subject Aug 28, 2003, 21:11
Aug 28, 2003, 21:11
 
The cool thing about this whole situation is, we can very effectively boycott Fileplanet and all the other exclusive carrying websites by using BitTorrent, one of the coolest new internet inventions. All we need is one person with the file and we'll never have to d/l from a server! We can destroy Fileplanet! RISE UP!

There was only one catch and that was Catch-22
Who knows but that, on the lower frequencies, I speak for you?
http://citizenb.com/ - Now at v1.1
184.
 
Re: No subject
Aug 28, 2003, 21:08
Re: No subject Aug 28, 2003, 21:08
Aug 28, 2003, 21:08
 
WAR IS PEACE

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

2 + 2 = 5

There was only one catch and that was Catch-22
Who knows but that, on the lower frequencies, I speak for you?
http://citizenb.com/ - Now at v1.1
183.
 
Re: Call of Duty Demo
Aug 28, 2003, 21:07
Quboid
 
Re: Call of Duty Demo Aug 28, 2003, 21:07
Aug 28, 2003, 21:07
 Quboid
 
They're not stopping you from test driving their game. If anything, the lists sites are the ones doing that, although with reason. It will (very likely) be available at most a week after it's available for FP subscribers, which in turn is over 2 months before the game is out. They are still giving you a taste of what you are potentially going to buy.

Anyway, they're under no obligation to release a demo at all. If they decide not to give you a tast then they won't give you a taste and they don't have to make excuses. It is probably bad business and will certainly loose them customers, but they don't need to make excuses for that. You seem to be under the impression that gaming companies owe you something other than support for previous titles you've paid for.

Cheers,
Quboid
Avatar 10439
182.
 
FilePlanet
Aug 28, 2003, 21:06
FilePlanet Aug 28, 2003, 21:06
Aug 28, 2003, 21:06
 
I pay gladly for my FilePlanet service. I like what I get. I do gripe sometimes about how their content is too game oriented, however. I'd like to see a site called "FilePlanet" carry more than just game-related files.

FilePlanet cannot be blamed for this. They're trying to make a buck just like everyone else. And hey, they got a great deal. Activision is the company that's leaving everyone out in the dust.

I've joined some of the other sites to find that a lot of their links were broken, or the site was so jammed that I couldn't download anything. They also have things like mandatory wait times for files, evern if no one else is in line! I just don't see how FilePlanet is the bad guy here. They deffinately have the best download service out there.

Gamespot comes in at #2, mainly because of their video content.

id software has never made anything exclusive, so I doubt they'd only release a demo to FilePlanet.

Also, if there is a Half-Life 2 demo, I'm sure Valve will distribute it through their Steam software.

And one final note: I doubt either DOOM 3 or Half-Life 2 will have playable demos that you can download. Atleast not for a long time after they're released. The build-up around both games is so strong, and the fanbase so huge that they will not require one.

181.
 
Re: No subject
Aug 28, 2003, 21:05
Re: No subject Aug 28, 2003, 21:05
Aug 28, 2003, 21:05
 
the doctrine of fileplanet:

WAR IS PEACE

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

- Big Business

-------------
GNSProject.com News Cronie
*What I say is my opinion only, and does not reflect the site I work at.
180.
 
#177
Aug 28, 2003, 21:04
#177 Aug 28, 2003, 21:04
Aug 28, 2003, 21:04
 
Demos are by defeinition free and who gives these people the right to profit from something that is supposed to be free.

Ehh? Where is it defined that demos are "free?" You might THINK they're free because that's been a norm for a while, but in now way is anything created by blood, sweat, and tears (to use a good ol' phrase) ever free because you demand it to be so. The company that makes a game (or anything else, for that matter) has every right to say what happens to that product. Delusions of things "having" to be free shows nothing but ignorance and a demanding attitude. If they want to charge for it or give it to someone else who charges for it, that's their perogative. And if it makes them lose business, that's no one's concern but theirs. Sorry, but your logic here is tainted by getting a little too comfy with highspeed Internet and instant gratification where things are delivered in an instant. Don't forget that all these "free" demos you're demanding still have production schedules, employees who need to be paid, and whatnot. You think they just come out of thin air? Get real.

m19

Avatar 11406
179.
 
Re: No subject
Aug 28, 2003, 21:01
Re: No subject Aug 28, 2003, 21:01
Aug 28, 2003, 21:01
 
I really don't understand the problem with an exclusive demo. The wait really isn't that long and, frankly, I would respect a publisher's request to remain completely exclusive to a single site. This just seems like an inevitable evolution of the information technology business. Not carrying the demo, after the exclusive period expires, as these sites claim they are going to go through with, just seems dumb to me.

178.
 
Fight the Power
Aug 28, 2003, 21:00
Fight the Power Aug 28, 2003, 21:00
Aug 28, 2003, 21:00
 
Got to give us what we want
Gotta give us what we need
Our freedom of speech is freedom or death
We got to fight the powers that be
Lemme hear you say

Fight the power!

There was only one catch and that was Catch-22
Who knows but that, on the lower frequencies, I speak for you?
http://citizenb.com/ - Now at v1.1
177.
 
No subject
Aug 28, 2003, 20:59
No subject Aug 28, 2003, 20:59
Aug 28, 2003, 20:59
 
Its the principle of the thing. There are certain things which, when commercialized, cross the line as to what is and what is not open to commercialization. People do not want to pay for, say, air, no matter how good it is, pure it is, and especialy if the company involved makes the air avaiable only from them, at a price. Demos are by defeinition free and who gives these people the right to profit from something that is supposed to be free. The air example is a bit extreme, but its the same principle.

176.
 
Down With paid Demos
Aug 28, 2003, 20:58
Down With paid Demos Aug 28, 2003, 20:58
Aug 28, 2003, 20:58
 
Viva La Revolution !!!!!

Down with PAID demo access !!!!

175.
 
Re: exclusiv
Aug 28, 2003, 20:58
Re: exclusiv Aug 28, 2003, 20:58
Aug 28, 2003, 20:58
 
ok i don't buy their fuckin games anymore

That's tossed around so much now that it hardly means anything. Actually do that, and I'd be surprised. Until then it's just words.

m19

Avatar 11406
174.
 
exclusiv
Aug 28, 2003, 20:57
exclusiv Aug 28, 2003, 20:57
Aug 28, 2003, 20:57
 
exlusiv demo releases in the past also offended me very much,
What kind of marketing activision is doing, i don't know.
I think what activision is doing right know is completely the wrong way.
the gaming industry depends on us, depends on our money,
on our critics to make good games and if they think they can treat us like this ok i don't buy their fuckin games anymore
if this is what they want

173.
 
No subject
Aug 28, 2003, 20:56
No subject Aug 28, 2003, 20:56
Aug 28, 2003, 20:56
 
HOLY SHIT! Fastest growing post EVAR.

Way to go Blue! Stick it to the man!

There was only one catch and that was Catch-22
Who knows but that, on the lower frequencies, I speak for you?
http://citizenb.com/ - Now at v1.1
172.
 
Welcome to a Free Market
Aug 28, 2003, 20:53
Welcome to a Free Market Aug 28, 2003, 20:53
Aug 28, 2003, 20:53
 
Sorry Blue,

I've also got to go with Fileplanet on this one. I subscribe to redvsblue.com to get their videos faster than public servers. I also subscribe to other sites that have things I want. If Fileplanet keeps getting exclusive content ahead of other sites then I'll probably subscribe to them. That's the way the world works folks. Give the people what they want and make them pay to get it. If you don't want to pay, then just wait seven days and it'll be free for you. No big deal.

This is almost as bad as people freeking out becasue a game got delayed a day or two. I mean how long have we been waiting for Deus Ex 2, Half-life 2, or good ol' Duke Nukem Forever.

Chill out guys and pick something worth fighting for next time.

Lycaeon

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